CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

MARCH 2012

Biological Sciences Seminar Series continues in March The Department of Biological Sciences will host a seminar titled, “Determining the Environmental Impact of Nanomaterials,” given by Dr. Rebecca Klaper, associate professor of freshwater sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, on Friday, March 23, at 3:30 p.m. in Wehr Life Sciences, 111. The series will continue with a lecture titled, “GABAB Modulation of L-type Calcium Channels: Our ‘Current’ Understanding,” given by Dr. Michelle Mynlieff, associate professor of biological sciences, on Friday, March 30, at 3:30 p.m. in Wehr Life Sciences, 111. Contact the Department of Biological Sciences at 8-7355 for more information.

Next Law School Poll will be discussed March 27The results of the third Marquette Law School Poll will be the topic of “On the Issues with Mike Gousha” Wednesday, March 27, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in Eckstein Hall. Released monthly throughout the year, the Marquette Law School Poll provides a comprehensive, independent survey of voter attitudes in Wisconsin during this historic election year. The polling initiative is led by Charles

Franklin, visiting professor of law and public policy, and a nationally recognized expert in polling and voter analysis. Other faculty in the Law School and across campus will also provide context and analysis throughout the year.

Higher education finance expert to deliver Marburg LectureDr. Ronald G. Ehrenberg, Irving M. Ives Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations and Economics at Cornell University, will deliver the annual Marburg Memorial Lecture Wednesday, March 21, at 4 p.m. in Raynor Memorial Libraries’ Beaumier Suites. An expert in the economics of higher education, Ehrenberg has served as a consultant to faculty, administration and trustees at a number of universities on issues relating to tuition and financial aid policies, as well as other budgetary and planning issues. In 2002, he wrote Tuition Rising, an exami-nation of the American higher education system. The Marburg Lecture is named in honor of the late Theodore F. Marburg, a long-time member of Marquette’s Department of Economics, and provides a forum for the discussion of moral, philosophical and social dimensions of economic issues.

MARQUETTEBehind the scenes with Marquette’s third-shift custodiansBy Lynn Sheka

It’s common knowledge that the busiest

people get the most done. A similar version of

that saying is true on Marquette’s campus — the

people who sleep the least get the most done.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Marquette

doesn’t shut down at night or on the weekends,”

said Bob Pach, service manager in Facilities

Services, who co-manages Marquette’s 45-person,

third-shift custodial staff with Cheryl Haskey,

service manager. “We’re walking in for a full

night of work after everyone else has left.”

Sunday through Thursday nights, Pach’s day

begins at 9:30 p.m. when he arrives on campus.

He first checks in with the second-shift main-

tenance mechanic to determine if there are

any immediate custodial needs or maintenance

situations that need monitoring during the night.

Next, Pach walks through each of the build-

ings he oversees to touch base with his crew and

discuss future events and planned projects. As

he approaches each building, he can tell which

members of his staff are working by the type

of music being played.

Jennifer Smith, custodian II in the Alumni

Memorial Union, prefers to listen to her iPod as

she works each night from 11:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Smith has been a part of Marquette’s third-shift

custodial crew for six months, and says cleaning

is a seven-and-a-half-hour workout because of

the sheer amount of space covered each night.

“If you see it, we clean it,” she said.

When she isn’t trying to catch up on sleep,

Smith can often be found studying to complete

her undergraduate degree in mechanical

engineering. Most semesters she takes an

8 a.m. class, which helps her feel connected

to the rest of the campus community.

One of Smith’s favorite things about her job

is her coworkers, because Marquette “feels like a

family.” Another member of the third-shift staff,

Randy Kasten, custodian II in the Al McGuire

Center, echoed that sentiment, adding that the

While the rest of campus sleeps, Jennifer Smith, a third-shift custodian, prepares Lalumiere Language Hall for another day of academic endeavors.

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shared experiences of working in darkness and

the constant lack of sleep help bring the third-

shift crew together.

Although he jokes that everyone working the

third shift invests in Mountain Dew and coffee,

Kasten is proud of the work he does each night.

“Marquette is a small-city university known

throughout the country. There’s a level of pres-

tige when I tell people I work here,” Kasten said.

“The buildings we’re working in are beautiful

and people from all over the country come to

visit them. We feel good knowing we’re a part

of their Marquette experience.”

The work Pach and his team do is closely

tied to faculty, staff and students’ daily Marquette

experiences, because after midnight, the third-

shift custodial crew is responsible for all custo-

dial and maintenance situations on campus. The

Department of Public Safety calls an emergency

phone Pach carries with him during his shifts to

alert him to anything that needs to be handled

immediately. “In my 12 years as a third-shift

manager, I’ve seen my share of emergencies,

from overflowing toilets to malfunctioning

elevators to 400 gallons of water flooding the

lobby in Abbottsford Hall,” he said.

One of Pach’s most memorable days on the

job happened during the major Midwestern

blizzard last February. Although the university

was closed, he and the rest of the third-shift

custodial staff reported to work before the

heaviest snow hit.

C O NT I N U E D O N PAG E 4

MARQUETTE MATTERS

Way Klingler Award winners studying Alzheimer’s, literacyBy Lynn Sheka

Fascinated with memoryWay Klingler Sabbatical Fellowship Award

Ever since she was a child, Dr. Kristy Nielson, professor of psychology

and immediate past chair of the Department of Psychology, has been

fascinated with the human memory. As she progressed in her career,

Nielson parlayed her interest into a specialization in cognition, and

specifically, the aging brain and Alzheimer’s.

Nielson will spend her year-long Way Klingler Sabbatical Fellowship

using electroencephalography (EEG) technology to study the timing and

sequence of brain waves during specific cognitive tasks performed by

adults older than 60. The study’s participants will be divided into two

groups — those who have the apolipoproteinE-ε4 (APOE) allele, a genetic

risk factor for Alzheimer’s — and those who do not. Working with research

assistant Christina Figueroa, Nielson will administer various cognitive tasks

to participants, who will wear EEG caps with 64 sensory nodes that record

brain wave activity.

Nielson isn’t just looking for accuracy during the tasks. Rather, she’s

trying to map which parts of the brain are responding and in what

sequence. “We’re interested in the patterns and differences in the ‘when

and where’ within the brain for people with the APOE gene and people

without it.”

Nielson’s goal is to pinpoint areas of the brain and specific brain wave

patterns that distinguish people at risk for Alzheimer’s from those who

are not. She can then observe those factors over a period of time to see if

they predict cognitive decline. Once successful predictors of the disease

have been pinpointed, they can be used as targets for intervention.

“We’ve known for at least 30 years that with the population living

longer, Alzheimer’s would be a huge public health concern, and a very

important and difficult problem to solve,” Nielson said. “I would love

to see someone put me out of business tomorrow, because that would

mean we’ve figured it out.”

An interdisciplinary approach to early literacy educationWay Klingler Teaching Enhancement Award

Dr. Kathleen Clark, associate professor of educational policy and leader-

ship, and Dr. Maura Moyle, assistant professor of speech pathology and

audiology, were working together on a research grant when they realized

that their students have opposite strengths and weaknesses when it comes

to literacy education.

While many speech-language pathologists work in school settings

after graduation, they receive limited hands-on training in collaborating

with classroom teachers. Conversely, elementary education students are

expected to place literacy and language development high on their list

of learning outcomes as educators, but opportunities to actually instruct

culturally and linguistically diverse children in the areas of phonological

awareness and oral language development are limited.

To combat this need, Moyle and Clark, who also serves as director of

the Hartman Literacy and Learning Center, developed an interdisciplinary

course that will teach undergraduates in Marquette’s education and speech-

language pathology programs to collaborate on language and literacy

development, particularly for urban, low-income children. The team-taught

course will be available for up to 32 students from both programs this

fall. Besides teaching language acquisition methods, the course will also

emphasize new approaches to collaboration and coaching to help students

work together and learn from the other discipline.

“Literacy, especially in culturally diverse children, is a huge task that

takes many different viewpoints,” Moyle said. “School models are changing

to accommodate extra professionals in the classroom to support literacy,

and this course is preparing students to hit the ground running and effect

real change.”

Education and speech language pathology students who take the course

will work together to design and implement a full program of literacy

instruction for children from the Hartman Literacy and Learning Center’s

local partner schools. Students will also collaborate on case study research

assessing the learning outcomes of the children they instruct, culminating

in a research poster session at the end of the semester.

“We’re hoping our course will increase cross-disciplinary collaboration,

especially when colleges can work on mutual goals across disciplines,” Clark

said. “One of the biggest advantages of this type of learning is that students

graduate with a broader perspective and a different way of thinking.”

Dr. Kathleen Clark, associate professor of educational policy and leadership, and Dr. Maura Moyle, assistant professor of speech pathology and audiology

Dr. Kristy Nielson, professor of psychology

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Raynor Memorial Libraries’ top five most-circulated books during the 2010-2011 academic year were:

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

3. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

5. The Shack by William P. Young

Marquette’s football program may have disbanded in 1960 due to debt and poor performance on the gridiron, but for Chris Perez, assistant dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering, Marquette’s Golden Avalanche football team is ever present. One entire wall of his office in Olin Engineering is covered with an extensive collection of programs, pennants, media guides and other memorabilia from the days when Marquette’s football team played each fall weekend at Marquette Stadium and County Stadium.

A Marquette graduate and sports fanatic, Perez began his Marquette sports memorabilia collection by accident in 1998, when he was hired by the university as a computer support engineer. Perez was perusing eBay in search of Marquette pennants to decorate his new office when he stumbled upon Marquette football memorabilia dating from the 1920s. He started bidding — and winning — and his collection was born.

Although his office contains sports memorabilia from both Marquette’s football and basketball teams, it is the football artifacts that have been the biggest conversation starter for students and parents who drop by. “They’ll say, ‘I remember when Marquette had a football team,’ and then launch into stories about the stadium at 36th and Clybourn,” Perez said. He eventually plans to donate his vast collection to University Archives so those stories continue to be shared.

Would Perez like to see football make it back to Marquette one day? “It’s a nice dream to have,” he admits. For now, Perez will continue to relive Marquette’s football days from the comfort of his office, and root for Marquette’s basketball team each spring.

Marquette Matters is published monthly during the academic year, except for a combined issue in December/January, for Marquette University’s faculty and staff. Submit information to: Marquette Matters – Zilber Hall, 235; Phone: 8-7448; Fax: 8-7197Email: marquettematters@marquette.edu

Editor: Lynn Sheka

Graphic design:Nick Schroeder

Copyright © 2012Marquette University

On the SideChris Perez – Marquette football fanatic

By Alexa Porter

“On the Side” offers a glimpse of faculty and staff interests outside of Marquette. Email your story suggestions to marquettematters@marquette.edu.

The American Dental Education Association

(ADEA) has recognized William K. Lobb, D.D.S.,

M.S., M.P.H., dean of Marquette’s School of

Dentistry, with a 2012 William J. Gies Award for

innovation as a dental educator.

The Gies Awards, according to Gary Stafford,

D.M.D., chair of general dental sciences at

Marquette, are like the Oscars for dental

education — receiving an award is a very

prestigious honor.

Stafford is a member of the Dental School’s

Committee on Change and Innovation, the group

that nominated Lobb for this national award. The

committee cited his leadership in gaining funds

and support to build Marquette’s new dental

school 10 years ago, and for developing an

innovative curricular model that still serves as

a benchmark in instructional practice today.

“Lobb advocated for a change in how dental

education was to be provided to meet the needs

of 21st century dental practitioners,” wrote the

nominating team.

The constantly evolving curriculum incorpo-

rates a comprehensive care group model, which

includes early clinical experiences, evidence-

based decision making, integration of content

and instruction, community outreach, and

rounds-based education. 

Lobb is still active and engaged with the

curriculum today and practices in the School

of Dentistry’s Orthodontics Clinic each week.

He is also working toward a second- generation

expansion of the school to build research

facilities, expand faculty practice opportunities

and position the school to increase class size.

The state of Wisconsin has already committed

$8 million to the project in its 2011-2013

biennial budget, and the School of Dentistry is

raising $8 million in matching funds through

its Building for the Future Campaign.

The Gies Awards, named after dental

education pioneer William J. Gies, Ph.D.,

School of Dentistry dean honored for innovation in dental educationBy April Beane

honor individuals and organizations exemplifying

dedication to the highest standards of vision,

innovation and achievement in dental education,

research and leadership.

Lobb will accept the award at the 2012 ADEA

Annual Session and Exhibition in Orlando, Fla.,

on March 19.

“Take Five” is a brief list about an interesting aspect of Marquette life. Email your list sugges-tions to marquettematters@marquette.edu.

TAKE5

William K. Lobb, D.D.S., M.S., M.P.H., dean of the School of Dentistry, will receive the prestigious William J. Gies Award for his innovative approach to dental education.

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Marquette Moms: A support network for Marquette’s working mothersBy Lynn Sheka

MARQUETTE HAPPENINGS

MARQUETTE MATTERS

Spring break holiday hoursUniversity departments and services with special and restricted hours of operation for spring break, March 10 to March 18, include: the Alumni Memorial Union, the ITS Help Desk, Raynor Memorial Libraries, the Rec Center, the Rec Plex, the Spirit Shop and Union Sports Annex. Visit specific department and services websites to determine special hours of operation during spring break.

Marq Our Words offers opportunity to practice public speakingFaculty and staff interested in sharpening public speaking skills by practicing conducting meetings, giving impromptu speeches, presenting prepared speeches and providing constructive feedback in a supportive environment should attend a meeting of Marquette’s Toastmasters International chapter, Marq Our Words. Marq Our Words meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month over the lunch hour. Find locations for upcoming meetings at marqourwords.tumblr.com.

On-campus physical therapy available at Sports Rehabilitation Clinic Marquette employees and students suffering from an injury that will not heal, a nagging pain or a new injury, can make an appointment at the Marquette Sports Rehabilitation Clinic, located in Cramer Hall, 215. Licensed clinical physical therapy faculty are available to offer expert opinions and treatments, including physical therapy and athletic training services, X-ray services and free injury evaluations. To schedule an appointment, call 8-1400 or visit marquette.edu/pt-clinic.

Engage with Marquette on social mediaShare memories and current Marquette inspiration by following the university on its newest social network, Pinterest, at pinterest.com/marquetteu/. Experience a virtual bulletin board of campus scenery, Marquette Magazine photography, vintage throwbacks and blue and gold visuals. Also, be sure to “like” Marquette on Facebook and follow the university on Twitter for real-time updates about campus happenings. Visit marquette.edu/social/ for a full list of social networks that Marquette participates in.

When Brigid Alba had her

first child in fall 2009, she

knew being a mother would

change her life. What she

wasn’t prepared for was the

guilt she felt as she transi-

tioned back to her role as

assistant to the vice president

in the Office of Mission and

Ministry after her maternity

leave. While talking with other

new moms around campus,

Alba learned she wasn’t the

only one feeling that way, so

she asked the Faber Center for

Ignatian Spirituality if it would

provide space for new moms

to have lunch and discuss their

shared experiences.

The Faber Center offered to fund two lunches

each semester for the fledgling group, and

Dr. Kathy Coffey-Guenther, director of Ignatian

programs and associate director of the Faber

Center, volunteered to lead guided discussions

on relevant parenting topics during the meetings.

Ten Marquette mothers attended the first

meeting of the New Moms group in January

2010, where the conversation ranged from

newborns’ unpredictable sleeping patterns

to the pros and cons of using cloth diapers.

“I came away from that first meeting thinking

this group was the perfect place to share my

feelings and questions with people who under-

stood exactly what I was going through,” Alba

said. “I had other moms saying to me, ‘Here’s

what I did. Here’s my story,’ and it helped me

see that I’d figure it out, too.”

Since then, the group has grown and diversi-

fied to include mothers of children of all ages

— prompting the New Moms group to change

its name to Marquette Moms in September 2011.

It now includes Marquette faculty and staff from

a variety of departments who share the bond of

motherhood, and has helped forge new connec-

tions between women who previously had little

interaction on campus.

“The Marquette Moms group brings a sense

of community, support and wisdom for working

Above: Members of Marquette Moms (and a few dads) enjoy a play date at The Big Backyard. Right: Left to right: Jack Dooley, son of Stacie Dooley; Renee Anderson, assistant director, Krueger Child Care Center; Stacie Dooley, associate dean of Residence Life for University Apartments and Off Campus Student Services. The on-campus Child Care Center is another way Marquette supports its working mothers.

moms at Marquette,” said Coffey-Guenther.

“It is especially helpful as moms transition

back to work while missing their infants, as

they discern when to focus on broadening their

families, and even for support during difficult

circumstances, such as a child’s illness or the

loss of a pregnancy.”

Elizabeth Wieland, office associate in

University Advancement, was one of the new

mothers at the group’s very first lunchtime

meeting. She has found Marquette Moms to

be an invaluable support network, especially

since none of her closest friends have

children. An average of 25 women attend each

Marquette Moms lunch, and members often

exchanges emails in between meetings about

everything from the best place for children’s

swimming lessons to recommendations for

baby photographers.

“Because Marquette values care for the whole

person, I’ve found that the university is very

understanding of the challenges of being a

working mother,” said Wieland. “I feel so lucky

to work at a place where you can identify a need

and your employer supports you by providing

tools to meet that need.”

Mothers interested in joining Marquette

Moms can email Wieland at elizabeth.wieland@

marquette.edu.

Snowplows didn’t make it to campus until

3 a.m., and many of the third-shift staff were

stranded on campus until 11 a.m. the next day.

Pach made sure everyone was accounted for

and had a way to get home.

On normal days, Pach leaves campus at 6 a.m.

and heads home to nap for two hours before

either babysitting his granddaughter or looking

after his elderly father. He tries to take another

nap from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and then his day

starts all over again.

While he admits he drinks a lot of coffee and

that working the third shift isn’t for everyone,

Pach said he enjoys “interacting with my staff,

the independence and quiet, and the fact that

I always have to be ready to think on my feet.”

Third-shift custodians C O NT I N U E D F R O M PAG E 1

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