“A scholarship is not for free — you have to

work hard to maintain it.”

No one knows that better than Dr. Phu Tran,

Eng ’04, Grad ’11. He was the first member of his

family to graduate from college. At age 14, his

family moved to the United States from Vietnam.

“For my parents, they came here to give us a

better future and they knew education was the

way to that future,” Tran says. “For me, there was

no choice. Whatever I had to do to go to college,

I was going to do.”

From the moment he enrolled in Pulaski High

School in Milwaukee, attending college was his

main goal. However, that goal presented many

challenges. His parents couldn’t pay tuition and

he didn’t know anyone he could talk with about

the admissions process or college life. That is,

until a friend of the family offered him some

life-changing advice.

“He was a college graduate and went through

the Educational Opportunity Program. He told

me to apply,” recalls Tran. “So, after school one

day, I hopped on a bus to Marquette’s campus. I

went up to the EOP offices in Marquette Hall and

asked about their programs.” He went on to apply

for the Upward Bound Math-Science summer

program designed for low-income, first-generation

high school students. He was accepted and partic-

ipated in the program, which helped him excel as

an undergraduate.

“Without that program, I would have been

way less prepared compared to my classmates

(at Marquette),” Tran says. “I had the drive to

work hard. Knowing that my family would

not have the financial support to send me

to college, I had to work harder to maintain

(my scholarships).”

Marquette’s four federally funded TRiO

programs (Upward Bound, Upward Bound

Math-Science, Student Support Services and

McNair Scholars) make college and graduate

school a realistic option for low-income, under-

represented and first-generation students like

Tran. Each year, Marquette’s TRiO programs help

more than 500 high school and college students

achieve their goals.

CAMPUS HAPPENINGS

DECEMBER 2012 / JANUARY 2013

Deadlines for Way Klingler awards approaching

Up to four full-time, regular, junior faculty will receive Way Klingler Young Scholar Awards for 2013–14. The awards of up to $22,000 fund $2,000 in operating expenses and cover up to 50 percent of salary so the recipients can take a one-semester sabbatical. Award winners are selected by the Committee on Research. The application is due Jan. 11, 2013, and is available on the Office of the Provost website.

Deans have until Jan. 18, 2013, to nominate full-time associate or full professors for a Way Klingler Fellowship. Two fellowships will be awarded in 2013, one in science and a second in the humanities/social sciences. The science fellow will receive $50,000 annually for three years, and the humanities fellow will receive $20,000 annually for three years. The fellows will be chosen by the Committee on Research. In order to provide the opportunity for as many faculty as possible

to benefit from the Way Klingler Fellowship, the Committee on Research has voted to restrict past recipients from being considered again until ten years after their original award date. Detailed information is available on the Office of the Provost website.

Holiday hours in effect Dec. 24, 2012 to Jan. 1, 2013The university will be closed Monday, Dec. 24 through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, for the Christmas holiday. Limited campus services, including Public Safety, Facility Services and the Rec Plex, will remain open. The university will re-open Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. Buildings and services with special hours of opera-tion during the semester break include the Alumni Memorial Union, IT Services, Raynor Memorial Libraries, the Rec Center, the Rec Plex, the Spirit Shop and the Union Sports Annex. Complete holiday and semester break hours can be found at marquette.edu/holiday-hours/index.shtml.

MARQUETTE

“From completing high school to attaining

a doctoral degree, our EOP programs help

students see that college is a possibility —

something they may not have seen or been told

before,” EOP Director Dr. Joseph Green says.

“And we provide guidance counselors, mentors,

Educational Opportunity Program benefits students and communitiesBy April Beane

tutors and peer support groups to help them

succeed once they get here.”

Today, like many first-generation college

graduates, Tran feels a deep sense of respon-

sibility for returning the favor to those in

his community.

“I spend a lot of time talking with kids at

church and asking them what they are going to

do this summer,” Tran says. “I continue to make

information available to people I run into.”

According to EOP Senior Associate Director

Jessica Hernandez, who was a first-generation

college graduate and a TRiO program partici-

pant while an undergraduate, it’s imperative that

Marquette puts students out into the world who

are interested in using their degree to help them-

selves and their families and communities.

“You’re building up this knowledge that

can be passed down because it’s not rocket

science, it’s just a process. We have so many

students here who don’t realize the impact they

are having on their peers, their communities,”

Hernandez says. “It could be as simple as

talking to a student about going to college.”

EOP Fast FactsEOP is comprised of four federally funded TRiO programs:

n Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science (pre-college) — 95 percent of participants graduate high school in four years and more than 90 percent of participants go on to college

n Student Support Services (college division) — more than 1,800 participants have earned a Marquette undergraduate degree

n McNairs Scholars (college division) — more than 26 participants have completed a Ph.D. or other doctoral-level degree (more than 200 have earned master’s degrees)

Dr. Joseph Green, director of Marquette’s Educational Opportunity Program, talks with students in EOP, which was established in 1969.

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MARQUETTE MATTERS

Long awarded Fulbright to teach in ArgentinaBy Nicole Sweeney Etter

When Dr. Steven Long first took a seat in a Marquette Spanish class

four years ago, he had a very specific goal: to attain proficiency and

win a Fulbright to Latin America.

Four years later, the associate professor and director of graduate

studies in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will be a

Fulbright Scholar at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, a 400-year-old

Jesuit university in Córdoba, Argentina, this spring.

Long, who oversees Marquette’s bilingual English-Spanish certifi-

cate program for speech-language pathology graduate students, says

he is looking forward to “the personal experience of coming to know a

less-developed — by our standards — part of the world in a role other

than tourist.”

 Argentina was a natural choice for Long, who practiced his Spanish

by Skyping with a native Argentine and who has visited the country four

times. The speech-language pathology profession is also more advanced

in Argentina compared to many other Spanish-speaking nations, he says.

To prepare for his Fulbright trip, Long spent a month last summer

attending classes and observing in a clinic in Córdoba. This April, he will

return for three months to teach an advanced course in evaluation and

treatment of patients with unintelligible speech. While Long’s Fulbright

award is for teaching, he says the experience could have an impact on

his research. “Clearly, any future projects that I undertake that pertain to

monolingual or bilingual Spanish speakers will benefit enormously from

the linguistic and cultural experiences that I gain in Argentina,” he says.

“Most research ideas develop from conversations, and I hope that I’ll be

able to talk more with colleagues and students in Córdoba and that from

those conversations, research ideas will grow.”

The campus community will come together to celebrate the holiday season with several events throughout the month of December.

Igniting Hope: Miracle on Westowne Square, sponsored by the Residence Hall Association, took place Sunday, Dec. 2, the first Sunday of Advent. President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., concelebrated Mass in the Chapel of the Holy Family, followed by a candlelight procession to a tree lighting ceremony in Westowne Square.

Holiday music will fill the air at the annual Music Area Holiday Concert and during performances by The Naturals, a male a cappella ensemble, and the Faculty/Staff Chorale.

The Gospel Choir will sing its rendition of “Amazing Grace” in this year’s Christmas video, which will be shared with the campus community in early December. All proceeds from downloads of the song track will go to the Boys and Girls  Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

Decorations in Raynor Memorial Libraries are put up each year by a team of volunteers led by library employees. Be sure to stop by and take a look at their beautiful work.

The Catholic Church is currently celebrating the 50th anniversary

of the Second Vatican Council, declared by Pope Benedict XVI to

be a global “Year of Faith.” Marquette’s commemoration of Vatican

II began Oct. 11, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the Council’s

opening, and will end Nov. 24, 2013, the Feast of Christ the King.

“This anniversary is an important learning opportunity for our

university community,” says President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. “So many

of us, myself included, have no living memory of the Church

before Vatican II. It is a challenge for us to imagine the seismic

shift it represented. The Council changed almost every aspect

of Catholic culture and experience, especially our world view.

I think in particular of Gaudium et Spes and the world view it

articulates. From our vantage point 50 years later, we can take

that for granted. This anniversary provides an opportunity to

explore anew.”

Lectures, book discussions, interfaith panels and other events

throughout the year will celebrate the spirit of the Council, which

continues to animate the Church’s and Marquette’s mission as a

Catholic, Jesuit university.

University departments and student organizations should

contact Vatican II Committee Chair Rev. Thomas Anderson, S.J.,

to sponsor a program that celebrates Vatican II and its heritage.

Historical information, a listing of campus events and links to

online resources are available at marquette.edu/mission.

’Tis the season

From the Marquette family to yours,we wish you a blessed holiday season.

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Dr. Steven Long, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, will travel to Argentina this spring as a Fulbright Scholar.

By Lynn Sheka

Ernest Eugene, athletic trainer for the men’s basketball team, can recite any bone in the human body, any area code in the United States and any phone number he has ever seen. He has a photographic memory so clear that when he’s assessing a player for a concussion

and needs to remember the names and functions of the 12 cranial nerves, he can close his eyes and picture the exact textbook

page where the information can be found. Eugene, who travels with the team, makes it a point to

memorize the area code for each hotel he stays in. After Head Men’s Basketball Coach Buzz Williams learned of

his skill during a television interview, the coaches and team spent an entire plane ride testing Eugene’s ability

to recall area codes. No one was able to stump him. His skill also comes in handy when pinpointing

specific areas of the anatomy for players to focus on during functional training. He creates an injury prevention program for each student athlete, believing “80 percent of injuries are avoidable if you take the time to screen athletes at the start of their training.”

Eugene demands excellence of himself in all facets of his life, including his memory. “Now that I’m pretty close to mastering area codes, I’m working on memorizing all the roads in Wisconsin and being able to identify all of my friends’ license

plates,” says Eugene. “I’m not quite there yet, but I’ll get there.”

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 SideErnest Eugene – Memory savant

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

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Les Aspin Center celebrates 25 years of preparing students for public serviceBy Lexi Lozinak  

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

TAKE5

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The top five most interesting numbers associated with the Krueger Child Care Center are: 11,200 rubber gloves used each year

1,008 gallons of milk consumed each year

800 crayons used each year

404 diapers changed every day

201 combined years of service at the university for teachers at the Child Care Center

When the Les Aspin Center for Government

reaches its milestone 25th anniversary this

spring, it will have influenced the lives of more

than 2,000 students interested in public service.

Founded as an eight-week summer program in

Washington, D.C., it is now regarded as the gold

standard of D.C. internship programs.

For nearly six years after the program’s first

summer in 1988, Rev. Timothy O’Brien, director

and adjunct professor of American government

at the Les Aspin Center, continued to bring

students to Capitol Hill during the summer

months and to teach on campus during the

school year. Hoping to create a sense of perma-

nency and to grow student participation, Father

O’Brien held a spring semester program in D.C.

in 1993. The rest, as they say, is history.

 In 1994, the university nabbed Les Aspin,

former secretary of defense for President Bill

Clinton, to teach classes in D.C. for students.

After Aspin passed away suddenly in 1995, the

program was re-named in his honor. Around

the same time, Father O’Brien found perma-

nent facilities on Capitol Hill, and in 1996,

the center opened its doors for year-round

academic programming.

While in D.C., students live in an academic

community and attend classes at the center’s

campus, just blocks from the Capitol. Student

interns spend several days each week at place-

ments in Congressional offices, the White House,

the Food and Drug Administration, private and

non-profit organizations, and a variety of other

governmental agencies and

departments. They also have

the opportunity to visit

government agencies and

listen to a variety of educa-

tional speakers discuss their

insiders’ perspectives on

American democracy.

The center has grown to

include Milwaukee govern-

ment internship opportuni-

ties through the Kleczka

Program, and Father

O’Brien is also dedicated to

creating a presence for the

center abroad. Nearly 500

leaders from seven African

countries have studied in

Washington, D.C., as part

of the African Democracy

Training Program, and

classes of Marquette students regularly travel

to Kenya and Ghana as part of a comparative

democracies course.

“What students can expect from the program

is an intense immersion experience that

combines academics and professional work,”

says Chris Murray, coordinator of student

affairs and visiting instructor at the Les Aspin

Center. “Simply stated, we want students who

are committed to making a difference in their

society. They will come back to campus very

different from when they left.”

Many alumni apply their experiences to

post-graduate careers in politics, including

Pedro Colon, the first Hispanic member of the

Wisconsin Legislature, and Marina Dimitrijevic,

Milwaukee County board chair.

 Students studying at the center during

the spring 2013 semester will participate in a

number of unique experiences to commemorate

the center’s 25th anniversary, including attending

the presidential inauguration in January 2013.

Rev. Timothy O’Brien, founding director and adjunct professor of American government at the Les Aspin Center for Government in Washington, D.C., interacts with students in front of a wall displaying photos of each Les Aspin Center class since the program began in 1988.

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MARQUETTE HAPPENINGS

MARQUETTE MATTERS

Oncology researcher to give Wake Lecture on spirituality of palliative care Dr. Betty Ferrell, professor and research scientist at the City of Hope Medical Center in Los Angeles, will deliver the annual James Wake Memorial Lecture on Thursday, Dec. 13, at 5 p.m. in the AMU, Monaghan Ballroom. Ferrell has practiced in the field of oncology nursing for more than 35 years, focusing her clinical expertise and research in pain management, quality of life and palliative care. She has published more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals and texts and authored eight books on cancer pain management, palliative care and end-of-life-issues. This event is free. For more information, call University Special Events at 8-7431.

Theatre Arts to present Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse The Theatre Arts Department’s annual children’s play is Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, based on the popular children’s book by Kevin Henkes. Performances are scheduled at 2:30 p.m. on January 12, 13, 19 and 20, 2013, at the Helfaer Theatre. Tickets are $12 each and are available at the Helfaer Theatre Box Office or online at http://theatretickets.marquette.edu.

Mid-year Commencement will be held Dec. 16Marquette’s December graduation ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16, at the U.S. Cellular Arena. Speakers will include President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.; Dr. Lisa Hanson, associate professor in the College of Nursing; and a student. The Baccalaureate Mass will be held Saturday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at Church of the Gesu.

Metcalfe Chair to discuss new poetry collection Jan. 24Metcalfe Chair A. Van Jordan will present “Scenes from the Journey of Oscar Micheaux,” Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, at 4 p.m. in the Raynor Memorial Libraries’ Beaumier Suites, as part of Marquette’s Freedom Project. Van Jordan’s newest collection of poetry, The Cineaste, features poems that are responses to various films. The centerpiece of the book is a series of sonnets on African American independent filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, who started making films in response to D.W. Griffith’s controversial film, Birth of a Nation. Van Jordan is a professor of English at the University of Michigan and a former Guggenheim Fellow. This event is sponsored by the Department of English and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in the Office of the Provost.

For many doctoral students, lingering in that

dreaded “ABD” — all but dissertation — status

kills their chances of ever adding those other

three initials — Ph.D. — behind their name.

But students intent on finishing their doctoral

degree have a valuable tool: the Graduate

School’s Dissertation Boot Camp. For one intense

week, students lock themselves away in Raynor

Memorial Libraries from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to

plow through as much work as they can.

“It’s like a gym for the mind,” says Jennifer

Sweeney, a doctoral candidate from the

Department of English. “If I get distracted or

tired it really pushes me to see everyone else

here working.”

Since launching in 2008, the boot camps —

which are offered during winter and summer

breaks — have helped more than 140 students,

many of whom attend multiple times. “Students

are coming back repeatedly because they

tell us they get so much done in that one

week,” says Craig Pierce, assistant dean of

the Graduate School.

Nationally, only half of doctoral students

complete their degrees. “It’s a huge waste of

resources, time and effort on the part of students

and faculty members,” Pierce explains. Marquette

won a three-year grant from the Council of

Graduate Schools to tackle the problem,

and the dissertation boot camp has since become

so popular that the Graduate School now funds

it on its own. The only cost to students is a $50

deposit to hold their spot, which is refunded at

the end of the week.

So far, the approach seems to be working.

The attrition rate of boot camp participants is

two percent, compared to Marquette’s overall

doctoral attrition rate of about 41 percent.

It helps to have faculty cheerleaders. The

20-25 students at each camp meet one-on-one

with faculty facilitators, including Dr. George

Corliss, senior research scientist and professor

emeritus of electrical and computer engineering,

who has been involved since the beginning.

Corliss especially loves working with students

from a range of disciplines and says his role

varies by student: “Some as a sounding board,

some as an approval mechanism and some as a

counselor.” Corliss asks a lot of questions and

dispenses plenty of practical advice.

Corliss urged Dora Jones, a nursing doctoral

candidate, to think about the multimedia possi-

bilities of her final PDF file. “We’re not just

writing on a blackboard anymore,” he says.

When Jones talked about how she connected

with a book author whom she admires, he

pushed her to think about how to leverage the

relationship. “She’s probably up for tenure or just

passed tenure, which means she’s under pressure

to do research,” he told her. “So the opportunity

to jointly publish is going to sound as good to

her as it does to you.”

The boot camp also includes daily opportu-

nities for students to mingle and discuss their

research and challenges. Dissertation writing can

A different kind of boot campBy Nicole Sweeney Etter

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2013 Dissertation boot camps

January 7-11June 3-7August 5-9

Held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday through Friday, in the Raynor Memorial Libraries’ Beaumier Suites.

Learn more at

marquette.edu/grad/camp.shtml.

be a lonely process, Pierce says, so camaraderie

is key. And while many are boot camp veterans,

faculty and participants alike admit it’s usually a

good sign when they see new faces.

“It’s really inspiring just to see someone

finish, and not only from my department,”

says English doctoral candidate Carly Anger.

“It tells me I can do it, too.”“ It’s like a gym for the mind,” says Jennifer Sweeney,

a doctoral candidate from the Department of English.