Opportunity and Challenge Profile
Marquette University
Search for the Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Marquette University, a private, coeducational, Catholic, Jesuit institution in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, seeks
an enthusiastic and visionary leader to serve as Vice President for Mission and Ministry. The Vice President
for Mission and Ministry will be an innovative and collaborative leader to help fulfill Marquette’s vision
within the rich tradition of Catholic, Jesuit liberal arts education.
Marquette is committed to excellence, faith, leadership, and service. Marquette’s mission is the search for
truth, the discovery and sharing of knowledge, the fostering of personal and professional excellence, the
promotion of a life of faith, and the development of leadership expressed in service to others. The university
aims to graduate students who are transformed by their education and who, in turn, will transform the world.
The Marquette community is guided by three foundational documents: our Mission Statement, Vision
Statement, and Guiding Values.
Marquette enjoys steady and strong enrollment, with the current enrollment at approximately 11,700
students: about 8,400 undergraduates (1,900 freshmen) and 3,300 graduate/professional students from
nearly all 50 states and more than 70 countries. Marquette is one of 28 Catholic, Jesuit universities in the
United States and is the largest private university in Wisconsin. Marquette’s attractive 98-acre campus on
the edge of Milwaukee’s downtown is home to a highly collegial community with more than 1,200 faculty
members.
With a visionary president and provost, passionate and service-minded students, a new university campus
master planning process, increased engagement with the broader Milwaukee community, and an upcoming
comprehensive campaign, Marquette is at an exciting inflection point. The university’s focus on social
justice, educating the whole person, discernment, and changing the world creates an environment that
embraces the development of students and care for individuals in an increasingly diverse and complex
landscape.
About Marquette University
Founded in 1881, Marquette has grown to house 11 academic divisions: Helen Way Klingler College of
Arts and Sciences; J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication; College of Education; Opus
College of Engineering; College of Business Administration; College of Health Sciences; College of
Nursing; Graduate School; Graduate School of Management; School of Dentistry; and Law School. As an
institution committed to both teaching and research, Marquette offers undergraduate programs in 161
majors and minors, in addition to more than 60 master’s and doctoral programs. Marquette is accredited by
the Higher Learning Commission, which reaffirmed the university’s accreditation in 2014.
Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Marquette University
Marquette ranks 86th in the U.S. News & World Report 2016 edition of America’s Best Colleges. Among
its peers, Marquette is distinguished for its emphasis on connecting academic excellence and service to
others, which is intrinsic to a Catholic, Jesuit education. In Marquette’s 2015 senior survey, 82 percent of
seniors said they participated in community service. Marquette's commitment to connecting academic
achievement and service to others has been recognized nationally in a variety of venues. In other rankings,
The Princeton Review named Marquette one of the country's "Best 379 Colleges" and included the
university on the "2015 Guide to Green Colleges," elected for being environmentally aware and sustainable,
specifically for students’ campus quality of life that is healthy and sustainable, and for preparing students
for employment in the clean energy economy of the 21st century. Marquette also prides itself on
maintaining a student retention rate about ten percentage points higher than the national average for private,
non-profit colleges and universities, with approximately 90 percent of students returning for their
sophomore year. Marquette has a proud intercollegiate athletic tradition as a NCAA-Division I institution
and competes in the Big East Conference.
University Leadership
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry will have the opportunity to partner with an ambitious and
enterprising president and provost. Immediately before assuming the Marquette presidency, President
Michael R. Lovell served as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee from 2011 to 2014. At
his inauguration in 2014, Dr. Lovell, Marquette’s first lay president, stressed innovation, collaboration, and
entrepreneurship as he announced several initiatives that have set the tone for the future at Marquette. They
include a $5 million Strategic Innovation Fund, a seven-acre land purchase, and a presence at Milwaukee’s
Global Water Center.
Provost Daniel J. Myers began his duties in 2015 after serving as vice president and associate provost for
faculty affairs at the University of Notre Dame. He is the university’s second ranking official and chief
academic officer, responsible for all aspects of the academic mission of the university, as well as the Division of
Student Affairs and Information Technology Services.
President Lovell and Provost Myers’s plans for the future include:
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Using the university's strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, as a road map to bolster Marquette’s
national academic and research reputation and provide new transformational educational and
research opportunities at all levels of Marquette’s campus;
Filling vacant high-profile university leadership positions with qualified, dynamic individuals;
Providing an already-strong transformational educational experience with a foundation in inquiry
and pursuit of lifelong learning, descended from the Jesuits' early curriculum grounded in the arts
and sciences that is second to none;
Working closely with the Marquette Jesuit community to honor and preserve the university's
Catholic, Jesuit tradition and mission; and
Establishing new relationships and collaborating with key business and thought leaders locally,
regionally and nationally to foster innovation and allow Marquette to reach new levels of academic
excellence.
Beyond Boundaries: The Course for Marquette’s Future
Marquette University’s strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, includes the following goal themes, which aim
to propel the university forward in innovative and collaborative ways:
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Advance Marquette as a highly ranked destination university, renowned for academic rigor, high
impact educational experiences, innovation in teaching and learning, and achievements of its
community of scholars;
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Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Marquette University
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Advance Marquette as a university committed to research and scholarship, with a distinctive
emphasis on excellence in strategically-defined areas including innovation;
Foster a diverse teaching and learning environment in a culture that values, respects, welcomes,
and promotes a sense of belonging for members of our campus and our community;
Positon Marquette as a pivotal resource for and partner with the community, distinguished by our
ethics, service, and promotion of justice in addressing issues within our community and beyond its
boundaries;
Define the Marquette experience as personally transformative, grounded in Jesuit spirituality and
pedagogy, informed by/in dialogue with the Catholic intellectual tradition and Catholic social
teaching, and formative in developing men and women of faith and service for and with others; and
Continuously improve university operations to increase efficiencies, sustain shared resources, and
thrive in tomorrow’s higher education landscape.
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry will partner with colleagues in plan implementation with
special responsibility as a steward for the fifth goal listed above.
Role of the Vice President for Mission and Ministry
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry reports to the President and is the chief mission officer of the
university. S/he will provide leadership and oversee mission and ministry efforts for the campus community
including students, faculty, and staff, as well as program development, communications and marketing, and
resource management. The vice president has overall responsibility for 19 full-time and eight part-time staff
members. Reporting directly to the vice president are the Director of Campus Ministry, the Director of the
Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality, the Director of the Institute for Catholic Leadership, and four staff
members. The vice president is a member of the University Leadership Council and the President’s
Advisory Team.
Key Opportunities and Challenges for the Next Vice President for Mission and Ministry
The vice president will articulate and support the university’s distinct mission, represent the university
effectively to internal and external stakeholders, collaborate with Marquette’s leaders, and influence
decisions. In this role, the vice president will address key opportunities and challenges, which are presented
in detail below:
Serve as a compelling spokesperson for Marquette’s mission as a Catholic, Jesuit university
Marquette has a unique mission and purpose. As a university, Marquette is strongly committed to academic
freedom, tenure, and the principles of higher education that have been developed and nurtured at Catholic
universities for centuries. As a Catholic university, Marquette believes that the search for truth brings us
into a deeper relationship with God. Marquette is privileged to be connected with the rich Catholic
intellectual tradition that has had and continues to have a profound role in our history and culture. Marquette
is proud to be part of an almost 500-year history of Jesuit education that encompasses a humanistic core
curriculum. As such, Marquette believes that we find God in all things, that we have a responsibility to be
men and women for and with others, and that each person is made in the image and likeness of God and
deserves inherent respect.
In spite of the rapidly changing higher education environment, Marquette must retain its commitment to
the transformational nature of a Jesuit education grounded in the liberal arts and humanism. The vice
president will be able to expertly articulate the importance of Catholic, Jesuit education and its relevance
in the 21st century. This includes providing context, leadership, and understanding in conversations with
faculty, deans, and the Jesuit community regarding Marquette’s core curriculum.
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Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Marquette University
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry plays a crucial role as an ambassador for the Catholic, Jesuit
tradition. In particular, the vice president will convey a clear, compelling case for Marquette as a distinctive
institution that provides students with a rigorous, world-class educational experience that attracts highcaliber students and faculty from around the world. Further, s/he will help position Marquette as a national
model for the Jesuit liberal arts tradition and the importance of professional education in the contemporary
university. S/he will understand and effectively communicate internally and externally the privileged role
of a Catholic university as a place of dialogue and exploration oriented to the common good. S/he will
possess an unwavering commitment to academic freedom and the ability to engage complex and emotional
issues related to faith in contemporary society with compassion and nuance. This commitment will include
helping colleagues throughout the campus in discernment and navigation surrounding the natural tensions
that exist at a Catholic, Jesuit university that is engaged fully in contemporary society.
The vice president should be a visible member of the broader university, Milwaukee, and national
community around issues of Catholic, Jesuit mission and higher education.
Educate, engage, and excite others about Marquette’s mission on and off-campus
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry will forge strong relationships with the president, provost,
deans, and other key leaders across the university and promote communication about the university’s
mission and ministry. The vice president will educate, engage, and excite others about the mission as well
as serve as a champion of the academic freedom of faculty and students, and a leader of staff in ensuring
that the mission is paramount in all discussions about curriculum, policies, processes, and resources. S/he
will engage the faculty, students, staff, alums, and trustees in meaningful dialogue regarding the mission of
the university, and make a long-term commitment to developing a compelling mission and ministry plan
for the future that supports the strategic plan.
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry must have the intellectual breadth and curiosity to understand
and engage units across the intellectual and professional spectrum, from the liberal arts to the sciences to
the professions. S/he will develop partnerships across colleges and departments, facilitate connections
between curricular and co-curricular units, and strengthen relationships between academic units and nonacademic units across the university. Through this engagement process, the Vice President for Mission and
Ministry will gain a thorough understanding of the current status of the institution and its faculty, students,
and staff, and encourage creative solutions with an eye towards the future. The Vice President for Mission
and Ministry will also be expected to reach beyond the borders of the university to convey the mission to
the Milwaukee community and beyond.
Provide innovative and entrepreneurial leadership to better integrate mission and ministry activities
campus-wide
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry has leadership of Campus Ministry (for students) and the
Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality (for faculty and staff). In a society where religious engagement is
declining, the new vice president will lead efforts to implement innovative and creative programs and
activities to engage more students, faculty, and staff in religious and mission-related activities. These
activities encompass worship services, service experiences, retreats, and other programming. The vice
president needs to be agile and willing to think in unique and different ways to promote engagement by
students, faculty, and staff in mission-related activities across campus, including the development of metrics
to measure engagement with mission campus-wide.
The next vice president will be a bridge builder who connects people across campus. S/he must be a
boundary breaker who ensures that mission is not merely a veneer overlay, but is embedded throughout the
university. To accomplish this, s/he must be visible to the campus community and especially to students,
inviting them to become more engaged in activities related to Marquette’s mission.
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Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Marquette University
In addition, s/he will be charged with ensuring that the university’s mission is imbued throughout all
curricular and co-curricular activities. This work includes interacting with the Provost, deans, faculty, and
Department of Human Resources on hiring for mission.
Work collaboratively with faculty, students, and staff to create an ambitious shared sense of mission,
identity, and vision
Members of the Marquette community share a common mission yet comprise a unique and diverse set of
colleges, divisions, departments, programs, institutes and centers. The next vice president should work with
faculty, students, and staff to develop and promote a clear sense of mission that both celebrates the
university’s individual parts but also appreciates and builds upon the connections between and among them.
The next vice president should not only be able to articulate the comprehensive mission and forwardlooking vision for Marquette but also have the ability to speak across the various disciplines to be able to
do so convincingly and with indiscriminate passion. S/he will need to create a community that sees itself
as more than a sum of its component parts. This work will require a clear vision and transparent
communication about Marquette’s mission, vision, strategic priorities, and decisions that support these
priorities. The vice president must be a bridge builder who can foster and enhance campus-wide
relationships and projects.
Create opportunities and spaces for conversations seeking deeper meaning
Grounded in the Ignatian understanding of the inherent dignity and value of each person, the new vice
president will intentionally foster the holistic growth of students, faculty, and staff by providing them
experiences to participate in and reflect on the meaning of our world and our lives. S/he will be an
approachable, thoughtful, and understanding pastoral leader who will create opportunities and spaces for
students, faculty, and staff to seek deeper meaning. Establishing this depth will mean casting a wider net to
students to meet them where they are in their spiritual journeys, facilitating open and safe dialogue about
what they want and need in order to have a transformational educational experience. The vice president
will have a sense of joy and help others foster that sense of joy in growing in their relationships with God
and others.
Grow and strengthen Marquette’s diverse and inclusive community
The Vice President for Mission and Ministry will be a key figure in the university’s efforts to develop a
welcoming and diverse community and assure the success of students, faculty, and staff from all
backgrounds. It is expected that the vice president will embrace students, staff, and faculty who bring
diverse experiences, backgrounds and perspectives and will clearly demonstrate a personal commitment to
equity, community, and inclusiveness. The vice president will have a special sensitivity to members of the
Marquette community who are not in the majority.
Marquette has a historic commitment to diversity, becoming in 1909 the first Catholic university in the
world to offer coeducation as part of its regular undergraduate program. In 1969 Marquette's Educational
Opportunity Program was the first federal TRIO program in the nation. Marquette launched its Office of
Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, Center for Gender and Sexualities Study, and LGBTQ Center as part
of ongoing efforts to promote dialogue and understanding on campus.
The next Vice President for Mission and Ministry will collaborate with these and other offices to establish
programs that support an atmosphere that welcomes and celebrates diversity, including differences in social
and economic backgrounds, lifestyle, gender, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, sexual
orientation, and intellectual views, and nurtures the unique gifts of all members in accordance with the
mission and values of the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.
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Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Marquette University
Qualifications and Characteristics
The successful candidate for Vice President for Mission and Ministry will be an experienced and
accomplished leader with a high level of energy, enthusiasm, political savvy, and the drive necessary to
achieve ambitious university-wide goals. The successful candidate will also bring many, if not all, of the
following professional qualifications, skills, experiences, and personal qualities:
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Preference will be given to members of the Society of Jesus;
Commitment to Marquette’s Catholic, Jesuit mission and values, including the ability to work
successfully with the Marquette Jesuit Community and other Catholic higher education leaders.
This includes knowledge of Catholic, Jesuit higher education and Ignatian spirituality;
An unwavering commitment to academic freedom and the ability to navigate the crosscurrents in
Catholic higher education;
Demonstrated leadership in position(s) at institution(s) of higher education;
The ability to serve as a role model for the university community, a person who lives out
Marquette’s Guiding Values in all of her/his interactions.
Honesty, integrity, enthusiasm, sense of humor, resilience, and a strong work ethic;
Superior communication skills; the ability to articulate a compelling message to all audiences;
clarity, crispness, and effectiveness in written and oral presentation; and good listening skills;
Ability to provide strategic leadership, an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit willing to take
calculated risks;
Excellent collaboration and consensus building abilities to bring together a diverse group of
constituents;
Demonstrated decisive management skills exemplified by a record of excellence in delegation,
responsibility, and accountability;
A proven track record of proactive solutions to promote engagement with a mission-driven
organization; and
An earned master’s degree; preference for a terminal degree.
Location
Marquette is located on a 98-acre campus in the near-downtown Milwaukee neighborhood of University
Hill. Lake Michigan is roughly one mile east of the edge of campus. Milwaukee is the largest city in
Wisconsin and the 23rd largest city in the United States. It has one of the highest per capita student
populations in North America. The population is approximately 600,000 and approximately 1.8 million
people live in the metropolitan area. Milwaukee is highly diverse, with about 39 percent African-American,
and 15 percent Hispanic/Latino citizens.
Milwaukee is one of America’s great cities, combining a dynamic urban community with a rich cultural
heritage. There is also accessibility to parks, rivers, and other outdoor recreation. It is a popular venue for
road and mountain biking, hiking, cross country skiing, sailing, windsurfing, ethnic dining, and cultural
festivals. Milwaukee’s Summerfest is the world’s largest music festival. The city is recognized for its art
and historical museums, fine dining and hotels, professional sports, gardens and parks, and the Milwaukee
County Zoological Gardens. Milwaukee also has two opera companies, a nationally renowned ballet and
symphony, and several live theatre companies that range from Broadway musicals, Shakespeare and the
classics to smaller, regional productions. The Guardian (UK) described the city in contrast to Chicago as
“the hip younger sister you secretly want to hang out with.” Milwaukee also hosts professional baseball,
arena football, indoor soccer, hockey, and basketball teams. It has excellent transportation service. To learn
more, see onmilwaukee.com.
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Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Marquette University
Applications, Inquiries, and Nominations
Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search
process. Applicants should submit the following documents online at
https://employment.marquette.edu/postings/5851: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and a list of at least six
references including complete contact information and a description of the relationship to the applicant.
Inquiries and nominations can be submitted to the same web address or to the address or phone number
listed below.
David Murphy, Search Committee Chair
Marquette University, Zilber Hall 235
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
Phone: 415.288.4810
[email protected]
Marquette University does not discriminate in any manner contrary to law or justice on the basis of race,
color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran's status or national origin in its
educational programs or activities, including employment and admissions. At the same time, Marquette
cherishes its right and duty to seek and retain personnel who will make a positive contribution to its
religious character, goals and mission in order to enhance the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.
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