Recent leadership projects

The 2023-2024 Schmitt Fellows surveyed Marquette graduate students’ perceptions of leadership training, career discernment, and negotiation skills workshops. The survey examined  Marquette University’s mission statement and emphasized its leadership section. The study assessed students’ awareness of the mission statement and its leadership component and whether it influenced their decision to attend Marquette. The results showed that graduate students desire leadership opportunities, training, and workshops. The Graduate School received the survey results to develop new leadership initiatives.

The 2022-23 Schmitt Fellows conducted a survey to understand graduate student mental health and wellness, sources of stress, and ways to improve graduate student mental health at Marquette.  The goal was two-fold: to promote increased awareness among the Marquette community of current graduate student mental health and to provide a helpful resource to aid institutional leaders as they work to address graduate student mental health needs, promote access to mental health resources for graduate students, and potentially alleviate unnecessary points of stress within graduate programs. 

The results of the survey were shared with directors of graduate studies and several campus units, among them the Counseling Center, the Office of International Education and the Center for Psychological Services to inform further information gathering and decision making.

The 2021-22 Schmitt Fellows worked in conjunction with the Backpack Program to survey students to better understand food insecurity and awareness of associated resources at Marquette. This survey updates data collected via a survey conducted pre-pandemic. The intent of the survey conducted by the fellows was, in part, to provide post-pandemic data to inform policy and procedures. The survey results were also used to reach out to Representative Gwen Moore regarding legislation she co-sponsored.   

Leadership Matters

Brief Conversations with Social Justice Leaders

Across the United States, a new wave of awareness about racial inequity is shaping our discourse, relationships, and institutions.  As members of a university dedicated to seeking truth and justice, we are reckoning with our own personal and collective responsibility in the struggle for equity. So, how are we doing in these efforts? 

The 2020-2021 Arthur J. Schmitt Fellows offer the following series of virtual interviews with campus leaders who are working to move the dial on equity at Marquette University.  The goal is to foster 1) a shared understanding of the current state of equity at Marquette, 2) a common vision of a more equitable future at the institution, and 3) clearer insight into the practical steps necessary for reaching that future.

As you watch these short interviews, we encourage you to reflect on the issues of equity and social justice raised by these campus leaders. You might consider questions we had on our minds while conducting these interviews:

• Do I recognize the current state of equity at Marquette that these individuals are describing? What is it about my experience at Marquette that has positioned me to see or not see certain equity-related successes or, more likely, challenges?
• How do my own hopes for Marquette align or not with the interviewees’ future vision for the university?
• What is one concrete action I could take to promote the project or vision this interviewee describes?
• Is there one other person I know at Marquette who might benefit from watching this video? Might I invite them to do so?

Dr. William Welburn

Vice President for inclusive excellence, Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. For more information, click here.

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Dr. Robert S. Smith

Director of the Center for Urban Research, Teaching and Outreach (CURTO). For more information, click here.

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Ms. Jacki Black

Associate Director for Hispanic Initiatives, Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. For more information, click here.

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Dr. Kimberly Ann Harris

Assistant Professor of Philosophy.

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Dr. Grant Silva

Associate Professor of Philosophy and former coordinator of the Race, Ethnic and Indigenous Studies (REIS) program. For more information, click here.

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Ms. Bianca Tocci

Doctoral Student in Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology. For more information, click here.

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Ms. Emma Unholz

President of Marquette Empowerment and Mr. Josue Peralta, Vice President. Marquette Empowerment is devoted to combating injustices surrounding issues of gender, race, economic class, sexual orientation and more. For more information, click here.

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Dr. Gerry Canavan

Associate Professor of English & Secretary-Treasurer of the Marquette Capter of the AAUP

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Sarah Kizuk

Current graduate student, MAWU organizer, & 2019-2020 Schmitt Leadership Fellow. For more information, click here.

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Mr. Jack Bartelt

Director of the Office of Disability Services. For more information, click here.

Many thanks to the students, faculty, and staff who took the time to share their experiences, insights, and hopes with us in these videos. Your dedication to Marquette University’s mission is a gift to all its current and future members.

Questions or comments about the content of the videos? Contact Dr. Carrianne Hayslett, Associate Dean for Strategic Innovation and Academic Program Development, carrianne.hayslett@mu.edu.

Graduate Student Mentoring Assessment

Schmitt fellows recognize the value of effective mentoring.  This project involved developing a white paper, Graduate Mentoring Resources and Needs at Marquette. 

Schmitt Fellowship Alumni Outreach

Our alumni are part of a distinguished group. This project included conducting a survey of past Schmitt fellows and exploring opportunities for making connections, laying the foundation for developing Marquette’s Society of Schmitt Fellows, in order to create opportunities for engagement, such as mentorship connections, advisory board participation, speaking engagements and a Schmitt Leadership Fellows newsletter.

Leadership Matters Podcasts

Date: May, 2018

• Garwood Anderson, Interim Dean, Nashota House Theological Seminary and Schmitt Fellow (2001-02). Interviewed by Nathaniel Kidd (Religious Studies).
• Rebecca Cogwell Anderson, Head of Pain Psychology, Department of Anesthesiology, and Schmitt Fellow (1987-88), Medical College of Wisconsin. Interviewed by Michelle Toigo (Counseling Psychology).
• Carrianne Hayslett, Associate Dean, Graduate School, and Schmitt Fellow (2005-06 and 2006-07). Interviewed by Anne Fischer (Chemistry).
• Daniel Mayworm, Trustee, Arthur J. Schmitt Foundation (retired). Interviewed by Katherine Maniates (Biological Sciences).
• Laurie Winters, Executive Director, Wisconsin Museum of Art. Interviewed by Tyler Friedman (Philosophy).
• Susan Wood, Chair of the Department of Theology, Marquette University, and Schmitt Fellow (1984-85). Interviewed by Hans Moscicke (Religious Studies.)
• Daniel Zitomer, Director of the Water Quality Center, Marquette University. Interviewed by Yiran Tong (Civil Engineering).
• Retrospective, a reflective conversation amongst the Schmitt Fellows of their interviews.

Panel Discussion: “Cultivating Leadership for a Successful and Meaningful Career.”

Panelists shared personal stories of their own leadership journeys. They discussed what leadership skills students should strive to develop for successful and meaningful careers and how to develop those skills.

Panel:

• Amy Van Hecke, Associate Professor of Psychology, Marquette University.
• Lars Olson, Interim Joint Chair and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin.
• Michael Stevens, Historian, Wisconsin Historical Society (retired).

Moderated by Schmitt Leadership Fellows: Jared Janes (Philosophy), Jennifer Marra (Philosophy), Alexandre Martins (Religious Studies), Margaret Nettesheim-Hoffmann (History), Anna Shishina (Chemistry), Dylan Snyder (Biomedical Engineering), Elisabeth Vogt (Clinical Psychology), Adrianne Wojcik (English).

Panel Discussion: “Do I Make a Difference? Taking the Lead and Inspiring Others.”

Leadership has numerous forms and people take on many different leadership roles over the span of their lives. A grand gesture, or a small remark can be the spark that makes a difference in someone’s life. The panel of Marquette doctoral students and alumni discussed their individual journeys along the unexpected and remarkable path of leadership.

Panel (Past and present Schmitt Leadership Fellows):

• Jennifer Bonniwell (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
• Peter Borg (History)
• Joshua Garlich (Biological Sciences)
• Carrianne Hayslett, Interim Associate Dean, Marquette University Graduate School, and Schmitt Fellow (2005-06 and 2006-07).

Moderated by Dr. Kevin Gibson, Interim Dean of the Marquette University Graduate School.