Lemonis Center for Student Success opens its doors to students at Marquette University

Aug. 26, 2024

Students sitting in the Lemonis CenterMILWAUKEE — On the first day of classes, the Lemonis Center for Student Success at Marquette University officially opened its doors to students, contributing to Marquette’s student success strategy of building a culture of mentorship and engagement “from first day to first destination.”

Alumnus Marcus Lemonis, star of HGTV’s The Renovator, CNBC’s The Profit and chairman and CEO of Camping World, and his wife Bobbi donated $15 million to create the Lemonis Center for Student Success. The center is a primary tool in enhancing and scaling the university’s efforts to drive its Student Success Initiative forward.

“The opening of the Lemonis Center for Student Success is going to be a great boost to the Student Success Initiative launched by President Michael R. Lovell in 2021,” said Dr. Kimo Ah Yun, acting president, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “President Lovell’s vision with the SSI and the Lemonis Center was to increase student support in critical areas of need, thereby improving retention and lowering the cost of a college education. We are appreciative to Marcus and Bobbi Lemonis, whose generosity will enhance the Marquette student experience through this new center.”

Centrally located and highly visible, the Lemonis Center, which formerly housed Memorial Library, will provide wraparound services for students across all majors, academic abilities and backgrounds to enrich and expand student opportunities from the moment they step on campus until they graduate. Building on Marquette’s Catholic, Jesuit tradition, the Lemonis Center will help students engage in thoughtful discernment that is infused in Ignatian education, emphasizing a deep sense of connection and meaningful engagement.

“We are all very excited for the opening of the Lemonis Center for Student Success and for this space to come to life with students,” said Marilyn Jones, director of the Lemonis Center for Student Success. “So many people have worked hard to design a space which is welcoming and functional, inviting students to return when they need services, but also as a welcome space to study, gather and relax on campus.”

To that end, the center will house seven “anchor programs” to provide support for students at each stage in their journey:

  1. The Career Center
  2. A new Ask Me Desk, which provides a single point of contact for students who have questions or who seek assistance.
  3. Tutoring via the Office of Student Educational Services
  4. Academic coaching via the Office of Student Educational Services
  5. An experiential learning hub to coordinate and support efforts across campus
  6. A satellite location for the Office of Inclusion and Belonging
  7. Mindfulness, wellness and peer mentoring programs

The Lemonis Center’s design and layout will make it flexible enough to provide satellite space for other student support areas, such as the Office of Disability Services or programming to support the future Wellness + Helfaer Recreation facility. The center also provides flexible open spaces for students to gather and study.

Lemonis Center for Student Success facts

  • Remediation and removal began: March 2023
  • Remodeling began: Week of May 29, 2023
  • Opening to students: Monday, Aug. 26, 2024
  • Square footage of renovation: 35,355 GSF
  • General Contractor: Selzer-Ornst Construction
  • Architect: Workshop Architects and Thorton Tomasetti

Additions, notable changes

  • The Lemonis Center now offers an entrance off Wisconsin Avenue for easy access, complete with a wheelchair lift to the second floor.
  • A floor was built over the new Wisconsin Avene entrance to create a fourth floor reading room.
  • A monumental staircase connects floors 2, 3 and 4, and is supported by three steel beams weighing nearly one ton each.
  • A dedicated Commuter Lounge was installed near the Raynor Bridge. This provides additional space to commuters in addition to the AMU Commuter Lounge.
  • The Lemonis Center features an Iris Air Photo Booth, which allows students to take free professional headshots.
  • Four “phone booths” — soundproof pods for privacy to take a phone call or jump on a virtual meeting, and nine remote job interview spaces that serve the Career Center.

About Marquette University

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.

About Kevin Conway

Kevin Conway

Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.