Oct. 7, 2019
MILWAUKEE 鈥� As 樂透彩 celebrates the 50th anniversary of its nationally recognized Educational Opportunity Program, President Michael R. Lovell announced that alumnus
Thomas H. Werner and his wife Suzanne have committed $5 million dedicated to new
first-generation scholarships.
鈥淭om and Suzanne鈥檚 belief in the mission of 樂透彩, our ability to deliver a transformational education and the need to provide access all came together in this incredibly generous gift,鈥� said Lovell. 鈥淪cholarships are a top priority of our strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, and the Werners鈥� commitment will forever benefit the lives of future students and their families.鈥�
Tom Werner has served as a member of Marquette鈥檚 Board of Trustees since 2012 and has led Silicon Valley headquartered SunPower Corporation, a leading global solar company, as its chief executive officer since June of 2003. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Marquette in 1986.
The Werners鈥� gift will launch The Thomas & Suzanne Werner Endowed Scholars Program for First-Generation Students and also support Marquette鈥檚 new award-winning pre-orientation program, called RISE. Ready to Inspire Success and Excellence, a program led by Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Xavier Cole, provides multicultural and underrepresented students with additional resources, connections and a stronger sense of belonging on campus weeks before they begin classes.
鈥淚 was very lucky when I grew up,鈥� Tom Werner said. 鈥淔or me, a college education was expected, and even a given, but that isn鈥檛 true for so many young people. As a Trustee of 樂透彩, this was a great opportunity to give back and to open wider doors for higher education. We are proud that more first-generation and minority students will now have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the world by attending a great institution with tremendous leadership and a strong mission.鈥�
More than 20 percent of current Marquette students are the first in their family to attend college. With university leaders emphasizing a culture of inclusion, the university has nearly doubled its undergraduate student diversity from 15 percent in 2008 to 28 percent in 2019.
鈥湗吠覆� embodies cura personalis, which means caring for the whole person,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淭hanks to Tom and Suzanne, we can now further cultivate a sense of belonging for each individual student, regardless of background or circumstance. Our focus in RISE is to help our diverse and first-generation students know they are cared for and supported with the ultimate goal of helping them succeed both academically, professionally, and in life beyond Marquette.鈥�
鈥淲e are very grateful to Tom and Suzanne for their philanthropic leadership, which will provide life-changing access for first-generation Marquette students for decades to come,鈥� said Vice President for University Advancement Tim McMahon. 鈥淭his transformational gift also builds momentum for our comprehensive campaign, and I believe, has the power to inspire additional alumni, parents and friends to invest their generous funds to create scholarships for deserving students.鈥�
Chris is an associate director of university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Chris at (414) 288-1988 or christopher.stolarski@marquette.edu.
