Milwaukee’s Hidden Gem: Marquette University
The city of Milwaukee is like no other. From the lakefront view to the smell of cheese curds and beer, Milwaukee has a lot to offer. The city of Milwaukee is a very fun and entertaining area, greatly due to Marquette University. Milwaukee to me is Marquette and the environment it preaches, which is inclusiveness. Both my parents attended and graduated from Marquette, so my family has always been a Marquette fan.
My parents have always been big supporters of Marquette athletics, especially the men’s basketball team, so we would attend a game or two throughout the season. Even when we weren’t at the basketball games, we would still watch them on our couch at home cheering Marquette on. After attending my first game when I was about five, I became one of Marquette’s biggest fan. I would ask for Marquette gear for Christmas and my birthdaybecause that was the only thing I wanted to wear. I bled blue and gold as a kid.
The men’s basketball team played at the BMO Harris Bradley Center until the end the 2017–2018 season. Since the start of the 2018–2019 season, they have been playing in the newly build Fiserv Forum. Whenever I walked into the Bradley Center, I would be speechless because I thought it was the coolest building ever. I was a little sad when I heard it would be getting demolished because of all the great memories I had there.
The stadium was always super fun, and so was the car ride up. I’m from Glenview, IL which is part of the suburbs of Chicago, so it is about an hour drive to Marquette. During the car rides up I would watch highlight videos of the players to get me excited to watch the game in person. I would also make sure I had a sharpie just in case I had the opportunity to get a player’s signature, sadly that never happened. That one hour car ride was always filled with adrenaline and excitement.
The atmosphere in the Bradley Center was electric to me because of how loud it could get. I always enjoyed seeing everyone in the student section with matching colored shirts and jumping around to get excited for the game. This was one of the first moments where I really enjoyed being part of the Marquette community. The excitement running through everyone in the stadium was always fascinating to see. My favorite players to watch were Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom. The 2010–2011 team was my favorite to watch because there were so many talented guys.
I have always admired the way Marquette recruits students from all over the world, each having their own unique background. I saw this during the basketball games because students, alumni, and fans that were different races and religions would be wearing Marquette gear, so it was cool to see everyone getting excited for the same thing and feeling part of something special.
After the game, my family and I would sometimes grab a bite to eat the Alumni Memorial Union, or better known as the AMU at Marquette. It is located at the center of campus and includes a gift shop, dining hall, coffee shop, and many other businesses. I enjoyed eating at the AMU not because of the food, but because I thought being a 10-year-old in a college dining hall was the coolest thing ever. I never felt out of place when eating there because the students never looked at me weirdly or made me feel unwelcomed because I wasn’t a college student.
It wasn’t just the students who made me feel welcomed, the workers at the AMU were very friendly and kind. I remember a smile on their faces would put be in a better mood after a loss. The food was satisfactory and isn’t as bad as a typical college dining hall. Each time I went back to the AMU, I never left in a bad mood. Seeing other college students having a good time was always a reoccurring theme I saw in the AMU.
From getting super excited after a big play in a basketball game, to enjoying a nice relaxing meal in the AMU, Marquette has a tone to offer. The constant reminders of inclusiveness throughout the university is easy to spot. Marquette doesn’t look at who you are on the outside, but on the inside, treating everyone with respect and compassion.
With all the great memories and things I’ve learned about Marquette when I would come up for the basketball games, it made me realize how great of a school it is. As I grew up, I realized the great opportunities that Marquette can provide, which was one of the main reasons why I decided to attend Marquette. Milwaukee to me is Marquette and the great environment it preaches.
