Nonprofits and Education
President
Marquette University | Milwaukee
Michael Lovell has led Marquette University since 2014. Under his leadership, Marquette has executed its $600 million campus master plan, which has included constructing new buildings for the College of Nursing, Physician Assistant Studies, Athletic and Human Performance Research and The Commons residence hall. A new business school building and wellness and recreation facility are also currently under construction. In 2021, the university went public with its $750 million Time to Rise fundraising campaign; it has raised $614 million to date. Lovell also helped create the Near West Side Partners, a nonprofit aimed at revitalizing and sustaining Milwaukee’s Near West Side area as a residential and business corridor. Prior to Marquette, Lovell was chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
Education: Bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, University of Pittsburgh
First job: “I delivered balloons for people’s birthdays and anniversaries in a tuxedo. I was a shy teenager, so going into parties with all the attention focused on me got me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to be more relaxed in public settings.”
Book recommendation: “‘The Way of the Shepherd’ by Kevin Leman and William Pentak. The leadership lessons embedded in this quick read are universal and invaluable. They walk through the tenets of servant leadership, which is at the heart of becoming a strong leader that can inspire others to greatness.”
Favorite Wisconsin restaurant and meal: “Carnevor Steakhouse, New York strip steak”
How would you spend a one-year sabbatical: “I would travel to visit religious sites all over the world.”