Rev. Michael Marco, S.J., has been named the 11th president of Marquette University High School, following unanimous approval from the Marquette University High School board of directors and the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus.
Marco, whose appointment is effective July 1, 2016, will take over for Rev. Warren Sazama, S.J., who plans to wrap up his tenure on June 30, 2016 after nine years as Marquette High’s president. Marco will serve the school as president-elect during the 2015-16 school year.
The Ad Hoc President Transition Committee pinpointed the “best candidate” for its next president, Bruce Arnold, the school’s board chair, said in a press release.
“It was not only our hope to find the most qualified person to be our next president, but also to continue our 158-year tradition of having the school’s top leadership position be held by a Jesuit priest,” Arnold said. “We are thrilled to have both.”
Marco has more than 20 years of experience in Jesuit secondary education, and his career includes 10 years of serving as president of two other Jesuit high schools. He has worked as special assistant to the president at Marquette High since 2013, and prior to that role, was president of Georgetown Preparatory School in Maryland for about three years. Marco previously served as president of Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio for about seven years and, before that leadership position, taught theology at Creighton Preparatory High School in Nebraska. Marco also served as department chair, director of campus ministry and assistant to the president at Creighton High, where he spent a total of about six years.
During the early days of his career, Marco taught psychology and theology at Marquette High as well as coached baseball for the school.
He completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Creighton University and earned a teacher certification from Marquette University. He also completed a master’s degree in religious education at Boston College, a master of divinity degree at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, and studied philosophy at Saint Louis University as he prepared to be ordained.
“These are exciting times at Marquette University High School, and I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to lead a high school with such a rich Jesuit history and strong Catholic tradition,” Marco said. “Father Sazama is leaving Marquette High in a very strong position, and I am confident that along with the entire Marquette High community we will continue to be an institution that honors faith, scholarship and community in all that we do.”
Sazama, who graduated from Marquette High in 1964, has been part of the school’s staff for more than 25 years. As Sazama approaches age 70, the Wisconsin Province will give him a new assignment.
