CORE memories: student’s perspective of the Marquette Core Curriculum

Jake Van Lanen

When I first came to Marquette, I never saw myself as a person who would study theology. I'm a secondary education and history student, and I assumed the only time I'd ever really think about theology was in the intro course every freshman has to take. But I found that it actually really spoke to me. I had room in my MCC electives to take more theology classes, and it ended up turning into a theology minor. Theology now feels like it's in a little bit of everything I do, and I definitely see myself using it in my other classes, and I don't think I would've ever thought I'd say that.

Maeve Heeney

I've known for a long time that I wanted to be a political correspondent. I study political science and public relations, and I also worked for the Marquette Wire reporting on breaking news and university politics. I wouldn't have ever thought a course outside of my major was going to be so impactful on me, but my CORE 1929 course: Leadership for Social Change, really spoke to me. The course had two instructors from different disciplines, but we talked a lot about Jim Foley, a reporter and Marquette graduate who embodied leadership in social change, and his stories are ones that will never leave me - I think about them all the time. That course continued to inspire me and make me feel more connected to the great things that Marquette students have done and keep on doing.

Ross Dziallo

I got the opportunity to study and work in Washington, D.C., as part of the Les Aspin program, and while I was there, I was able to take a course toward my Discovery tier. I spent a whole semester at Marquette's D.C. campus, which is just outside of Capitol Hill, and I interned under Congressman Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia, a representative from my own district. It was so rewarding to work in my own congressman's office and to learn about the legislative process from an internal perspective. Many of the staffers were young and not so far ahead of me in their careers, so they had a lot of wisdom and encouraging words to share with me, and I really valued the guidance. The Les Aspin experience was an invaluable complement to my education in the classroom, and I hope to return to D.C. and work in the capital again!

Nechama Kittner

I began Marquette as a declared philosophy major because I heard it was a good undergraduate major for pre-law students. I took Philosophy 1001 during my first semester, and my professor really sparked my curiosity towards philosophy. The course introduced me to a new way of thinking, and I found that I loved looking at different philosophers' arguments as someone planning to attend law school after graduating. I'm still a philosophy major, with minors in criminology and law studies and law & society, and my interesting philosophy courses have helped me gain many argumentative and analytical skills that have helped me not just in my classes, but in my everyday life.

Teddy Gustafson

CORE 4929: The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice was one of the last courses I took, and I can't stop thinking about it. There are a lot of different topics, but mine was about disability and the history of accessibility. The course taught me a lot of skills about analyzing the world around me and taking the time to really notice things I'd otherwise miss. Accessibility is now something I bring into conversation at my job and other classes when it isn't otherwise taken into account. I think the course has really made me a more thoughtful person - I didn't think just one course could totally shape the way I view the world.