Best Era to Attend MU

[jsglow]

I'm probably all wet, but from what pictures I have seen of the MU campus today compared to the 60s it seems to me that MU is in Milwaukee and not so much of Milwaukee. There was so much of the city that was intermeshed with the MU "campus" back then: the dorms next to private residences; the science and engineering buildings across from local bars and grills and even a service station with a mechanic. City folks, not just MU students went to see a movie at the Varsity theatre and there was a family run laundromat on the corner of 12th and Wells. That was just one aspect of my Marquette education that was not taught in any text book or classroom. I got to experience what it was like to live in Milwaukee and be apart of that neighborhood and made friends with many of the establishment owners that were "on Campus".

I hope that is still true.

While the intermixing isn't what it was in your era, I can assure you that MU today is still part of the community.  This is particularly emphasized through countless service opportunities.

[pbiflyer]

I almost forgot: $2 all-you-can-drink beer at the Greentree on Thursdays

Pabst and Miller brewery tours. Brewers in the World Series.

[jsglow]

I spanned two of the eras (barely).  I voted for the one when we won it all although I was still in HS at the time.  I do think that the early 80s had significantly more in common with the 70s than it did with the late 80s when basketball had collapsed and the drinking age had been raised to 21 beginning in 1986.

[Billy Hoyle]

the mid 90's were definitely a period of transition at MU. Negatives being Avenue Commons failing, enrollment dropping, lower retention rates, leading to East Hall having to be shut down, no new construction on campus after Cudahy hall,  the Lanche closing, Pabst brewery closing  DiUlio instructing MPD to crack down on parties, and oh yeah, the changing of the nickname.  But, at the same time, Valley Fields opened, CUSA was formed, Father Wild came to campus, Campus Town opened. Basketball was ok - Sweet 16, NIT finals, 2 NCAA appearances, and the CUSA title, but we all could tell things were headed in the wrong direction under Deane, Women's Basketball made a jump too.  So, there were positives but in the grand scheme of things, I'd say that time doesn't quite hold up against other time periods on campus.

[79Warrior]

75-79
National Championship
Drinking age 18
Bruce Springsteen at the Riverside Theater
$1.00 pitchers at the Ardmore on Thursday’s!
Brewery tours

[Eldon]

Just wanna say there's two decades completed in this century. 2000 MU to 2019 MU probably have very little in common seeing as my 2009 MU is considerably different that the MU I graduated let alone now

Maybe divide that up?

Maquette 2014 - 2019: Marquette tears down McCormick, becomes SLU

[Herman Cain]

Da 70's, man. Tuition wuz affordable, hoops were fantastic, and luv wuz free, aina?

Tumble Weed B:@sh was the style too

[Hards Alumni]

Hegarty's, Dwyane Wade, Renee Row, Steve Novak, McCormick Hall, no MUPD, The Corner, O'Brady's, Pirate House, brand spanking new Al McGuire Center, $10 30 packs of High Life Light, $55 student season tickets

The aughts were lit

939 and the Toolbox?

[MU82]

My timing was perfect.  Freshman during the 73-74 season, trip to the Final Four & national championship game v. NC St.

Junior during the 75-76 season, tremendous team but lost to Bobby Knight's undefeated, national champs in Mideast regional final in Philly.

Senior during the 76-77 season, won it all in Atlanta.

Best of all, drinking age was 18; 15 cent draft beer at Lenny's Tap!

Pretty hard to top this, Hal. Except for the fact that I get to be younger than you, I envy all you folks who were there then.

Having said that ...

I can't imagine anybody had any more fun at Marquette than I did. I mean, it's almost impossible. Drinking age was 18, beer floweth (and did so incredibly cheaply), Warriors didn't win quite enough but still had Sam and Doc and OLee and some other characters, the Brewers were the most exciting team in baseball, etc.

On a personal note, I fell in love about 4-5 times including, finally, with my wife-to-be. Also, made lifelong friends with a half-dozen fellow knuckleheads, and launched my career.

Damn, I had fun! If I ever write my memoirs, it will be an entire chapter. Maybe two!

Great to read all these memories from everybody. Glad so many thoroughly enjoyed their time at MU.

[The Lens]

939 and the Toolbox?

939 & the Toolbox held their own in the mid 90s as well.  Some legendary after bars at 939.  The goal was always the same, Open the Harp.  We didn’t always succeed, but we never failed.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Mug Rack
Summer Fest hit its prime
Stoned Toad
The Underground
Riverside

This is a nice history of nightclubs from many of the eras.
https://onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/deadandgoneclubs.html

slight correction

[BrewCity83]

1980s:  Chris Farley
            Naked Beer Slides at the 'Lanche
            Brewers in the World Series, epic parade down Wisconsin Avenue when they won the AL pennant

[NCMUFan]

College experience is what you make it.
Anytime you can walk away from an institution with a degree is a major win in life.

[muwarrior69]

While the intermixing isn't what it was in your era, I can assure you that MU today is still part of the community.  This is particularly emphasized through countless service opportunities.

I am curious. What service opportunities?

[warriorchick]

I am curious. What service opportunities?

Service Learning, for one.  Service is literally baked into courses

https://www.marquette.edu/servicelearning/about.shtml

There are also many many other service programs, like Midnight Run and the Hunger Cleanup.

Years ago, we took a 16-year-old Chick Jr. on her first official campus tour.  The student tour guide was absolutely great.  At one point we were walking through the campus, he turned to our small group and said, "As you can see, we are part of an urban community.  Awhile back, there was some talk about building a wall around the campus like other schools in a similar situation have done [Editor's note:*cough* SLU *cough*].  However, Marquette has made the conscious decision not to do that.  We see our neighborhood as an opportunity to serve others.  Instead of walling ourselves off, we embrace our community."

If I wasn't allready all in on Marquette, that would have sealed the deal.

[muwarrior69]

Service Learning, for one.  Service is literally baked into courses

https://www.marquette.edu/servicelearning/about.shtml

There are also many many other service programs, like Midnight Run and the Hunger Cleanup.

Years ago, we took a 16-year-old Chick Jr. on her first official campus tour.  The student tour guide was absolutely great.  At one point we were walking through the campus, he turned to our small group and said, "As you can see, we are part of an urban community.  Awhile back, there was some talk about building a wall around the campus like other schools in a similar situation have done [Editor's note:*cough* SLU *cough*].  However, Marquette has made the conscious decision not to do that.  We see our neighborhood as an opportunity to serve others.  Instead of walling ourselves off, we embrace our community."

If I wasn't allready all in on Marquette, that would have sealed the deal.

Thank You! Please no wall. That would be terrible.

I guess the difference is that during my time at MU we did not have to "embrace" the community through service learning. Most of my class mates were from blue collar families and many like myself were the first family members to go to college so we just felt we were part of the community of middle class folks that shared the same space as we did. I sang at Calvary Presbyterian at 10th and West Wisconsin Ave. on Sundays at their 9 and 11 am services. It was a win/win as they needed a lead singer in each section of their choir and four of us who sang in the MU chorus volunteered when we saw the add on the church board. Little did we know that we would get paid for our efforts: 50 dollars a month. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the congregation the MU chorus was invited to participate. The whole congregation was so grateful. It just was all so organic, and a natural part of campus life. In this case we got back more from the community than we gave.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

87-91  Ouch for Marquette basketball, but still very fun!!!

[drbob]

Was at Marquette from 1968 to 1975.  Great years to be a basketball junkie .

[HouWarrior]

Was at Marquette from 1968 to 1975.  Great years to be a basketball junkie .

Your extended tenure inspired one of the best lines in the movie:

Tommy: Did you hear I finally graduated?

Richard Hayden: Yeah, and just a shade under a decade too, all right.

Tommy: You know a lot of people go to college for seven years.

Richard Hayden: I know, they’re called doctors.

[Billy Hoyle]

Service Learning, for one.  Service is literally baked into courses

https://www.marquette.edu/servicelearning/about.shtml

There are also many many other service programs, like Midnight Run and the Hunger Cleanup.

Years ago, we took a 16-year-old Chick Jr. on her first official campus tour.  The student tour guide was absolutely great.  At one point we were walking through the campus, he turned to our small group and said, "As you can see, we are part of an urban community.  Awhile back, there was some talk about building a wall around the campus like other schools in a similar situation have done [Editor's note:*cough* SLU *cough*].  However, Marquette has made the conscious decision not to do that.  We see our neighborhood as an opportunity to serve others.  Instead of walling ourselves off, we embrace our community."

If I wasn't allready all in on Marquette, that would have sealed the deal.

SLU doesn't have a wall around it, it does have decorative fencing in some areas on the perimeter of campus to make people walk on the paved walkways. They also closed some two-lane streets that ran through campus.  MU is definitely more integrated with the city than SLU is just based on the areas west of 16th street. Having visited there I didn't consider it any less accessible than MU but the neighborhood is sketchier that MU. Fordham, now they have a true wall one cannot see over with very few points of entry. 

I will admit to having been a big fan of the Avenue Commons project when I was a student there.

[Norm]

87-91  Ouch for Marquette basketball, but still very fun!!!

Same here. Lowest winning percentage over 4 years than at any time since before WWII, but we did get to say goodbye to the MECCA and hello to the Bradley Center. Witnessed Tony Smith's senior year, which was the best single season scoring wise until Howard broke the record this year.

Also saw the switch from Brooks to Alumni Memorial Union, closing out the Mugrack.

From my room freshman year at McCormick I could look out my window to Wells street and see Angelo's, Murphy's, Wales on Wells, O'Ds, and the Avalanche. We also still had the Ardmore, the Gym, Hegarty's, O'Paguets, Good Time Charlie's, the Statehouse and Green Tree. The Midget and Toma's I think are still around too.

Mr. Jingles Jamboree at the Domes freshman year, switched to the Lakefront by year 4. The free Maritime Days shows on the lakefront right before school started each year. Sprecker brewery nearby. Cheap bleacher seats at County Stadium for the Brewers (Paul Molitor hitting streak).

Not the best basketball but a fun time to be at MU.

[The Lens]

Same here. Lowest winning percentage over 4 years than at any time since before WWII, but we did get to say goodbye to the MECCA and hello to the Bradley Center. Witnessed Tony Smith's senior year, which was the best single season scoring wise until Howard broke the record this year.

Also saw the switch from Brooks to Alumni Memorial Union, closing out the Mugrack.

From my room freshman year at McCormick I could look out my window to Wells street and see Angelo's, Murphy's, Wales on Wells, O'Ds, and the Avalanche. We also still had the Ardmore, the Gym, Hegarty's, O'Paguets, Good Time Charlie's, the Statehouse and Green Tree. The Midget and Toma's I think are still around too.

Mr. Jingles Jamboree at the Domes freshman year, switched to the Lakefront by year 4. The free Maritime Days shows on the lakefront right before school started each year. Sprecker brewery nearby. Cheap bleacher seats at County Stadium for the Brewers (Paul Molitor hitting streak).

Not the best basketball but a fun time to be at MU.

I loved my time at MU, I think I went to the best University in the world and had more fun than any 1997 grad in America.  That all being said...I think the 80s at MU would have been amazing.

[oldwarrior81]

Your extended tenure inspired one of the best lines in the movie:

Tommy: Did you hear I finally graduated?

Richard Hayden: Yeah, and just a shade under a decade too, all right.

Tommy: You know a lot of people go to college for seven years.

Richard Hayden: I know, they’re called doctors.

If I remember correctly, Bluto said, "Christ.  Seven years of college down the drain.  Might as well join the f***ing Peace Corps".

[shoothoops]

SLU doesn't have a wall around it, it does have decorative fencing in some areas on the perimeter of campus to make people walk on the paved walkways. They also closed some two-lane streets that ran through campus.  MU is definitely more integrated with the city than SLU is just based on the areas west of 16th street. Having visited there I didn't consider it any less accessible than MU but the neighborhood is sketchier that MU. Fordham, now they have a true wall one cannot see over with very few points of entry. 

I will admit to having been a big fan of the Avenue Commons project when I was a student there.

It’s really apples to oranges. Milwaukee is smaller, more compact, more walkable, than St. Louis. St. Louis has some great urban neighborhoods, not far apart, but not connected either. Pockets.  SLU, located in what is known as the Midtown part of the city, started several projects, some completed some still going, the past few years to develop adjacent areas.  SLU has over 270 acres as a campus, and they are part of developing 400 acres more right now. 

https://www.slu.edu/news/2016/november/redevelopment-plan-released.php

[shoothoops]

I think shorthoops is right, we can really only speak to our own experience. I loved my Marquette experience but my parents attended in the 80s. They have some stories that certainly make it sound like it was the time to be at MU.

Yep, you can find pros and cons in any era. And despite visiting in other eras, I can really only speak for what I went through and experienced. I definitely have some stories. I played a sport at MU at a time when KO coached. Oh the personal stories, lol.  Good times.