This is the ninth in a series of weekly blog posts about the work of Marquette Law School’s Office of Student Affairs. The previous post and links to all prior posts from this series can be found at this link.

The Law School’s largest event of the year, by far, is graduation.

Or, as you may see it advertised, the Hooding and Commencement Ceremony. We use a variety of terms interchangeably to refer to the event, which historically has taken place on the third Saturday in May. Graduates walk across the stage and receive their law degree.

That sounds so sterile for such a meaningful event, doesn’t it? In fact—in truth—this event is rich and meaningful, both for our graduates, their families, friends, and guests and for those of us who work at the Law School—faculty and staff. It is inspiring to see students, who were nervous and maybe even a little scared when we first greeted them at Orientation, walk confidently across the stage at Commencement. We get to cheer for students who have gone through hardship triumph as they pass this important finish line. We celebrate not just how far all of our graduates have come but also the bright futures that await them.

The purpose of this blog post is to take you behind the scenes of graduation as it comes together.

The Law School’s Office of Student Affairs coordinates the “show,” but on the day-of, it’s an all-hands on deck production, which includes our Events, Facilities, and Tech teams, our Admissions Office, and a number of colleagues from the Law Library.

Planning for graduation starts before the academic year even begins (there’s a mark of our confidence). The prior spring (i.e., that of most graduates’ 2L year), we’re already in contract negotiations with the venue for the following May. And the dean is often considering and sending out an invitation to a potential guest speaker a year ahead.

Each year, we assess and revise, with an eye toward enhancing the experience for our graduates and their guests. Here are just a handful of those seemingly small details to which we’ve given a lot of thought:

• Regalia Pickup and Graduate Fair
  • Graduation itself almost can be said to start before the day of graduation. As busy as the run up to graduation is for me personally (someone must go through all the regalia orders and ensure that tickets are counted and everything is in order), the Regalia Pickup and Graduate Fair, in Eckstein Hall a couple of days before graduation, is honestly one of my own favorite days. This has been a post-COVID initiative that might seem very business-oriented and straightforward (graduates need to get their regalia and tickets somehow), but we wanted to make sure to convey the message to our graduates that even when they leave us, they are not alone. The Law Alumni Association Board, the State Bar of Wisconsin, and the Milwaukee Bar Association all join in to welcome our soon-to-be new lawyers and help them get connected to resources and networks that will allow them to continue to be successful after leaving their student days behind.
• Requesting a verbal recording of graduate names
  • We know how important it is to hear a graduate’s name said correctly. It’s why we request that graduates submit a recording of their names in advance. Our name reader then reviews the names in advance and does her best to deliver the memorable moment for the graduates and their families.
• Seating graduates in alphabetical order
  • Why would we insist on having graduates seated and called on stage in alphabetical order by last name? It is so that families, friends, and guests of our law student know when to expect their graduate to walk across the stage and be hooded, and they don’t have to worry about sneezing and missing the big moment. (I won’t even tell you what happens to our elaborate seating charts when a graduate cancels last minute!)
• Celebratory reception after the ceremony
  • Like a wedding, commencement can be a whirlwind experience. Looking back at my own graduations, I even have some regrets about missing out on photos with some classmates or missing an opportunity to introduce a mentor to my family because everyone scattered immediately after the ceremony. That’s why we have a reception in the rotunda outside of the theater, immediately following the formal ceremony. It gives everyone the chance to breathe a bit, mingle, socialize, and capture those opportunities with graduates, their families, friends, and our faculty and staff. (Pro tip: The dean likes being asked to join a photo.)[*]

Again, those are just a few examples of details requiring our attention. If all goes to plan (and it always seems to), we’ve created a two-hour (in other words, brief, for a commencement ceremony) quality event that our graduates and their guests will remember fondly. Although you may hear me say that graduation planning is a well-oiled machine, it’s only because we take so much care throughout the year to make sure all the little details are just right (I have the spreadsheets to prove it). Even those little details have major impacts.

[*] Beyond graduation, providing professional photography is another post-COVID initiative that we hope makes even more special the swearing-in or admission ceremony, which takes place in Madison the Monday after commencement. The Law School reserves an awesome photographer to capture each of our newest Marquette lawyers signing Wisconsin’s roll of attorneys. It’s always a treat to share these photos of this “magic moment.”

By Sarah DiStefano and Anna Fodor

This is the eighth in a series of weekly blog posts about the work of Marquette Law School’s Office of Student Affairs. Scroll to the bottom for links to the previous posts from this series.

It’s no secret that law school is a very big investment—of time, effort, and yes, money. We clearly believe that the investment is worthwhile, otherwise we couldn’t in good conscience do what we do (that is, work to support students as they pursue their legal education). Like any large investment, this one also requires attention and care.

Yet for any number of reasons—whether it’s because we already have too much to worry about, we were taught not to discuss it, or it’s just easier to think of as a “tomorrow” problem—talking and thinking about finances, our student loans, and our potential earnings can be quite difficult.

We recognize both the importance and the difficulty involved, and so the Office of Student Affairs works to promote financial-education resources and services designed specifically for law students.

The Law School partners with the AccessLex Institute, a nonprofit organization, to provide our students free access to financial education resources through the MAX program. Students receive information about how to register for the MAX program as early as the summer before law school begins (Pre-Orientation) and can take advantage of the webinars, free advising from an accredited financial counselor, and scholarship opportunities at any point throughout their law school careers.

We also have impressive partners throughout campus, including the financial aid counselors and loan advisors who work with our students (not to mention, faculty and staff, as well) concerning short-term financial needs and to design savvy long-term loan repayment plans based on individual circumstances.

These efforts culminate in our annual Financial Wellness Week programming. Why call it financial “wellness”? Is it another way to incorporate an of-the-moment buzzword into our programming? Well, sure. But, primarily, it’s a recognition of the fact that taking control of our finances now can allow us to feel less anxious about our path ahead.

Ultimately, it steadies us to get a handle on our individual financial situation, to learn and implement smart money habits, and to create achievable financial goals. We believe that addressing these matters openly and without judgment is part of our mission to care for the whole person.

But let’s be clear, though we might know our way around a student loan or five, we are not, ourselves, financial experts. Luckily, we know some people who are, and we’re proud to feature them in this year’s Financial Wellness Week programming. Our sessions include the following:

Planning Ahead: Student Loan Repayment Info Session

Tuesday, March 26, at noon

Please join Senior Loan Account Advisor Michael Tindall from the Marquette University Bursar’s Office, for an overview of the entire process of managing many types of student loans, including the various repayment options available to recent graduates and effective strategies for managing debt and finances after graduation. This session is open to all students and will be especially useful for graduating 3Ls.

Tax Savvy Students: Maximizing Tax Savings & Minimizing Stress

Wednesday, March 27, at noon

April 15 is just around the corner. Attend this session to hear from our very own tax expert, Associate Dean Vada Lindsey, as she discusses her experience with tax preparation and how she ensures that tax season goes smoothly and with minimal stress. Learn why it’s still important to file a tax return even when not required by law to file it. Dean Lindsey will also share her insight into how students might maximize tax savings that will benefit them for many years to come.

Dollars and Cents of Working in Public Interest

Thursday, March 28, at 12:15 p.m.

Considering a post-graduate career in public interest law? Not sure how to manage salary expectations and student-loan repayments? Want to learn how one lawyer eliminated significant student-loan debt, working in public service for ten years? Join the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Public Service as we host Attorney Karen Bauer to speak on her experiences working in public interest and managing student loan repayment, loan forgiveness, and more. To kick off the event, attendees will learn more about the Howard and Phyllis Eisenberg Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP).

We hope our students find these sessions helpful and can take advantage of the resources available to them. We talk a lot about wellness in the legal profession. For it to be a full and honest conversation, it needs to include financial wellness.

Previous posts in this series:

• Some Glimpses into the Law School Office of Student Affairs by Joseph D. Kearney
• What We Hear by Anna Fodor
• Law School Alphabet Soup by Anna Fodor
• By the Students, For the Students by Sarah DiStefano
• The Students behind the Marquette Law Mentorship Program by Joseph D. Kearney
• We All Work in Student Affairs by Anna Fodor
• Tips from a Law School Registrar by Nicole Toerpe Mason

This is the seventh in a continuing weekly series of blog posts by Dean Kearney and various members of the Law School administration about the work of Marquette Law School’s Office of Student Affairs. The previous post and links to all prior posts from this series can be found at this link.

As part of this series of blog posts, I thought I might speak directly to our students. Whether you began your journey here knowing a lot about law school or very little, one thing you could be sure of was the need to take classes. Elective courses, the specifics of graduation requirements, how to get a transcript, and many other details relating to your student record all come later. In fact, even registering for classes on your own comes down the road, as all first-year law students are automatically registered. So, while our paths may not cross at the beginning of your law school career, they likely will intersect sooner or later. With that in mind, allow me to share a bit about the role of a law school registrar and how I might be able to help you pursue your goals at Marquette Law School.

In the most basic terms, my primary role as the Marquette Law School Registrar is to build and maintain records. It’s more fun than it sounds. These materials include student information, academic records, and course data. I work collaboratively with colleagues in the Law School’s administration and the faculty to ensure that information about the curriculum is shared with students in a timely and accurate manner. We handle course catalogs, registration materials, dual degree registration, transfer credit, and grade processing and posting.

Along with other members of the Law School’s student affairs team, I meet with students regarding the general mechanics of registering for classes—for example, help with waitlists, enrollment as a graduate assistant or Academic Success Program leader, or any registration that needs faculty approval. I am also always available to meet with students to discuss more general registration questions or plans, especially as they relate to students’ ensuring that they have fulfilled or will soon fulfill their requirements for graduation.

So, now that you know something about my role at the Law School, I want to pass along three tips from my work with students.

First, play the long game when it comes to taking on projects and building out your schedule—there’s no need to overload right away. There are many ways to distinguish yourself in law school—from the doctrinal and skills-based courses you take to the student organizations in which you participate and may help lead. It can be especially fulfilling to participate in a mock trial competition, help edit one of the Law School’s four journals, or complete a supervised fieldwork opportunity.

But you don’t have to do it all—especially right away. Think about classes that can build on each other over time, and intentionally pursue those distinguishing opportunities that make sense for you. Let me encourage you to focus on a couple of opportunities that really interest you rather than spreading yourself too thin and not doing your best. Reach out to your professors, discuss experiences with your classmates and upper-level colleagues, and use the resources available to you to determine what is a good fit for you.

Second, if you have a question, don’t be surprised if our answer, more often than not, is, “We have a form for that.” Whether you want to review your law school application for bar admission purposes, update your records with a name change, or make any number of other requests for information, you can find a variety of forms by clicking here. Part of my work, as well as that of my colleagues Assistant Registrar Stephanie Danz and Student Affairs Office Associate Emma Geiser, is to process these forms in order to get you the information or paperwork that you need. That said, just because there’s a form, this does not mean that there aren’t people here to answer your questions or say a friendly hello when you visit the office, to submit that form or ask questions. For our students’ benefit, we have developed systems, including forms, that we hope make any number of things easy and straightforward for you—but we still want to see you!

Most importantly, do not be afraid to ask for help. One of the most reassuring things anyone told me in my own journey through higher education was this: “They want you to graduate.” I can now confirm, it’s true. Everyone working here at the Law School is invested in and committed to your success. And we all recognize that no one completes law school alone. From experience, I assure you that it is better to reach out to our office or your professor or someone if something unexpected comes up—before that thing mushrooms. When it comes to registration and graduation issues, for instance, Dean Fodor and I are available to meet with you to come up with a plan together. This is not to suggest that we can wave a magic wand and, say, get you into a fully enrolled class, but we can work with you to explore a bunch of other great options.

As a law student at Marquette, you have a lot of resources both at the Law School and throughout the larger university, which can help you achieve your goals. Marquette Law School’s student affairs team is here to support you throughout your entire journey—from registering you for your first-year classes even before you arrive to certifying your graduation to bar authorities. It’s our job, but it’s much more than that to us.