The Process of Writing About Your Childhood Library

Cover of Midwest Architecture JourneysHow do you properly write about the Midwest? Since 2016, the Midwest and the Rust Belt are often lumped together as an area some people refer to as “Trump Country,” an anonymous area filled with diners of people who cling to guns and Bibles. There is nothing remotely interesting, other than possibly Chicago, and an article about how an area previously dismissed by coastal newspapers is up-and-coming because of places that will look good on Instagram. Belt Publishing, a small press in Cleveland, OH, was started in 2013 with the purpose of publishing the work and voices of those from the Midwest, Rust Belt, and elsewhere.

Midwest Architecture Journeys, released in October 2019 from Belt Publishing, examines a diverse range of spaces that would possibly be overlooked in a survey of the buildings of the Midwest. Among the topics covered in the book are the Cahokia Mounds in southern Illinois, flea markets, Lillian Leenhouts’s work in Milwaukee, Fermilab, public housing towers, mausoleums, Iowa rest areas, parking lots in Flint, and a post office that became a public library in Waterloo, Iowa. The Waterloo Public Library is the subject of a piece I contributed to the book, “Please Return Again.”

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Welcome to Our December Guest Blogger

Our Student Guest Blogger for December is 1L Monica Reida. Prior to going to law school, Monica worked as a journalist, contributing to Barista Magazine, OnMilwaukee, NewCity, and Gapers Block, where she was the politics editor from 2013-2015. She has a B.A. in journalism from Michigan State University, with a concentration in public affairs reporting. Monica is also the author of a chapter in the recently-released book Midwest Architecture Journeys, edited by Zach Mortice and published by Belt Publishing. According to the publisher, Midwest Architecture Journeys contains “dozens of essays written by architects, critics, and journalists” that “take[ ] readers on a trip to visit some of the region’s most inventive buildings,” but also “includes stops at less obvious but equally daring and defining sites, such as indigenous mounds, grain silos, parking lots, flea markets, and abandoned warehouses.” Monica’s chapter, “Please Return Again,” is about the public library in Waterloo, Iowa. We’re looking forward to hearing more about the chapter and Monica’s experience in getting it published. Welcome, Monica!

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Marquette Teams Make Successful Showing at NMCC Regionals

six students standing in law school
Marquette Law students who participated in the NMCC Region VIII competition (left to right): Kieran O’Day, Abby Hodgdon, Brooke Erickson, Kylie Owens, Micaela Haggenjos, and Kylie Kaltenberg.

Marquette University Law School hosted the Region VIII round of the 70th annual National Moot Court Competition on November 23-24, 2019. Both Marquette teams made successful showings.

Team members Kylie Kaltenberg, Abby Hodgdon, and Kieran O’Day advanced to the semifinal round before being eliminated after losing by less than one-half point. That team also had the third highest brief score* in the region. Professor Melissa Love Koenig advised the team, which was coached by attorneys Jason Luczak, Brianna Meyer (L’17), and Max Stephenson (L’13).

Brooke Erickson, Micaela Haggenjos, and Kylie Owens advanced to the quarterfinals before being eliminated after losing a close round to the other Marquette team. Professor Lisa Mazzie advised the team, and attorneys Bryn Baker (L’18), Chal Little (L’16), and Nicole Muller (L’18) coached the team.

Our attorney coaches are extremely dedicated and put in many hours of work with our students. We are lucky to have coaches who come back year after year. Our students benefit greatly from working with them. Our teams put in many hours of practice to prepare for the competition.

We are grateful for the time donated by the many judges and lawyers who judged the briefs and oral arguments for the NMCC Region VIII regionals. Moot Court Associate Justice Jake Rozema put in countless hours to ensure the competition ran as smoothly as it did. He was ably assisted by his committee, consisting of John Black, Colin Dunn, Danielle Gorsuch, Tyler Jochman, Peter Klepacz, Darrin Pribbernow, Alexander Sterling, Lucas Tabor, Brandie Tartza, and Caleb Tomaszewski. We appreciate the students who participated as bailiffs:  Alicia Bernards, Suzanne Caulfield, Vanessa Flores, Joshua Kundert, and Daniel Sievert.

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