[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6838]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO REV. ROBERT A. WILD, S.J.

 Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I wish to honor Reverend Robert A. 
Wild, S.J., president of Marquette University in Milwaukee. Father Wild 
began his duties as president of Marquette University on June 17, 1996, 
with a pledge that he would ``spare no effort in keeping Marquette on a 
strong and clear path into the future.'' As he enters retirement on 
July 31, 2011, it is my belief that my friend has not strayed from his 
pledge.
  As a Catholic, Jesuit institution, Marquette promotes an academically 
rigorous, values-centered curriculum. Throughout his presidency, Father 
Wild has encouraged the practical preparation of students for work in 
an increasingly complex and diverse world, advocating for the formation 
of individuals as ethical and informed leaders in their religious, 
cultural, professional, and civic communities. Through this work, 
Father Wild has demonstrated a deep care and understanding of the 
development of young people.
  Early in his career as president, Father Wild oversaw the rewriting 
of Marquette's mission statement in an effort to clearly define what 
all people, young and old, should strive toward on a daily basis. The 
mission statement was reorganized under the key values of excellence, 
faith, leadership and service. These values have permeated all aspects 
of Father Wild's tenure as he has constantly inspired the Marquette 
community in the fostering of personal and professional excellence, the 
promotion of a life of faith, and the development of leadership 
expressed in service to others.
  Father Wild has boldly committed Marquette to making higher education 
accessible to all students, regardless of financial means. To 
accomplish this, Marquette became the first university in the country 
to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to offer full-tuition 
scholarships. This program and others have helped many first-generation 
students attend college, so much so that 20 percent of Marquette's 
students are the first in their families to attend college.
  The more than 36,000 students who have received a Marquette degree 
under Father Wild's tenure have had the advantage of learning from 
renowned faculty members who work to advance knowledge and improve the 
world around them. Over Father Wild's career, faculty members and 
students have seen a 130-percent increase in total research and 
sponsored project dollars.
  Beyond research and academics, Father Wild has placed an emphasis on 
community interaction that has made Marquette a focal point for 
discussion of the region's most important and complex societal issues. 
Thanks to these interactions, Marquette's presence in southeast 
Wisconsin is stronger than ever before. Father Wild has expanded the 
university's outreach through service and faculty research, and 
currently more than 85 percent of Marquette students serve their 
community.
  The physical growth of the Marquette campus is one of the most 
obvious indicators of Father Wild's commitment to the university. 
Father Wild oversaw the financing, construction and completion of a new 
facility for the Marquette University School of Dentistry, training the 
State's future dentists and promoting oral health through outreach 
programs that target underserved patients in six clinical sites 
throughout the State, making Marquette one of the largest Medicaid 
providers in the State. All of this growth has been fueled by 
unprecedented fundraising led by Father Wild.
  In addition to promoting academics and service, Father Wild was 
strategic in helping Marquette enter the Big East Athletic Conference 
in 2005. In 6 short years, the school has enjoyed success in many of 
its athletic programs, most prominently a Sweet 16 run in the 2011 NCAA 
Men's Basketball Tournament.
  I offer my gratitude and sincerest thanks to my friend Father Wild on 
his retirement from Marquette University. His presidency, based in the 
values of excellence, faith, leadership and service, has inspired 
countless individuals not only in the Marquette community but in 
Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin that will be felt for years to 
come.

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