Friday, May 1, 2015

Today Everything Changes: An Homage to 15 Years at Marquette University

Today, everything changes.
I'm leaving my career of fifteen years at Marquette University and moving on to start a new chapter
MU photo from 10-12 years ago.



My office



My mantra.

Me now.
as a full-time food & dining writer for OnMilwaukee.com.

It's a bittersweet transition. I'm so very exciting to start down this new and exciting path where my passions for food and writing intersect. 

But, I'm also feeling ALL the feelings when it comes to leaving a career that has made the difference for me in so many ways.

So, here's a little homage to the past decade-and-a-half, including some secrets I'm not sure many people know about me.

15 Things About My Career at Marquette University:
  1. In 1999, when Dr. William Pink called to offer me the job, he asked me (in a very charming British accent): "Are you interested? You know, you're very over-qualified."
  2. My hiring salary was $23K, a whopping $5K more than my prior position with an area non-profit.
  3. 15 years ago, parking on the Marquette campus cost full-time employees $58/month. Today it costs $63.
  4. A week after being hired at Marquette, I got a job offer from Cardinal Stritch University.
  5. Although I maintained a professional façade while she worked for me, I eventually became good friends with my very first student worker, who was just a few years younger than I was. Still so glad I met you Caitie!
  6. For the first number of years, I kept my personal life very separate from my work life. This point is illustrated by a scenario around 2005 when a colleague I worked with asked me if I had children.
  7. I was once (accidentally) locked in a stairwell of the Schroeder Health & Education Complex. On a weekend. Before I owned a cell phone. Yes, it was scary.
  8. Confession: I once peeked at Scott Walker’s transcripts.
  9. In the early 2000’s, I completed course-work for Marquette’s post-baccalaureate teaching certification program in secondary English (electing to stay at Marquette, rather than leave my job to student teach)
  10. Subsequently, I was also admitted to master’s programs in both English and communications.
  11. I built the first web site ever presented to NCATE (the National Council for Teacher Education) as part of a university accreditation visit.
  12. I spent many years frustrated by the hierarchy inherent in the university environment, often finding myself feeling “less than.” Working for Dr. Bob Lowe was a game-changer; he taught me to recognize the power I had.
  13. I once received a $15K raise. And an office with a window (gonna miss that office).
  14. In 2010, my passion for food and writing was outed to the Marquette community in an article by Tim Cigelske for Marquette Matters featuring myself and Dax Phillips and our secret lives as food bloggers.
  15. My position at MU saved us on at least three occasions -- in 2003 and 2008, but even as recently as 2014. And I'll always be grateful for the stability it provided.



©BURP!

4 comments:

  1. Awesome! Congrats and best of luck on the next adventure. I will always credit you for making Wisconsin look fun and edible!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Amanda. Looking forward to making Milwaukee look EVEN MORE delicious to you now :)

      Delete
  2. What a loving farewell. Thanks to all you offered MU and I look forward to your next successful life chapter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Karen. I owe a great deal to Marquette, since I practically "grew up" there career-wise. That said, I feel very blessed to be able to pursue my passion. Cheers to the future!

      Delete

We're thrilled that you came to visit us here at BURP! Thanks so much for taking the time to write. We're not always able to respond to every comment, but we'll make every effort to answer questions in a timely fashion. We especially enjoy reading about what's going on in your own creative kitchens. So, don't be shy!

And thanks for stopping by!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.