Majerus Family Foundation
Milwaukee
Rick Majerus, Arts 鈥�70, made his name as a tenacious NCAA basketball coach and devoted mentor to his players. But family and friends say Rick鈥檚 life was defined much more 鈥渂y the company he kept rather than the accolades he earned on the court.鈥� His legacy lives on through the Majerus Family Foundation, supporting causes dear to Rick that also reflect the values of his parents, Raymond and Alyce Majerus.
It was from Raymond 鈥� who rose to become secretary of the United Automobile Workers before his death in 1987 and who led a long, successful strike against a major Wisconsin manufacturer in the 1950s 鈥� that Rick learned to live by a saying attributed to the Jewish sage Hillel: 鈥淚f I am for myself alone, what good am I?鈥�
鈥淭hat was the Golden Rule in our family,鈥� says Jodi Majerus, Rick鈥檚 sister and the executive director of the Majerus Family Foundation, which works to create opportunities for individuals from all walks of life to reach their potential through the cornerstones of athletics, education, medical research and social justice.
Passionate about athletics his entire life, Rick began assisting men鈥檚 basketball coach Al McGuire as a student at Marquette, as well as coaching at the Milwaukee-area Catholic schools he had attended. He was hired as Marquette鈥檚 assistant coach in 1971 and served as head coach from 1983鈥�1986, before going on to successful coaching runs with Ball State, The University of Utah and Saint Louis University.
Jodi says Rick was equally passionate about Jesuit education. With its emphasis on broad subject matter, critical thinking and teamwork, she says it represents 鈥渆verything Rick was about.鈥� He was the first in his family to attend and graduate from college, an achievement that made both Rick and his parents incredibly proud.
In April 2015, the Majerus Family Foundation announced a gift of $1 million to create the Rick Majerus Endowed Scholarship, providing tuition support to first-generation college students in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences who demonstrate financial need. It is the college鈥檚 largest-ever endowed scholarship gift.
The scholarship is exactly the 鈥渞ight fit鈥� for honoring her brother and parents, Jodi says, as it creates a partnership with Marquette to help make higher education affordable and accessible while underscoring the Majerus family鈥檚 belief in helping others achieve their highest potential.
She adds that she had the privilege to meet three of the recipients at a 2016 scholarship luncheon. 鈥淭hey expressed sincere gratitude,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd I don鈥檛 doubt that they will dedicate themselves to making the community better, in the spirit of the Majerus family.鈥�
