Marquette University president Michael Lovell died from cancer Sunday while on a trip in Rome, the school announced.
Lovell, who was diagnosed with sarcoma three years ago, was with his wife on a Jesuit formation pilgrimage when he became ill and needed to be hospitalized. Sarcoma is a rare cancer that develops in the bones and soft tissue.
“A fixture of the Milwaukee community, President Lovell served on multiple local boards and national higher ed consortiums, where his peers valued his collaborative spirit, humility and ability to advance complex ideas,” the school said in a news release. “Together, President Lovell and Amy were trailblazers in directly addressing our region’s mental health issues. His contributions to Marquette will be remembered forever, just as his loss echoes throughout our community.”
The school is planning a memorial vigil for Lovell.
“The days ahead will be full of heartbreak,” the school said. “In this time of grief and sadness, let us come together as a community linked by faith and love.”
Lovell became the president of Marquette in 2014 after previously serving as the chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the dean of its engineering college. He also had a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
Marquette, a Jesuit school in Milwaukee, is the largest private university in Wisconsin with around 11,000 students.
