Helping the Experience Live On

For Pete, Bus Ad ’77, and Judy, Arts ’77, O’Hagan, the Marquette experience spans generations. Judy’s parents met at Marquette and often recounted that they had one of their earliest dates at the Walgreens lunch counter on 16th Street. Pete attended on an ROTC scholarship and worked his way through his final two years, and both say they’ve seen the impact of Marquette on their families — whose alumni now number in the double digits.

“This special experience has repeated itself for multiple generations in our family,” the O’Hagans say. 

It’s an experience they’ve helped open to future students through their commitment to scholarship. Judy and Pete established the Peter O’Hagan and Judith Giffhorn O’Hagan Endowed Scholarship Fund 15 years ago and continue to grow it incrementally — including now through a planned gift pledge.

“As we evaluated our estate plan, we saw a way to make additional impact,” they say. “We have confidence in Marquette and in the experience that students receive during their time here.”

The O’Hagans’ involvement with the Cristo Rey network of Catholic high schools also highlighted the transformational impact that higher education can have on students. They witnessed one Cristo Rey student from New Jersey go on to Marquette, achieving great success including the completion of her master’s degree from Marquette.

“We see kids coming from extremely difficult life paths; and when they’re able to go to Marquette, with its commitment to inclusion, diversity and first-generation support, it makes such a difference,” say Pete and Judy. “The thank you notes and videos we receive of students’ scholarship stories are so meaningful because you can see how lives are being changed!”

Pete, as one of six kids, understands how difficult it would be for students today to cover college expenses as he did by working. He has also witnessed this as a small business owner. “I’ve hired a lot of young people with crushing debt,” he says. “Hopefully, our scholarship will help alleviate that.”

He and Judy are particularly grateful for the spectrum of planned giving options Marquette offers. “There’s such flexibility,” Judy says. “It’s amazing how far your giving can go through the different avenues for planned gifts. After we’re gone, we can live on in a way through future Marquette students.”

It’s a prospect that cheers the O’Hagans. They and their close alumni group of friends still share strong affection for Marquette. That love for their alma mater has also inspired Judy and Pete’s robust support, including their leadership on the Regional Northeast Campaign Committee for Marquette’s historic Time to Rise campaign and through hosting regional Marquette events like local Mass and game watching.

“Our four years at Marquette were a bonus in our lives,” say Pete and Judy. “They were truly formative. We grew up together, fell in love together and got to celebrate a national championship together!”

Speaking of that championship, Pete remembers walking down Wisconsin Avenue after the game and having one of his Jesuit professors shout from a bike, “No class, Pete.” Pete thinks that Judy went to class anyway.

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve been away for a few years, come back!” the O’Hagans urge. “You realize how much Marquette means to you. It’s never too late to re-engage.”