Friends of Marquette Athletics Award
Nancy Geenen (posthumously) and Dr. Joseph E. Geenen, Arts ’57, Med ’60 Milwaukee, Wis.
For Joe and the late Nancy Geenen, family has always come first. Luckily, for Marquette student-athletes, the Geenens count Marquette athletics as part of their family. The Geenens generously paved the way for the success, both on and off the field, of student-athletes at Marquette through the Joe and Nancy Geenen Endowed Fund for Student Athlete Wellness.
The Geenens established their endowment in 2020 to allow Marquette student-athletes to have access to top-notch mental health services. The Geenens strongly believe that mental health is as important as physical health when addressing the whole person. In today’s world, student-athletes are under extreme pressure and need to have professionals available to help them reduce and manage stress. This endowment is in addition to the Geenen Family Endowed Athletic Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2010.
Dr. Geenen attended Marquette for both his undergraduate degree and for medical school. He established GI Associates, LLC, the largest gastrointestinal practice in the state of Wisconsin. Dr. Geenen has devoted his medical career to helping his patients as well as teaching and training more than 100 fellows in therapeutic endoscopy and ERCP.
The Geenens have supported Marquette basketball as season ticket holders for decades. Some of Nancy’s favorite pastimes and fondest memories included attending the games, proudly wearing her blue and gold.
Nancy and Joe have lived their lives in service to others and have a strong faith that calls them to give back to their community. Joe continues to thrive on nurturing, teaching, and mentoring others, exemplifying the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis, caring for the whole person.
The Geenens have an extensive Marquette legacy, with three of their four children and a grandchild graduating from Marquette.
Nancy Geenen passed away in February 2023, a few months after learning about this award.