A Person for Others Award
Bishop Walter F. Harvey, Arts ’85
Milwaukee, Wis.
Bishop Walter Harvey finds inspiration in one particular basketball move: the alley-oop. “It’s a spectacular basketball pass that sets up the team and a capable teammate for greater success and victory,” he explains. “I see myself as a point guard in life. Another person’s success is my success.”
A Milwaukee native, Bishop Harvey was drawn to Marquette “because I wanted an institution with a faith foundation, and I wanted to be close enough to home to still serve my community.” He hoped to motivate younger people in his neighborhood to attend college as well.
An ordained minister in the Assemblies of God since 2012, Bishop Harvey served as senior pastor at Parklawn Assembly of God in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood from 1992 until 2020. He was consecrated as a bishop in 2014 and is now apostolic leader for the church, which was renamed Embassy Center MKE in 2020.
He is also president of National Black Fellowship of the Assemblies of God, a network of more than 300 urban churches and Christian leaders working to transform their communities. And he leads the PRISM Economic Development Corporation, an offshoot of Embassy Center MKE, which helps people find services and meaningful employment. One PRISM program, UpStart Kitchen, provides commercial kitchen space to food entrepreneurs starting or growing their own businesses.
In Bishop Harvey’s mind, the Marquette mission of excellence, leadership, faith and service is best illustrated by Jesus’ selfless act of washing his apostles’ feet. “Greatness is found in serving others,” he says. “There is no better role model or mission to pattern my life after than Jesus Christ.”
Fun Facts:
What is one of your favorite Marquette memories?
It was very humbling to be selected from among my male peers as the Delta Sigma Theta sweetheart my junior year.
Name someone (past or present) with whom you’d like to have dinner.
Former President Barack Obama.
Leave a congratulatory message for Bishop Harvey!