Service Award

Matthew S. Slaggie, Comm ’04
Winona, Minn.

Serving others comes naturally to Matthew Slaggie. Both his professional life, where Matt advises small business owners and families with their financial needs, and his personal life have their foundation in strong relationships. Matt partners with his clients to identify their personal goals and develop strategies to accomplish them.

Matt actively serves in his community as a member of the Winona Civic Association, secretary of Winona Golf & Dining and treasurer of the Slaggie Family Foundation. He has previously served on the boards of the Winona Area Red Cross and the Catholic Schools Foundation. Matt is also a long-time blood donor, having donated more than 13 gallons in his lifetime.

Matt and his family strongly believe in the transformational power of a Catholic education, and they have generously given back to Marquette to ensure access for future generations. In 2021, the Slaggie Family Foundation established an endowment for the St. Joan of Arc Chapel, dedicated to preserving its distinctive medieval architecture.

In 2023, the Slaggie Family Foundation contributed to Marquette’s new Wellness + Helfaer Recreation facility, which integrates student health, wellness and recreation services. Matt saw this as an opportunity to serve students when they are struggling physically, emotionally or mentally, literally caring for the whole person. As Matt says, “It’s beyond meaningful for our family to be a leading donor on a Marquette project that’s going to reshape and reinforce a core Jesuit value: cura personalis.”

Fun Facts:

Name a Marquette faculty or staff member who had an impact on you, and how.

Linda Menck was my copywriting professor who ended up being the advisor I needed rather than the one I was assigned. She noticed I was disconnected in/out of class and frequently met with me. I remember rolling my eyes when she forced a book into my hands and essentially said, “Shut up and read this — it’ll make you feel better”. I was astonished at the depth of the characters, spiritual parallels they faced, and perseverance they all demonstrated. That book was called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and I guess the series ended up doing pretty well.

What is one of your favorite Marquette memories?

2003 - Storming out of the Abode with my roommates, closing down Wisconsin Avenue and marching all the way to Lake Michigan after we beat Kentucky to get to the Final Four.