Marquette President Mike Lovell and UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone led competing universities in Milwaukee, but they often leaned on each other for support.
Charles Benson asked Mone about the bonds they shared including their battles with cancer.
Mike and Mark had a lot in common. Mark Mone, the current chancellor at UW-Milwaukee worked for Mike Lovell when he was chancellor at UWM and before he left to lead Marquette.
The two shared more than just their university experiences, they were close friends.
"We just hit it off. We had a great love for working out together," Mone recalled. "But we also shared some similar administrative leadership beliefs and qualities."
The friendship began 14 years ago, and over the years developed into a close working relationship between the two universities.
"The work that we are doing with the chancellor and president's crosstown challenge," Mone said. "The work that we're doing and mental health overlap, the things that we've done in biomedical, I can keep going, those would not have happened without the great relationship and Mike's ability to collaborate and be the glue the connective tissue. It's not just Marquette and UW and there's really a lot of other community partners."
That bond grew even stronger when Mone was diagnosed in 2020 with cancer. One year later Lovell was diagnosed with cancer.
Mone was wearing his special 'CEOs Against Cancer' socks Monday in honor of his friend Mike.
Benson: How did you lean on him at times when you needed someone to lean on?
Chancellor Mone: Mike was empathic, so I could tell him that certain treatment, or I could talk to him about surgery and vice versa and he could open up for me and I could support him, and vice versa.
Lovell was the first non-Jesuit to lead Marquette but his Catholic faith was rooted in his leadership.
Benson: How powerful was that faith to him?
Chancellor Mone: That faith enabled him to I think, have the credibility, the authentic leadership that Marquette has benefited from so much because Mike can bring what a lay leader can in terms of his experience here at in Pittsburgh, just in his life, to bring that in with all the different backgrounds.
Benson: You've lost a close friend, What did Milwaukee and Marquette lose?
Chancellor: Probably one of the great national leaders have the ability to elevate the profile, whether it's athletically, philanthropically, in research, or in student success during a challenging time.
Chancellor Mone still faces challenges with cancer but remains optimistic.
"I've said it before, cancer, ironically makes you a better person. I look at every day as such a treat, such a pleasure," said Mone. "I say no matter what happens today, I had a day with my family. I had the opportunity to drive and advance education, continue to transform lives, and make a difference with the kinds of things that we do as a university."
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