We're very grateful to witness special moments on our trips. We think they're so special that they deserve their own name; we like to call them "M.A.R.D.I. G.R.A.S. moments". This blog is dedicated to sharing some of those moments from our most recent alumni.

- Elena Proos -
Cognitive Science ‘24 // St. Joseph, MI

I attended the May Mardi Gras trip to NOLA. This was my first trip I went on with Mardi Gras. I really didn’t know much and had never been to NOLA, so I didn’t quite know what to expect. Eventually, I made the last-minute decision to attend, and it really was one of the best decisions I have ever made at Marquette. I knew this trip would be a continuation of the volunteering to rebuild from the damage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but what I was not expecting was the relationships and connections that MU Mardi Gras has made with NOLA over these years.

During our trip, we had the opportunity to visit community members and homeowners, some of which have known MUMG since 2006, some of which we just met during this trip. We had the opportunity to hear their stories and foster relationships founded on empathy, gratitude, and support. We also had the opportunity to learn about the history of the Lower 9th Ward, NOLA, and Hurricane Katrina. Understanding this history provides much more context and purpose for the volunteer work that we are doing during our time in NOLA. I am forever grateful for my experience with MUMG and all of the lessons, memories, experiences, and friends that I made during this trip.

- Anna Schuermann -
Exercise Physiology ‘22 // St. Louis, MO

My favorite MARDI GRAS moment was spending so much time with the homeowners on our spring trip. I was able to spend my week working in Reise's house and talking to her. I learned so many valuable life lessons from each homeowner on the trip and they knew what I needed to hear as I went into my final weeks of being a senior at Marquette. It was incredibly special and meant so much to me.

- Lizzie DeMarkey -
Nursing ‘22 // Fairfield, CT

Dancing and singing to Aretha Franklin songs with Ms. Jeanette in her garden!

- Brigid Hughes -
Engineering ‘22 // Milwaukee, WI

Darren, one of the contractors at lowernine.org in NOLA, brought me with him to Home Depot to pick up extra shingles for the roof we were fixing and some other supplies. As we waited to check out, he went up to each of the checkout people with a smile and asked what their favorite soda was. He then purchased each of them from the cooler next to checkout, and his simple act of kindness is to me what Mardi Gras is all about. His whole professional life is centered around using his skills to assist those affected by hurricanes, but he consistently goes beyond that and cares for the people who help him to do so.

Thank you so much for reading some of our recent alumni’s MARDI GRAS Moments! Now come on a trip and experience some of your own!!

- Molly Buzzelli -
Psychology ‘24 // La Grange, IL

My Mardi Gras moment wasn’t a singular moment, but rather a culmination of all the little moments I have had with homeowners while on Mardi Gras. Everyone that I have had the pleasure of meeting on a Mardi Gras trip has inspired me and shared wisdom that I will carry with me forever. If I had to pinpoint one specific moment , it would be when I met Ms. Frozine on my first Mardi Gras trip to New Orleans. Ms. Frozine was sick at the time, and I didn’t know what to expect when going to her home to meet her. She was bedridden and wrapped up in a Marquette blanket. She talked about how much she loved Marquette, and it was the first time it really hit me that Marquette was making such a big impact on people all the way across the country. I was so moved by her willingness to talk to us and get to know all of us as individuals, even those of us who she had never met. She was genuinely invested in learning about our passions, interests, and values in the short amount of time that we got to spend with her. Her outlook on life will forever inspire me. This was the moment when I realized the impact that we have on the amazing homeowners and community members that we are so privileged to know and work with, and I will forever be grateful for the advice I have received and everything I have learned on the trips that I’ve attended!

- Philip DeCocco -
Philosophy ‘23 // Carmel by the Sea, CA

Meeting Ms. Frozine is my favorite MARDI GRAS moment. At the time, she was sick and essentially bedfast. Upon entering her bedroom, Ms. Frozine was lying in bed with her daughter by her side. Atop the blankets draped over her was one with a large Marquette logo. Shuffling in, we lined up before her as she recounted her experience with MARDI GRAS. One by one, she began to ask about our majors, passions, and goals in life. Despite her poor health, our status as strangers, or that fact that we had not worked on her home, Ms. Frozine met us with energetic and unconditional warmth and compassion. A few moments into our interaction, it was apparent that Ms. Frozine would have an impact on my life. I do not often show my emotions in such a public space, but I couldn't help but tear up. Despite years of prior volunteering, the moments in that room were the first time I came to know the profoundly emotional and lasting impact it can have. When I leave this world, I hope to have spent my life having had the same impact on people’s lives as Ms. Frozine had on me. We will miss you Ms. Frozine.

- Collin Wentworth -
Exercise Physiology ‘23 // Roseville, MN

One of my favorite MARDI GRAS moments came this past spring when I was working at Reisie’s house in NOLA. We laid linoleum flooring in her utility room all week, and continually made mistakes on the cuts that were needed to fit it into the room. As these issues came up I became increasingly frustrated because the end result was riddled with imperfections. Reisie took notice of this and told me to come look in her bathroom. She had me look behind her mirror so I could see a sizable hole that was mistakenly drilled in the drywall by a previous Marquette student. She took me to her kitchen and showed me where there was a dent in the drywall that an MG alumnus had made. She showed me all the little imperfections in her home. She told me that when she looked at her house, she didn’t see mistakes, she saw the people from Marquette and the love that we brought with us for her and the communities we work with. This really opened my eyes to the role that MARDI GRAS has in these communities. We aren’t the ones who are going to come down and produce perfect homes in places that have been devastated by natural disasters. Most of us have no construction experience and half of us have never held a power tool before. Instead, we are simply a group of college kids who will lend our time to the small, but important jobs that these community members need help with, and while doing so, will open our ears to their stories and our hearts to their love.

- Molly Sullivan -
Psychology ‘23 // Washington DC

To be quite honest, it is incredibly difficult to choose just one “Mardi Gras Moment.” The two trips I have been on have formed so many authentic moments that I will cherish forever. However, if I had to choose one MG moment, it definitely would be from my first trip to New Orleans in May. During our visit, my van and I fixed the ceilings and windows of a house that was damaged from Hurricane Ida and other horrible storms that occurred around that time. At our worksite, there were two interns from the Lower Nine Organization that came all the way from France to work on disaster relief. We worked with them for the entire time we were rebuilding parts of this house. The interns spoke little English and often had trouble communicating with us. Despite the language barrier, our completely different backgrounds, and unique life experiences, our van quickly bonded with the interns. We soon went from strangers to friends in a matter of days. Despite their long travels from France to New Orleans, they were in awe of Marquette Mardi Gras and our commitment to serve others that live hundreds of miles away from our home of Milwaukee. Just those interactions with the interns alone truly made me realize how our work does not go unnoticed & that the Mardi Gras mission is one that is adored by many. Additionally, it proved to me that Mardi Gras magic is in fact real and can result in incredible friendships! I am so grateful that our van met Coco and Eloise & for the amazing bonds that stem from Mardi Gras!

- Olivia Rivera -
Psychology ‘25 // Fort Collins, Colorado

I’m so glad I made the decision to go on my first Mardi Gras trip this year over Fall Break! I’m an out of state student, and was a bit anxious about spending my weekend with all new people. Despite my initial nerves, I was able to meet compassionate and welcoming students who also wanted to build up Milwaukee communities through service. The most impactful pieces of my Mardi Gras experience were working with Milwaukee’s Near Westside Partners and the reflection periods with my small group. I enjoyed hearing director Keith Stanley’s perspective on the evolution of different parts of the Near West Side. In my small group I loved bonding with other students and discussing the significance of service and our role as Marquette students in Milwaukee. Mardi Gras helped me contribute to the Milwaukee community in a hands-on way and start new friendships on campus. I hope to stay involved in this wonderful club throughout my time at Marquette, and can’t wait to apply for the next round of trips!

- Emma Brown -
Nursing ‘24 // Long Island, New York

There was one afternoon during my trip to Fort Myers where we were attempting to clean out the bedroom of one of our homeowners, Ken, that put the whole trip into perspective for me. With each item that we picked up in Ken’s bedroom we would ask, “Save or throw away?” and, instead, Ken would respond to each item with a story. Whether it was a notepad with a few words on it or a photo with friends, he had a story for each item that he had saved over the years. It was so much easier to walk things through the house and put them in a garbage bag when we couldn’t see the memories that were intertwined with those items, but when we took the time to listen to all the stories these items held, the reality of what these disasters steal from people became that much more evident. It was in this moment that I realized we didn’t have to just get everything out of the house, that the work we did didn’t have to be limited to the physical labor, it was emotional work too. It could be as simple as letting the homeowners heal by telling their stories and just listening. That’s the thing about Mardi Gras, there is always a moment to slow down and feel the magic that comes with these trips, the simplicity of listening and the ever-present love of each participant, homeowner, and organization that we work with.