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Lalumiere Language Hall was built in 1968 and has been home to the University’s language and literature program ever since. Located behind the Central Mall close to Wehr Chemistry and bordering Clybourn Street, it has been a distinctive part of campus for fifty years due to its unique architectural style.

View of the front of the building and windows.

View of the front of the building and windows.

View of the building at large.

View of the building at large.

Lalumiere Language Hall is certainly one of the most unique buildings on campus. The building was designed to contrast the style typical of Marquette’s campus—Gothic or brown brick—with a more modern look. Its most distinctive feature are the large, oblong windows with bowed out centers that dominate the building. Furthermore, each classroom has a distinct color scheme. Lalumiere Hall rises four stories and operates primarily as a lecture space. While it is designated as the Language building, a multitude of other disciplines hold courses in the building. In addition to the faculty of the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (formerly called Foreign Languages) Lalumiere is home to the faculties of the Department of Social and Cultural Sciences as well as the center for Gender and Sexualities. In addition to office and lecture space, the building possesses recording studios, methodology rooms, and an auditorium. 

The building is named after Stanislaus P. Lalumiere, S.J., the founder and fourth President of the University. Fr. Lalumiere was an Illinois attorney first, and then went on to join the Society of Jesus in 1857. Fr. John Martin Henni—the Bishop of Milwaukee—tasked Fr. Lalumeire, S.J., with the development for an institution of higher learning. In this role, he led the administration in the early days of the school. He served as President of the University for a short while from 1887 to 1889, and then resigned due to failing health. 

Jablonsky, Thomas J. Milwaukee's Jesuit University: Marquette, 1881-1981. Marquette University Press, 2007.

Milwaukee Sentinel. March 7, 1970. Marquette University Archives.

Marquette University Pamphlet. “Lalumiere”. September 19, 1971. Marquette University Archives.