Faculty Spotlight: Gerry Ahern
Gerry Ahern is an alumnus of the Diederich College of Communication and is joining the faculty this fall as Director of Student Media.
I am a native of Andover, Mass. I graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism with a minor in History in 1987.
For the previous 35 years, I have been a writer, editor and executive in sports journalism at outlets such as Yahoo Sports, USA TODAY Sports and the Detroit News. I’ve had the opportunity to tell the stories of some of the most interesting athletes and coaches in the world and cover huge events such as the Olympics, Super Bowls, Final Fours and the Masters.
After teaching an advanced sports writing class as an adjunct in 2019, I am back in a deeper role, helping prepare the next generation of Marquette journalists. The Marquette Wire, including the Tribune, Journal, MUTV and WMUR, is bursting with talent and potential. I couldn’t be more excited to be here.
I came to Marquette for its reputation of excellence in the journalism program and because I was obsessed with Al McGuire and how he took his unique path to building Marquette basketball into a national power and champion. If I didn’t pursue a career as a sports journalist, I wanted to be a college basketball coach. The closest I came to that was coaching my daughter Alice’s teams from elementary school through junior high. I’d often invoke McGuire-isms. I dubbed our substitution pattern “Scrambled Eggs.”
I am a huge fan of Milwaukee and its people, who made me feel welcome from the first day my parents dropped me off at my dorm, West Hall, in 1983. I’ve often returned to the city for SummerFest, IrishFest and NCAA tournaments over the years.
My favorite Marquette memory is meeting my best friend, Kevin Krasowski, at our first floor meeting the first day on campus. We have shared so much over the years. Kevin was the best man in my wedding and is the godfather to my daughter. We’ve had many adventures on Wells Street, at Mecca, Real Chili and beyond.
When not working I enjoy playing basketball, golfing, listening to music and traveling. Trips to Ireland, Amsterdam, Russia and Brazil are among my favorites.