MILWAUKEE — A new $11 million donation from Milwaukee philanthropists Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg will help 500 more students access scholarships and a support system to graduate college through All-In Milwaukee.
The program provides interview prep, internships, workshops, and panels to help students stay on track and graduate.
"They decided to commit and make this unbelievable gift to make sure 500 more students are able to be part of the All-In Milwaukee program," All-In Milwaukee Executive Director Allison Wagner said.
Hiba Dalia, a first-generation student at UW-Milwaukee, is preparing to graduate and said the support meant confidence and community.
"All in Milwaukee didn't just help me get closer to my degree or closer to my career goals, but it really changed me as a person," Dalia said.
"It reminded me that I deserve to be in every single space that I step into and has just been a constant support system for me," Dalia said.
Watch: All-In Milwaukee receives an $11M donation
"All I could think about was the mock interviews and the workshops and the panels and how well All in Milwaukee had prepared me for that," Dalia said.
Christopher A. Moore III grew up on Milwaukee’s South Side and is an All-In Milwaukee alumni now working at Northwestern Mutual. He said the program helped him navigate life after college.
"They were with me, you know… just telling me it's a part of the process," Moore said.
"It's not just an investment in Milwaukee, but Milwaukee's future," Moore said.
For students in the program, the investment is about leveling the playing field and building a future in the city.
"I feel like it's not just a gift to All in Milwaukee, I feel like it's a gift to Milwaukee as a whole," Dalia said.
"Milwaukee has so much talent, but not everybody has the same starting point," Dalia said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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