Milwaukee City Wire

John Daniels, MKE Fellows executive director, is leaving nothing to chance in his quest to help prepare more Milwaukee-area students for college. 

“I've worked with a lot of first generation college students, and one of the things that I find is true, is that you don't know what you don't know,” Daniels told Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR). “And something as small as what is a housing deposit — if you've never met another college student to talk through what that means, when you enter college, that becomes something that could be a barrier for your early success.”

Known as Lead Generations, the program for African American male students also strives to give first-generation students the necessary skills to navigate college, escorting them to Mequon campus at Milwaukee Area Technical College as part of a seven-week mentorship and professional development program; the WPR report said.

For students not following the traditional college route, information about different career opportunities is made available. Over the course of the two-month program, students earn an hourly wage as they improve their ACT scores, learn financial literacy skills and explore career possibilities.

“The earlier that you are exposed to opportunities, that you can see the possibilities, the more driven you are to achieve those things," Daniels said.

Helping over 25,000 students each year, Milwaukee Area Technical College offers over 170 degree, diploma and certificate programs. Students can earn their certification all within MATC or take the first two years of a four-year program there and then transfer to any of their guaranteed-transfer partner schools, including numerous UW colleges.