More than 3,500 MPS high school students were be able to meet representatives from dozens of colleges, universities, higher educational resources, apprenticeship programs and career opportunities on Tuesday as Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and district partners host the 8th Annual Fresh Coast Classic College and Resource Fair.
Sponsors of the event include the Mandel Group, Molina Healthcare, MPS, the Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Running Rebels and the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee (UWM).
“Milwaukee Public Schools and our partners are committed to preparing students for success in college and careers,” MPS Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver said. “One critical piece of that effort is giving our students the opportunity to meet face-to-face with people who represent the college and career paths that lay ahead of them.”
The fair’s new site – the UWM Student Union – means new opportunities for students, who were be able to take tours of the east side Milwaukee campus during their visit.
This year’s fair also included the presentation of five TEAM UP scholarships.
The scholarships were presented at a news conference celebrating the fair at the UWM Union. The conference will take place between the ballroom and the Alumni Fireside Lounge on the Campus Level of the union.
Colleges and universities participating at this year’s fair included: Alverno College, Bryant & Stratton College, Cardinal Stritch University, Carroll University, Gateway Technical College, Harrington College of Design, Harris-Stowe State University, Jackson State University (local alumni group), Kendall College, Lakeland College, Lane College, Lincoln University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Mount Mary University, Northland College, University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Wisconsin- Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, University of Wisconsin- River Falls, University of Wisconsin-Stout, University of Wisconsin-Waukesha and Waukesha County Technical College.
Apprenticeship, career representatives and resource representatives included: Boost Mobile, City Year Milwaukee, College Possible, Community Financial Service Centers, Direct Supply, Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation, Job Corps, MPS’ TEAM UP College Access Centers, McDonald’s of Southeastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Joint Plumbing Apprenticeship Committee, Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission, Molina Healthcare, Navy Recruiting District of Chicago, Outlet: Plugging People In, PNC Bank, Rev. James Spann I Foundation, Running Rebels, Southeast Wisconsin Carpentry Training Center, U.S. Army and Army Reserves, Wisconsin Air National Guard, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
In addition to its support of the fair, other MPS’ college and career readiness efforts included MPS’ two TEAM UP College Access Centers, which help students better understand how to prepare for, apply to and pay for higher education.
In addition, there was TEAM GEAR UP, a joint federal and local effort focused on promoting college awareness and readiness for a group of students in the graduating classes of 2017 and 2018, and efforts to implement rigorous SpringBoard pre-Advanced Placement coursework and expand college preparatory International Baccalaureate programming.
