• COVID-19 Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Promotions
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • May 9, 2025

Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

"THE NEWSPAPER YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1964"

  • News
  • Editorials
  • Education
  • Urban Business
  • Health
  • Religion
  • Upcoming Events
  • Classifieds

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Six Wisconsin Men from the MKE Fellows Program Graduate from Morehouse College

May 28, 2016

By Karen Stokes

Morehouse Commencement Recessional (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Morehouse Commencement Recessional (Photo by Karen Stokes)

On May 15, as a brisk wind blew with threats of rain, specks of sunlight peeked through the chill.

The weather, unusual for a spring Atlanta morning, didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of thousands of family, friends and faculty witnessing the compilation of struggle, hard work, late nights, disappointments and triumphs which culminated into the 132nd Commencement of Morehouse College Class of 2016.

Included in this prestigious event were five Milwaukee area students and one from Madison who in 2012 were the first group to receive scholarships as part of the MKE Fellows program.

Morehouse Commencement Recessional (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Morehouse Commencement Recessional (Photo by Karen Stokes)

The 2016 MKE Fellows graduates are:

Aaron Blake, Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing- Madison Lafolette High School, Madison, WI

Jaylin Durham, English- Summa Cum Laude, Rufus King International High School

Onteria Harris, Psychology- Magna Cum Laude, Pulaski High School

Devon Kidd, English- Summa Cum Laude, Rufus King International High School

Nicholas Stokes, Business Administration with a concentration in Finance- Cum Laude, Rufus King International High School

Justin Wilks (Photo courtesy of Justin Wilks)

Justin Wilks (Photo courtesy of Justin Wilks)

Justin Wilks, Psychology- Magna Cum Laude, James Madison Academic Campus

The MKE Fellows program is a partnership between Milwaukee Public Schools, area businessmen and Morehouse College to provide scholarships to area high school students.

In 2012, several businessmen and former MPS Superintendent Dr. Gregory Thornton had an idea to find exceptional young black men from Milwaukee and create scholarships and other support from area businesses for these men to attend Morehouse College. Attorney John Daniels, Corey Nettles, Skip Poliner and Charles Harvey were instrumental in developing and implementing the program.

“Personally, I’m very excited to see this initiative and our young men deliver in the way we all desired,” said Charles Harvey, former President, Johnson Controls Foundation. “I can’t say I am surprised because I know when given a chance, our young men deliver extra-ordinary results when they commit and have resources available to them.

John Daniels III, Jaylin Durham, Nicholas Stokes and Attorney John Daniels

John Daniels III, Jaylin Durham, Nicholas Stokes and Attorney John Daniels

Founded in 1867, shortly after the Civil War, Morehouse is a private, all-male, historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia. The Morehouse mission is to produce academically superior, morally conscious leaders for the conditions of today, whether today is post-civil War or turn of the new millennium. Morehouse has a reputation worldwide for producing leaders who have influenced history around the world. Civil Rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, Civil Rights movement leader and Georgia state Senator Julian Bond, the first African American mayor of Atlanta Maynard Jackson, award winning director Spike Lee and Oscar-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson. They are just a few of the Morehouse men who have changed the world.

Nicholas Stokes (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Nicholas Stokes (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Onteria Harris (Photo courtesy of Onteria Harris)

Onteria Harris (Photo courtesy of Onteria Harris)

Graduation weekend began Friday night with a celebration dinner for the MKE Fellows and their parents at the Commerce Club, downtown Atlanta. On Saturday, friends and family congregated at the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel on the Morehouse campus for the Baccalaureate church service which featured a sermon by Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley from Alexandria, Virginia and early Sunday morning was the main event, the Morehouse Commencement Exercises with speaker Strive Masiyiwa, Chairman and Founder, ECONET International Johannesburg, South Africa.

The MKE Fellows graduates shared thoughts on their experiences at Morehouse.

“As Morehouse men, we have been granted and accepted the opportunity to join a fraternity of leaders with the able minds to become the necessary leaders of tomorrow,” said Aaron Blake who will be working at a marketing firm in Atlanta.

“Simply put, my experience was a dream come true. At the age of 12, when I first toured Morehouse, I knew I wanted to attend,” said Onteria Harris who will be employed at Morehouse in the Housing Department. Harris educational journey will continuing as he applies for Ph.D programs in clinical psychology.

Aaron Blake (Photo by Montreal Cain)

Aaron Blake (Photo by Montreal Cain)

Jaylin Durham (Photo courtesy of Jaylin Durham)

Jaylin Durham (Photo courtesy of Jaylin Durham)

“To sum up my experience at Morehouse in one word, I would say that it has been extraordinary,” said Jaylin Durham, who will be attending Marquette University Law School this fall.

“Growing up in the situation I did, I could of never dreamed of a space where young black men take so much pride and joy in engaging in academic rhetoric and professional endeavors. I have amassed a network of Brothers that will forever be my Brothers. Morehouse quite literally has saved my life,” said Justin Wilks, who secured an internship at PSA Healthcare in Georgia and is also looking forward to continuing his education in psychology.

Some of the MKE Fellows will be returning to Milwaukee’s business community.

Devon Kidd,who will be working for Summerfest and will be launching his very own music and pop culture website said, “I feel that Morehouse was the catalyst in the shift to my understanding that the world was mine for the taking. Morehouse teaches her students that anything can be accomplished with enough dedication and hard work, and I actually believe it.”

Devon Kidd (Photo courtesy of Devon Kidd)

Devon Kidd (Photo courtesy of Devon Kidd)

Nicholas Stokes, who secured a credit analyst associate position at Associated Bank said, “These past four years went by so quickly, and now I have the opportunity to come back to Milwaukee and become a part of the corporate community. The MKE Fellows is a fraternity that will alway be a part of my life.”

Spelman College, Morehouse, Morehouse School of Medicine and Clark Atlanta University are members of the Atlanta University Center Consortium, the oldest and largest association of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

MPS Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver is a graduate of Spelman and has been a supporter of the MKE Fellows program.

“I am tremendously proud of the MPS students who have excelled at Morehouse in so many different fields,” Dr. Driver said. “It is a testament to the students, their families and all of the educators and support staff who have worked with them throughout their educational career. As a fellow Atlanta University Center alum, I am most proud and wish them nothing but the best for the future.”

Because of the initial success of the first class of the MKE Fellows, the question at hand is, will this program be continued to benefit more young black men in Milwaukee?

“We plan to continue this partnership between MPS, the business community, private donors and Morehouse College. We simply need more excellence like this to change our city, state and country,” said Harvey.

Justin Wilks, DeVon Kidd, Morehouse President Dr. John Silvanus Wilson, Nicholas Stokes and Aaron Blake. (Photo by Montreal Cain)

Justin Wilks, DeVon Kidd, Morehouse President Dr. John Silvanus Wilson, Nicholas Stokes and Aaron Blake. (Photo by Montreal Cain)

Cory Nettles, founder and managing director of Generation Growth Capital, Inc. and Charles Harvey, former president of Johnson Controls Foundation address parents and graduates at MKE Fellows celebration dinner in Atlanta. (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Cory Nettles, founder and managing director of Generation Growth Capital, Inc. and Charles Harvey, former president of Johnson Controls Foundation address parents and graduates at MKE Fellows celebration dinner in Atlanta. (Photo by Karen Stokes)

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Devon Kidd, Jaylin Durham, Justin Wilks, Karen Stokes, Milwaukee Public Schools, MKE Fellows, Morehouse College, Nicholas Stokes, Onteria Harris

Read More - Related Articles

  • Wisconsin Senate Passes Bill to Extend Medicaid Coverage for New Mothers
  • Milwaukee News Company Secures Partnership with Amazon
  • Milwaukee County Transit System Hits the Runway Celebrating 414 Day
  • Milwaukee’s Fresh Coast Jazz Festival Blends World-Class Talent and Community Impact
  • Milwaukee Common Council Approves $600,000 for Participatory Budgeting Program
Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On X
Follow Us On X

Editorials

Lakeshia Myers
Michelle Bryant
Dr. Kweku Akyirefi Amoasi formerly known as Dr. Ramel Smith

Journalists

Karen Stokes

Topics

Health Care & Wellness
Climate Change
Upcoming Events
Obituaries
Milwaukee NAACP

Politicians

David Crowley
Cavalier Johnson
Marcelia Nicholson
Governor Tony Evers
President Joe Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris
Former President Barack Obama
Gwen Moore
Milele A. Coggs
Spencer Coggs

Classifieds

Job Openings
Bid Requests
Req Proposals
Req Quotations
Apts For Rent

Contact Us

Milwaukee Courier
2003 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53206
Ph: 414.449.4860
Fax: 414.906.5383

Copyright © 2025 · Courier Communications | View Privacy Policy | Site built and maintained by Farrell Marketing Technology LLC
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.