M-CUBED PROGRAM PRODUCES FIRST COLLEGE GRADUATES

Kayla Jackson’s May graduation represents both an individual and a collective success story. Jackson is one of the first UWM graduates who benefited from the M³ College Connections program, a partnership involving UWM, Milwaukee Area Technical College and Milwaukee Public Schools. She credits the educational psychology course she took through that program with giving her the tools to succeed in earning her bachelor’s degree.

“I learned the process of college and the class format. I was able to see how different high school and college were,” said Jackson, who did a double major in psychology and neuroscience on the pre-med track at UWM. “I was better prepared to make the transition into college.”

College Connections is an award-winning M³ (pronounced M-Cubed) program that allows eligible MPS students to complete their high school graduation requirements while earning up to 20 college credits.

Since the 2019 launch of the pilot courses, 325 high school students have gone through the program, including 87 students in the latest session. They take mathematics and English courses at MATC and an educational psychology class and ethnic studies class at UWM. The educational psychology course focuses on helping high school students develop the tools they need to succeed in college. That course has expanded to help high school students select majors and consider future careers.

Mark A. Mone, PhD Chancellor

“It was great to get those credits and save some tuition money,” said Jackson, who also worked for UWM as a campus ambassador.

“I’d recommend College Connections to others,” Jackson said. “I learned where to go for support and to not be afraid to ask your teachers questions. It’s been amazing.”

– Kathy Quirk

nursing alumna who donated $225,000 to fund the Public Home and Health Learning Lab.

The center reflects UWM’s continuing commitment to providing a world-class education while meeting the health care industry’s growing workforce needs. And that need is acute, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s 2023 Workforce Report, which declared, “The health care workforce must grow faster to meet the increased demand for health care created by an aging population.”

UWM already enrolls 2,000 health sciences students and 1,500 nursing students every year, but it’s at capacity. That’s why UWM is seeking state investment for a $181 million renovation of the Northwest Quad complex.

Doing so will consolidate UWM’s health sciences programs, labs and classrooms in a modern, interdisciplinary facility while allowing a 15% increase in health sciences enrollment. That means 500 local partners could hire 3,000 more employees over 10 years.

Howie Magner