One of the most successful long-term diversity pipelines to higher education in the nation, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s PEOPLE (Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence) continues to increase the number of college-ready students applying to the state’s flagship campus.On August 2, another 136 PEOPLE high school scholars and 90 incoming PEOPLE college scholar freshman from across Wisconsin were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments thus far in the PEOPLE Program.
The annual Recognition Banquet showcases the talents, accomplishments and educational dreams of high school seniors, who have just completed their final summer of year-round training for college – including ACT testing and participating in internships with departments across the UW-Madison campus and throughout the community along with six weeks living in University Housing. This year’s cohort of PEOPLE College Scholars also was the largest incoming group to complete the bridge-to-college program, which allows them to earn college credit going into their college freshman year.
Of the 144 students who completed the rigorous pre-college program last summer, they represent a portion of the 96 high school students who were accepted to UW-Madison. Completion of the highly competitive pre-college segment of the program qualifies these students for a tuition scholarship to attend, but does not guarantee admission into UW-Madison.For some pre-college PEOPLE scholars, the senior high school year ahead is the culmination of up to seven years – and a few cases as many as 10 years — of family planning, sacrificed summers and testing, tutoring, contemplation and acceptance that this is what it takes to not only get into college, but earn a scholarship to one of the top institutions in the nation.
From 2002 to 2012, all 1,348 students to complete the PEOPLE pre-college program have graduated from high school. Of those 1,274, or 94 percent, have enrolled in higher education. Fifty-one percent, or 653, have enrolled at UW-Madison, while 19 percent, or 252, have enrolled in other UW System campuses. Another 30% enrolled in other Wisconsin and national universities and colleges.Featured speakers Milwaukee Public School Superintendent Gregory E. Thornton, Ed.D., and Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham, Ed.D., lauded their successful partnerships with and ongoing need for the PEOPLE program.
Thornton thanked the PEOPLE program for not allowing “our children” and their potential to slip through the cracks, noting the number of students the program has touched.”They’re smarter than we were,” Thorton said referring to past generations. “in the passion that they bring and the talent they bring. In a very short while they will be ready to go to college, but they may not want to” in a time and society with so many distractions and options to avoid the effort it takes to earn a college degree, he said. The PEOPLE program bridges the unknown, shows students a bright finish line and supplements dreams with financial and preparatory support, Thornton said.
“Not only are they ready to check in, but they belong here,” he said, despite those from Milwaukee being from one of the most heavily African-American school districts in America. “These kids are learning that they can do anything. It’s one thing for someone else to believe in you, but you have to believe in yourself,” Thornton said, encouraging the students to go forwhat they want and know they’re building their passports to the rest of their lives. “They’re going to do great things. We’re not going to lose these.” Thornton also emphasized the need to look back and help others.
Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham said that in her brief tenure in Wisconsin since coming from Chicago, she hasn’t found any evidence that there is any difference among what parents want from education for their children — everyone wants success.
“We have to make sure that all of our students are getting access to a meaningful and coherent curriculum and that’s not always happening,” Cheatham said. But that goal is possible to achieve in Madison, she quickly added. “I’ve never seen a community more ready than we are to raise the bar for all of our students.” As the new superintendent, Cheatham said she beleives MMSD is poised to helped parents realize their educational dream for their children.
The PEOPLE program’s longitudinal academic support and skills enhancement approach is resulting in clear gains. PEOPLE has a 95 percent first-year retention rate and 71 percent of its college scholars complete undergraduate degrees at UW-Madison, far exceeding the national college graduation rate for minority students of around 40 percent. Many of its scholars have also now graduated from graduate and professional schools within UW-Madison.
According to PEOPLE Executive Director DeWalt, “One of the major philosophies of PEOPLE is “lifting as we climb.” While campus and community partners have provided critical support and guidance to our students throughout the pipeline, our students have also made major contributions. In addition to playing a major role in campus diversity efforts, PEOPLE high school and college Scholars have rendered mentoring, tutorial, community outreach, student leadership, and other urgent support services to underserved communities on a local and global level.”
This year, PEOPLE continued its partnership to provide training in urban agriculture through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with Will Allen’s Growing Power of Milwaukee. PEOPLE also continued its partnership with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in cooperation with the Surgery Department of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health to provide surgical training internships. PEOPLE now has partnerships and college-scholar graduates from all of the University’s Schools and Colleges.
This also is the second year in partnership with the Milwaukee Public School District’s GEAR-Up project, in which PEOPLE provides outreach services and access to UW-Madison teaching, learning, and service resources. More than 2,300 sixth- through twelfth-grade low-income, non-PEOPLE, students from high poverty Milwaukee Public Schools are served through this partnership. Morris Marshall Middle and High School has been adopted by PEOPLE and is currently receiving targeted intensive college preparation services.
“Consistent with the Wisconsin Idea, our goal is to develop a well-qualified pool of community conscious, college graduates from within the State of Wisconsin who are fully capable of improving the economic conditions and global competitiveness of communities throughout the State of Wisconsin,” says DeWalt.
PEOPLE is changing how UW-Madison is viewed by recruiters seeking to diversify their work force with graduates from the nation’s top schools. National corporations that support the PEOPLE program include AT&T, American Family Insurance Group, CUNA Insurance Group, Target, John Deere Foundation, Rockwell Automation, Proctor & Gamble and British Petroleum Company, along with numerous Wisconsin state agencies. These companies are excited about the growing number of diverse college graduates across an expanding selection of professional disciplines, DeWalt says.
PEOPLE Pre-College High School Class of 2014
Gregorio Abrajan, Madison, WI, West High School
Selina Armenta, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Ayomide Awosika, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Nyataba Bading, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Bajalang Baldeh, Madison, WI, East High School
Jessica Barrera-Real, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Teresa Baymon, Madison, WI, East High School
Katrina Bell, Kenosha, WI, Harborside Academy
Jacob Berlin, Ashland, WI, Ashland High School
Alex Booker, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Sabria Borom, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Marquise Brown, Racine, WI, Jerome I. Case High School
Selena Campos, Waukesha, North High School
Victoria Carter, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Mayra Ceballos, Madison, WI, East High School
Maria Cerda, Milwaukee, WI, Ronald Wilson Reagan College Prep High School
Xong Chang, Milwaukee, WI, South Division High School
Lysa Chang, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
Paja Chang, Milwaukee, WI, Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning
Javier Clifcorn, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Adetola Coker, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Guillermo Contreras, Waukesha, WI, South High School
Maria Coria, Verona, WI, Verona Area High School
Brenda Covarrubias, Fitchburg, WI, Verona Area High School
Claudia Cruz-Castillo, Verona, WI, Verona Area High School
RaQuan Cunnigan, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Shekinah Cunningham, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
McKenna Daulton, Hudson, WI, Hudson High School
Jadyn Donahue, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Oumaru Drammeh, Madison, WI, East High School
Teresa Escobar-Rivera, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Alexandra Espada, Milwaukee, WI, Ronald Wilson Reagan College Prep High School
Maurice Ewing, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Angel Fish, Keshena, WI, Menominee Indian High School
Jose Flores-Ugalde, Madison, WI, St. Ambrose Academy
Weston Foemmel, Madison, WI, East High School
Marquita Fowler, Madison, WI, East High School
Kanesha Freiberg, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Michael Garcia, Racine, WI, Jerome I. Case High School
Danielle Golden, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King Int’l Baccalaureate High School
Jonas Gomez, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Marlise Gonzalez, Wausau, WI, Wausau West High School
Quinten Gordon, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Bonness Greer, Milwaukee, WI, Alexander Hamilton High School
Stephen Guma, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Belinda Gutierrez, Waukesha, WI, South High School
Cheng-Fu Hang, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Heidi Her, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Javier Hernandez, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Noe Hernandez, Kenosha, WI, Bradford High School
Juan Herrera, Kenosha, WI, Indian Trail Academy
Ana Jimenez-Diaz, Madison, WI, Madison West High School
Lenai Johnson, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Irene Katana, Madison, WI , James Madison Memorial High School
Sebastian Kelnhofer-Maldonado, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Iaong Lee, Madison, WI, East High School
Jasmine Loera, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Mena Lor, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Richard Lor, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Sarina Lucas, Ashland, WI, Ashland High School
Marquise Mays, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
Marcus McCrary, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Dwight McDonald, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Ajha McMillian, Racine, WI, Washington Park High School
Daisy Mejia, Milwaukee, WI, Alexander Hamilton High School
Janice Menchaca, Menominee Indian High School
Ernesto Mercado, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Esteban Mireles, Racine, WI, Jerome I Case High School
Maasio Mohamed, Milwaukee, WI , Washington High School of Information Technology
Khaleah Monger, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Dernisha Moore, Madison, WI, Indian Trail Academy
Ingrid Moreno, Madison, WI, East High School
Giovanni Nava-Garcia, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Evalise Navarro, Milwaukee, WI, Alexander Hamilton High School
Kevin Navarro, Madison, WI, East High School
Milica Nenadic, Milwaukee, WI, Ronald Wilson Reagan College Prep High School
Marie Nofodji, Madison, WI, East High School
Jesse Ocanas Jr., Racine, WI, Washington Park High School
Ramon Ortiz, Madison, WI, East High School
Rachel Penewell, Madison, WI, West High School
Daniel Perez, Waukesha, WI, South High School
Mykiara Pondexter, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Dierra Reed, Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee School of Languages
Farence Rodgers, Waukesha, WI, North High School
Joaquin Rodriguez, Sun Prairie, WI, Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School
Philip Rudnitzky, Verona, WI, Verona Area High School
Alexis Sanchez, Milwaukee, WI, Alexander Hamilton High School
Jaynie Sannito, Madison, WI, West High School
Xavier Santana Madison, WI, East High School
Abraham Saucedo, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Kendrick Shanklin, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
DaJhane Stapleton, Racine, WI, William Horlick High School
Brett Stratton, Madison, WI, West High School
Bryan Suzan, Racine, WI, Jerome I. Case High School
Breanna Taylor, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Kabao Thao, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Pa Nou Chi Thao, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Mai Chong Thao, Madison, WI, East High School
Tchia Thao, Madison, WI, East High School
Houa Thao, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Toua Thao, Madison, WI, East High School
Keng Thao, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Eric Tran, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
John Tucker, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
Cristal Uceta, Milwaukee, WI, Ronald Wilson Reagan College Prep High School
Aristide Vakunta, Madison, WI, West High School
Jackgle Vang, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
Alpha Vang, Milwaukee, WI, Morse Marshall School of Gifted & Talented
Abert Vang, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
Houa Vang, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Emmanuel Vazquez, Milwaukee, WI, Ronald Wilson Reagan College Prep High School
Christopher Vielbaum, Madison, WI, Milwaukee School of Languages
Daisy Villasenor, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Elizabeth Virgen de la Tori, Madison, WI, West High School
Michaela Vue, Madison, WI, West High School
Chantel Walker, Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee School of Languages
Duresa Wario, Madison, WI, East High School
Diaman Warren, Milwaukee, WI, Morse Marshall School of Gifted & Talented
Jaliyah Wesley, Milwaukee, WI, Riverside University High School
Shaneice White, Madison, WI, James Madison Memorial High School
Deverey Winfrey-Young, Racine, WI, Jerome I. Case High School
Desia Xiong, Madison, WI, West High School
Thai Xiong, Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee School of Languages
Baritan Yang, Madison, WI, East High School
Kia Yang, Madison, WI, East High School
Chua Yang, Madison, WI, East High School
Thai Yang, Madison, WI, Verona Area High School
Vang Yang, Milwaukee, WI, Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School
Cherubim Yang, Racine, WI, Jerome I. Case High School
John Yang, Fitchburg, WI, Verona Area High School
Kameron Young, Madison, WI, LaFollette High School
Carol Zhuckkahosee, Keshena, WI, Menominee Indian High School