MKE Fellows Program to Host Holiday Luncheon
Lt. Governor Kleefisch and Mayor Barrett Stress Importance of Retaining Talented Youth
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP today announced that Chairman Emeritus John W. Daniels, Jr. will host a luncheon to spotlight the MKE Fellows Program on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Patrick Ryan Room of the Quarles & Brady offices at 411 E. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee. Daniels and the firm will welcome Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and Mayor Tom Barrett, who will speak at the event about the value and need to keep talented young people in Milwaukee.
MKE Fellows provides scholarships and mentoring to local students currently enrolled in Atlanta’s Morehouse College under the Morehouse Scholars Program, several historically black colleges as well as six Wisconsin-based colleges.
Nicholas Stokes, a 2012 graduate of Rufus King High School, Morehouse College senior, and MKE Fellow, will provide an overview of the MKE Fellows Program at the luncheon and share how his education has prepared him for future opportunities in his hometown.
“I am impressed with the quality of educated young people as a result of the MKE Fellows Program and am proud to have so many large Milwaukee-based employers supporting this initiative," said Lt. Governor Kleefisch. "The first group of fellows from Morehouse College will graduate this spring, and bringing this talent back to our state is critical for our future.”
Several local companies support the MKE Fellows Program, including Aurora Health Care, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, Harley-Davidson, Inc., Johnson Controls, Inc., the Milwaukee Bucks, BMO Harris Bank, and GE Healthcare.
“This innovative program has helped prepare college bound high school students for future employment through education, internships, and professional development seminars. We are grateful to the business leaders who have mentored these students and know that the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience is invaluable," said Mayor Barrett. "We are proud to showcase this program as it will truly impact the Milwaukee area and beyond.”
About the MKE Fellows Program
The MKE Fellows Program, the only program of its kind in the U.S., is an initiative launched in 2012 to help high-performing students from Milwaukee attend Morehouse College, a historically black institution in Atlanta, Georgia. Driven by a desire to help prepare the next generation of leaders and a commitment to retaining talent in Milwaukee, the program was expanded in 2015 to include young men attending a variety of colleges and universities. MKE Fellows participate in summer internships with Milwaukee companies providing real-world job experience, and attend professional development and mentorship seminars with influential Milwaukee business leaders. The MKE Fellows program has been well-received by the students, the governor’s office, the mayor’s office, and city business leaders. Learn more at www.MKEFellows.com.