“College is more about an experience compared to people who jump right into the workforce who don’t have that experience.” Posted on March 28, 2024April 3, 2024 by Jaci Merchant Payton Green, 20, is an undergraduate and student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Born and raised in Fox Lake, Ill., she’s majoring in Nursing in hopes of becoming a registered nurse. As a college student, she knows the benefits of a college education and the higher paying jobs that can come from it. Jaci Merchant: […]
“It’s all about what you are passionate about, because if you’re truly passionate you will make money.” Posted on March 28, 2024April 1, 2024 by Leslie Nicolas-Miletty Melany Muñiz, 35, is in her third year at Milwaukee Area Technical College. After passing her pre-admissions exam, she is currently in her first year in the nursing program. Melany has always had the dream of becoming a nurse. After receiving her nail technician license in 2014 and working as a nail technician for almost […]
“My major requires a lot of networking, putting yourself out there and getting practice for auditions.” Posted on March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 by Hazle Purvis Eleri Fester is a 19-year-old theater major with a concentration in acting at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is in the second semester of her sophomore year and in her first year of the university’s conservatory program. We dove into a conversation about college from her perspective as a college student in a non-traditional major. […]
“I think Generation Z definitely has a shifting mindset about how deserving or entitled we are to higher paying jobs without needing college.” Posted on March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 by Grace Santiago Corbin Johnson, 19, is a Milwaukee resident who attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the fall of 2022 with a major in art and a dear friend. He transferred to Milwaukee Area Technical College to pursue sound engineering, but later dropped out due to tuition costs and his opinion that he could teach himself what […]
“My end goal is to own my own business and the training isn’t going to college. It’s actually getting your hands dirty.” Posted on March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 by David Go Isaac Kallas, 21, is a carpenter who never attended college. Kallas has found satisfaction in entering the workforce directly out of high school, despite many around him attending college. David Go: What do you do for work? Isaac Kallas: I’m a carpenter. I work for the Reesmans Company which is based out of Burlington. We […]
“Going to UWM was never really something that I knew if wanted to do. It was kind of pushed on me.” Posted on March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 by Hannah Wescher Victor Calvo is a 23-year-old Milwaukeean. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a year and Seattle Central College for one semester as a psychology major. After that, he switched to a community college in Seattle for Emergency Medical Services. During this time, Calvo developed a unique perspective on the importance of higher education. Hannah […]
“No one knows which white-collar jobs are still going to exist 10 years from now, so it’s even riskier to take on debt.” Posted on March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 by Graham Thomas John Johnson, 30, grew up in western Illinois in a town of about 250 people. He graduated from Western Illinois University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. In 2015, he got master’s in political science from the University of Chicago. Today, he works as a researcher on housing, demographics and […]
Questioning the Value of College: A Media Milwaukee Interview Project Posted on March 28, 2024April 3, 2024 by Media Milwaukee staff More and more students are wondering if higher education is worth the money and time. A new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum found that most of the state’s job openings do not require a college degree, but higher-paying jobs still demand that diploma. UW-Milwaukee student journalists interviewed a diverse range of young people about […]
“A little boy asked me if we could get some fire-breathing dragons, so I put that on my list.” Posted on October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 by Mackenzie Quinn Andrea Bell-Myers is the Program Director at the Villa Terrace. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has enjoyed museums throughout her life. Prior to coming to the Villa, she was a teacher. She has a passion for museums. Mackenzie Quinn: Why did you decide to work here? Was there anything that brought you […]
“People don’t know what treasure we have in Milwaukee.” Posted on October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 by Alexis Lonzo Ernee Kender is a Germantown resident and visitor to the Grain Exchange and other local buildings during the Doors Open event in Milwaukee. The Grain Exchange invented the very first trading pit in the 1860s, and for some time Milwaukee exported more wheat than any port in the world. It can be difficult to take […]
“Milwaukee PBS produces six original shows about our community.” Posted on October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 by Khirul Khirularziman Julie Hill Lehr is the manager for marketing and community engagement at MIlwaukee PBS, located in Milwaukee Area Technical College downtown. Her work includes reaching out to members of the Milwaukee community, giving a spotlight to local issues and highlighting local programming. She is proud of Milwaukee’s original programming and believes that these shows can […]