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MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee faces a significant challenge: Only 15% of high school graduates earn a college degree within six years. Yet, most well-paying jobs in Wisconsin, those offering more than $50,000 a year, require a degree.
All-In Milwaukee is working to change that. With a new $7.4 million grant, the organization is set to provide more scholarships and support for local low-income students, helping them achieve their college dreams and secure bright futures.
All-In Milwaukee is committed to transforming the city, and this new funding source will allow it to help even more students from underserved backgrounds. I spoke with Adrian Mora, a first-generation college graduate, about how the program changed his life.
“The first thing any low-income college student thinks is, ‘How am I going to pay for college?’” said Mora, an All-In Milwaukee alumnus.
But All-In Milwaukee is more than just a scholarship program. It offers financial aid, mentorship, and career-focused support to help students like Adrian navigate college successfully.
“They helped me graduate school with no debt,” Mora shared.
Today, he’s a financial analyst for Baird Company and is in the process of buying his first home. With the latest grant from Madison-based nonprofit Ascendium, All-In Milwaukee plans to double its impact, aiming to support 1,000 students annually—students like Adrian.
“They helped me decide what internship I wanted to do during college, which ultimately led me to my full-time position,” Mora explained. “I never thought I’d be here. Now, I can build my future, settle down, and buy a home.”
The program’s wraparound support extends beyond financial assistance. It also provides academic, social, emotional, and career development resources, ensuring students have the right tools they need to succeed.
“Our hope is that they stay in Milwaukee and become young professionals here,” said Irving Ibarra, program director at All-In Milwaukee.
Allison Wagner, the founding executive director of All-In Milwaukee, believes deeply in the program’s mission.
“I just don’t believe the zip code you are born into should determine your destiny,” Wagner said.
Ibarra and Wagner are leading the charge, determined to create a better future for Milwaukee’s students.
“We know there are amazing students out there who are low-income but high-performing,” Wagner said. “We want to get as many of them into our program as possible.”
“We are a program that—no pun intended—is all in for this city,” added Ibarra. “And we want the city to be all in on us as well.”
For Adrian, the impact is personal.
“Because of All-In Milwaukee, I’ve been able to help my family as much as I can, and I’m on a different trajectory than my parents were. I can help my sibling go to college too,” he said.
With more support and investment, stories like Adrian’s could become the norm rather than the exception. All-In Milwaukee isn’t just changing individual lives—it’s shaping the future of the city, one student at a time. To learn more and support their mission, visit their website here.
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