UWM’s New Program Connects With Students Before High School

A sign is displayed on the UW-Milwaukee campus Monday, July 7, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

Larissa Lampkins-Cobb’s sons have been a part of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee community since they were 4 years old.

The boys attended Hartford Elementary School while Lampkins-Cobb was working on campus.

Before they were in kindergarten, she enrolled the boys in a program called “Power Hour” at UW-Milwaukee’s children’s center. By the time the boys were in middle school, they were involved in more programs on campus.

Lampkins-Cobb’s youngest son joined a “Future Success” program that partnered with Rockwell Automation.

“To see a kid in middle school light up about supply chain was remarkable,” Lampkins-Cobb said.

UW-Milwaukee announced a plan Tuesday that the university hopes will foster more relationships with young people across the region.

Through ROAR Ready — which stands for a Roadmap for Opportunity, Achievement and College Readiness — UW-Milwaukee wants to offer K-12 students and their families opportunities to connect and prepare them for college and career opportunities.

UW-Milwaukee is already offering several of these kinds of programs, including MKE Scholars and Dual Enrollment, but Chancellor Thomas Gibson says ROAR will put these opportunities under one umbrella.

“We want K-12 students to know they really do belong at UWM, that there’s a place for them on our campus,” Gibson said. “We want students to envision themselves here and know they are capable of great things.”

ROAR has been announced at a time when college campuses are watching enrollment closely. Enrollment at UW-Milwaukee this year is about 22,600, up about 100 students from 2024.

It also comes as student mental health is top of mind.

The most recent report from the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health found that only half of high school students feel like they belong in the classroom.

The numbers are even lower for minority students and girls.

Many Milwaukee area K-12 students and families lack consistent access to structured academic enrichment, career exploration and college readiness resources. These gaps can lead to challenges in preparedness, confidence and persistence as students transition to higher education.

“Families tell us they want to support their students, but the pathway to college can feel complicated and overwhelming,” said Marc Young, UW-Milwaukee chief recruitment and outreach officer. “ROAR Ready simplifies that journey by creating one clear roadmap — one place where students can explore, grow and stay connected to UWM year after year.”

Andre Douglas, assistant vice president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, said while in middle school and high school, he participated in several programs at UW-Milwaukee on Saturdays.

He said putting college in the minds of kids early on is crucial for their success.

“We need students to come into the university. But if we can get them at a young age to see that we care about you now without even knowing your career pathway, they’ll remember that this university was there and was a critical part of my personal development and growth,” Douglas said.

Today, both of Lampkins-Cobbs boys are seniors in the Universities of Wisconsin system. She credits their success to the early connections they made with UW-Milwaukee.

“These programs work,” Lampkins-Cobb said. “They work if the students are in K4 as mine started, all the way through from middle school and up until high school.”

UW-Milwaukee wants to connect with students before they get to high school was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.