All-In Milwaukee Announces Historic $11 Million Gift From Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg to Support 500 Scholars Over Ten Years
The investment aims to close Milwaukee’s college completion gap and keep local talent in Wisconsin
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Today, All-In Milwaukee (AIM) announced an $11 million philanthropic investment from Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg – the largest gift in the organization’s history. This transformative gift will fund scholarships and programming for 500 new scholars over the next ten years.
Starting with the high school graduating class of 2027, the program will support 50 new participants annually for the next ten years from the following partner organizations: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Carmen Schools of Science and Technology, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy and Milwaukee Academy of Science.
“All-In Milwaukee is grateful for this monumental $11 million investment from Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg,” said Allison Wagner, founding executive director of All-In Milwaukee. “Their generosity will allow our program to serve even more students in Milwaukee in need of the resources to complete college. This investment extends beyond degree completion – it will help launch careers right here in Wisconsin that will strengthen our talent pipeline.”
For many years, Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg have been longtime philanthropic supporters of education and arts initiatives in Milwaukee. They were early supporters of All-In Milwaukee, helping fund scholarships for 60 scholars, and have also partnered with other Milwaukee-area schools and organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, St. Marcus Schools, Running Rebels, the Milwaukee Ballet, the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, which supports First Stage, the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
“We believe deeply in helping young people in Milwaukee pursue higher education. What makes All-In Milwaukee so special is the comprehensive, wraparound support,” said Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg. “Students are guided, encouraged and equipped to navigate a completely new environment. That model keeps us invested and gives us confidence that our support is truly changing the trajectory of their lives.”
Keith and Mary’s expanded contribution will enable All-In Milwaukee to reach more aspiring college students across the city and connect them with the financial support, career preparation and professional networks needed to launch successful careers. All-In Milwaukee aims to support 1,000 scholars by 2029.
THE ALL-IN MILWAUKEE MODEL
All-In Milwaukee is ensuring college success for students through a comprehensive, student-centered model. While only 18.5% of Milwaukee Public Schools and charter high school graduates earn a two- or four-year degree within six years, AIM scholars achieve a 90% college persistence rate. This success is driven by individualized advising that begins in a student’s senior year of high school and continues through college graduation and into the workforce.
Grounded in four core pillars – financial aid and literacy, academic advising, socioemotional wellness and career readiness – scholar advising provides hands-on guidance in understanding financial aid packages, building personal budgets, selecting majors and mapping out graduation requirements, and engaging in on-campus resources such as tutoring, writing labs and student organizations. Scholars also participate in required career development workshops focused on building resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles, as well as learning how to apply for internships and jobs through the AIM Job Board. Through strong partnerships with employers, All-In Milwaukee connects scholars to internships and entry-level roles with the local, corporate partners who invest in the nonprofit.
Through this support, along with additional resources such as scholarships, laptops and emergency grants, 84% of scholars and graduates are on track to graduate without student debt. Notably, 91% of All-In Milwaukee graduates remain in Wisconsin to begin their careers or pursue graduate school, reinforcing the program’s role as a key driver of the region’s talent pipeline.
While this landmark gift will enable All-In Milwaukee to grow and expand its reach, hundreds of eligible students still lack access to its programming. As the organization works to scale, continued philanthropic investment will be essential to sustaining the program’s long-term impact and supporting future generations of Milwaukee scholars and professionals.
ABOUT ALL-IN MILWAUKEE
All-In Milwaukee is a college completion program that provides financial aid, advising, program and career support to high-potential, limited-income students from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All-In Milwaukee aims to help students complete college, build meaningful careers and transform the Milwaukee community to increase scholars’ college persistence, degree completion and job placement outcomes.
Since its founding in 2018, All-In Milwaukee is supporting 600 college scholars and has celebrated 160 college graduates. All-In Milwaukee scholars are 100% from limited-income households, 98% are students of color and 86% are the first in their families to attend college.
To learn more, visit allinmilwaukee.org
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
