What does the ideal journey from kindergarten to college look like?
Trick question.
The reality is that no two educational paths are the same.
To meet each child where they are, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee) has launched ROAR Ready. ROAR – Roadmap for Opportunity, Achievement and College Readiness – invites learners of all ages and their families to lean into UW-Milwaukee’s educational programs and experiences focused on academic enrichment, career exploration and belonging.
The goal is not cookie-cutter programming but empowering each student to create a personalized educational roadmap.
“Too often, families struggle to find activities and programs that excite their students. ROAR Ready provides ease of access to learn about programs, events, camps and so much more! I believe students who engage in youth programming at UW-Milwaukee will quickly want to partake in more due to exceptional experiences and building their own confidence,” said UW-Milwaukee Chief Recruitment and Outreach Officer and Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Marc Young. “That sense of belonging — feeling welcome on a campus and in a community that wants them to succeed — is profound. The prospect of thousands of young people discovering new interests, boosting self-esteem and making connections is very exciting.”
ROAR Ready emerged from regionwide conversations about college access and preparedness. UW-Milwaukee hosted a program launch event and invited representatives from schools across Milwaukee to better understand students’ needs. The university also led a breakout session with local high school students before program launch, to learn how the next generation is utilizing educational programming and what barriers are keeping students from their brightest futures.
Flexibility lies at the core of ROAR Ready. Students and their families can join the program at any time. UW-Milwaukee is also prepared to address transportation, financing or resource constraints that would otherwise hinder participation in the program.
“We want students to know exactly how to find ‘the front door’ at UWM,” said Kay Eilers, UW-Milwaukee’s Associate Vice Chancellor-Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success.
Eilers emphasized that ROAR Ready is a collaborative effort. UW-Milwaukee is welcoming students onto campus, while at the same time, remaining open to opportunities that bring the university’s programming to local schools.
ROAR Ready programming hinges on strong community partnerships. A notable example is the university’s longstanding M3 program. UW-Milwaukee collaborates with Milwaukee Public Schools and Milwaukee Area Technical College to provide local high school students with dual enrollment, campus tours, work-based learning and financial aid guidance.
Another great example is the Girls Who Code Club. Sponsored by Northwestern Mutual, American Family Insurance and Generac, this free club gives students in grades 5-12 the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of computer science.
“Partnerships are essential to the success of ROAR Ready because when efforts happen in isolation, the impact is often limited to those who already know how to access them. Too many strong programs exist quietly, benefiting only a small group simply because awareness, access or connection is missing. ROAR Ready is intentionally designed to break down those silos,” said Young. “Partnerships are at the heart of what makes ROAR Ready truly transformative. No single organization — no matter how committed — can meet the full range of needs young learners and their families face. Partnerships help ensure programming is relevant to real-world opportunities, sustained over time and connected to what youth and families truly need to thrive. In short, collaboration amplifies impact — and it’s how we build meaningful, long-lasting change.”
Students and their families are encouraged to fill out the interest form located at the bottom of the ROAR Ready webpage to get started. In time, the university hopes to launch a second phase of the program, focused on providing students and families with access to a digital portal or tool that simplifies personalized planning and tracks academic progress.
“With ROAR Ready helping to build a clear, supportive and sustained pipeline from early education through college and into careers, we can anticipate a generation of learners who are better prepared and more engaged with their own futures,” said Young.
Organizations interested in partnering with UWM’s ROAR Ready program can reach out to roar-ready@uwm.edu to learn more.
