UWM has named its fourth cohort of full-ride Nadella Scholarship in Tech Education winners, funded through a gift from UWM alumnus and Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella (’90 MS) and his wife, Anu Nadella.
Fourteen graduates of Milwaukee high schools, 11 of them pursuing computer science or computer engineering, were awarded the scholarship for 2025-26.
Recipient Owen Hirthe, a graduate of Ronald Reagan College Preparatory High School, is planning to study computer science. He said the scholarship is life-changing for his family.
“Receiving this award is incredibly important to me. When I start in the fall, I will be one of three of my siblings in college at the same time, so not burdening my parents with the cost of it means a lot to me.”
The original cohort of scholarship winners, which began in fall 2022, are seniors this fall. To date, 44 Nadella Scholars have been named; 37 are studying computer science or computer engineering.
The Anu and Satya Nadella Scholarship is specifically for students who graduate from Milwaukee high schools and intend to study computer science, computer engineering, data science or information technology. Each scholarship provides financial and academic support and room and board for up to five years.
The Nadellas have donated $4 million to support tech education. In addition to providing funding for scholarships, their gift also provides funding for academic support to help students remain successful in pursuing their degrees.