Nine recent graduates from Milwaukee high schools are the first to be awarded full-ride scholarships to UW-Milwaukee to study computer science, data science and information technology funded through a gift from UWM alumnus and Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella and his wife, Anu Nadella.
The Anu and Satya Nadella Scholarships are specifically for students who graduate from Milwaukee high schools. They provide financial and academic support, and cover tuition, fees, room and board for up to five years.
“Satya and Anu Nadella are difference makers. These scholarships support students to reach for their dreams and will inspire future students,” UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said. “I am deeply grateful for their generous gift that will promote diversity on our campus and give students the tools they need to succeed. We are committed to fostering inclusion and eliminating equity gaps, and the Nadellas are helping to bring us closer to doing that.”
Five of the students in the inaugural class of Nadella scholarships are from Ronald Reagan High School, along with one student each from Riverside University High School, Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy and Audubon Technology and Communication High School.
The students are: Josephine Andersen, Najeeb Mavrakis, Cinthia Meza, Aden Sengsouvanh and Ignacio Vega Rivera (all from Reagan), Amya Camberos (Milwaukee High School of the Arts), Robert Jones (Collegiate Academy) Dylan Powalisz (Audubon) and Joshua Thaisananikone (Riverside).
Each recipient will be assigned a dedicated success coach, an academic advisor and a peer mentor, and will be provided additional tutoring and support opportunities to lead to successful student outcomes.
“We are thrilled to announce the inaugural recipients of the Anu and Satya Nadella Scholarship,” said Kay Eilers, associate vice chancellor of enrollment management at UWM. “This outstanding group of students begins at UW-Milwaukee this year, and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish during their time at UWM.”
The Nadellas’ $2 million gift supports the Fund for Diversity in Tech Education at UWM, which helps the university attract, retain and graduate undergraduate students from marginalized communities, preparing them with the skills needed to pursue high-tech careers.
The scholarships are part of a larger initiative supported by the Nadellas’ gift that includes support for pre-college programming and emergency grants to help students successfully complete their degrees.