On Wednesday, January 7, All-In Milwaukee welcomed 125 sophomore scholars for its Sophomore Winter Institute. It was an immersive, full-day experience designed to strengthen career-readiness, self-identity, and leadership skills as students prepare for the semester ahead.
Scholars had the opportunity to hear from keynote speaker Ana Simpson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, who shared words of encouragement as students embarked on their spring semesters. Her remarks focused on three major takeaways: own your story, build your relationships, stay humble, and stay hungry.
Throughout the day, scholars moved through a series of interactive sessions designed to strengthen both personal and professional skills. Through programming designed and led by our team of scholar advisors, students received instruction on presenting one’s authentic professional self, collaborative leadership challenges, and facilitated conversations focused on identity, connection, and belonging. These experiences encouraged students to reflect on who they are, how they lead, and how they show up in academic and professional environments.
"Having mentors and access to resources through the Winter Institute has helped me grow both academically and personally. Navigating college can be overwhelming, and this experience made me feel supported and more confident stepping outside my comfort zone.”
Talent Development Through Mock Interviews
A standout component of the Sophomore Winter Institute was the talent development mock interview experience. Supported by more than 60 volunteers from over 30 career partner organizations, scholars participated in simulated internship and job interviews that mirrored real-world experiences. Students practiced articulating their skills, received direct feedback, learned interview best practices, and gained confidence navigating professional conversations.
“The encouraging feedback from the mock interviewees enabled me to be more confident in my interviewing skills for future jobs as well as the one related to my career.”
All-In Milwaukee is grateful for the professionals who volunteered their time and expertise to help prepare our scholars for future opportunities, including representatives from:
- Artisan Partners
- Baird
- Children's Wisconsin
- Continental Properties
- Deloitte
- Fiserv
- Foley & Lardner
- Froedtert ThedaCare
- GE HealthCare
- Generac Power Systems
- Gilbane Building Company
- Husco
- Johnson Controls
- Johnson Financial Group
- KPMG
- Lauber Business Partners
- M3 Insurance
- ManpowerGroup
- MMAC
- MGIC
- Molson Coors
- Mortenson
- Northwestern Mutual
- Ready Rebound
- St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
- U.S. Bank
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- UW Credit Union
- Versiti
- VJS Construction Services
- Walbec Group
- WEC Energy Group
The Sophomore Winter Institute reinforced All-In Milwaukee’s commitment to ensuring scholars are prepared, confident, and career-ready as they move toward internships and future employment in Milwaukee.
Learn more about how you can get involved as a Career Partner of All-In Milwaukee by exploring our website.
