Black and Latino Male Achievement high school students tour UW-Milwaukee

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Hundreds of high school students spent a day on the UW-Milwaukee campus for mentoring and motivation. It's part of a collaboration with the department of Black and Latino Male Achievement (BLMA) at Milwaukee Public Schools.

Students visiting Thursday were a mix of 9th-12th graders from nearly a dozen MPS schools.

To kick off this season of mentorship, more than 200 students were invited to UWM.

The agenda included a campus tour, meeting potential mentors, and getting to know young men from other schools.

BLMA has been around since 2017.

Simeon Murchison is a Hamilton High School senior who plays basketball. He recently received an offer to join UWM after he graduates. He's excited to spend time on campus and says BLMA has been a great resource for him.

"It helped me a lot. We get to talk about how the culture is and talk about the heritage. It feels good to be a part of it," said Murchison.

Leaders say BLMA is all about recognizing that young men of color face unique challenges and focuses on promoting their success.

"They're not alone in this battle. We know how tough it is sometimes in the streets of Milwaukee and we want to make sure that they create safe spaces with our help," said Paul Moga, BLMA coordinator.

Students told CBS 58 that being part of BLMA has been a rewarding experience.

"I get to make a lot of friends by joining BLMA. You get to hear their stories," said Roberto Mejia-Rodriguez, sophomore.

Nathaniel Cowser, South Division High School junior, says he enjoys connecting with others. "We get to talk about our problems and see different point of views...it's like a brotherhood," he said.

Organizers of the day's events want the young men to get a feel for what college life will be like.

"All my friends and partners here on the campus are on board to really establish a relationship that is long-lasting and see these young men develop into the future of our city. We need them, they need to know that we are here for them," said Alberto Maldonado, from UWM Roberto Hernández Center.

UWM leaders say they're excited to host similar events in the future.