Five West High students receive Do Great Things Initiative grants

By Press Times staff

GREEN BAY – On May 8, five West High School students received a boost toward their college education through the Do Great Things Initiative(DGTI) and were celebrated during a signing day ceremony at West High.

Suabnag Kong and Alisa Lee received the 2024 Do Great Things Scholarship at Marquette University.

Marcus Russell and Kristy Rivera Ortiz were awarded the 2024 Do Great Things Scholarship at UW-Green Bay, and Francesca Campos-Moya received a Do Great Things $5,000 grant.

“The scholarships will cover the difference, up to direct costs (tuition and fees) for four years (eight semesters), after university scholarships and grants and federal and state grants for which they qualify. The scholarship also includes housing (up to the standard double rate) and food for the student’s freshman and sophomore years,” a Green Bay Area Public School District release stated.

The mission of the DGTI is “to encourage and assist West High School students to become college-ready, understand the financial aid available to them, and secure the funding to alleviate their financial gap burden.”

The DGTI was created in 2021 after Jim and Tracy Ryan learned of the limited number of students from West High School that apply to attend Marquette University.

The vision is to encourage alumni and local business leaders to form “close the gap” scholarships that can be awarded to students and allow them to make their dream to attend college a reality.