First year of diversity internship program finds success for students, employers

Isaac Gonzalez used software that he learned in his engineering courses to solve a problem in a manufacturing plant. Alex Valle learned business and email etiquette on the job, aspects of business that weren’t covered in his coursework. And Naomi Chang found out about jobs in the communication field that could be career options for a marketing major. These work experiences are the kind that brought 56 University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, students closer to identifying and starting their careers through an internship program designed to address the need to widen and diversify the talent pipeline in Southeastern Wisconsin and provide meaningful professional experiences to UWM undergraduates. The UWM Student Success & Talent Pipeline Initiative (SSTPI) is a partnership among the MMAC, the Department of Workforce Development, UWM and local organizations, including the university, that have signed the Region of Choice Pledge.