I tried to take advantage of everything I could during high school. My work experiences gave me a curious mind and really helped my personal development.
Ana Silva learned the value of work as a 17-year-old junior at Milwaukee’s Ronald Reagan High School.
Thanks to M-Cubed, a partnership between Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Public Schools and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that connects students to higher education opportunities and career experiences, she got a job as a caregiver at Capri Communities, which operates 17 independent living, assisted living and memory care facilities in the Midwest.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, Capri and more than 50 other regional employers were honored by M-Cubed for connecting students like Silva to real-world work experiences through internships, part-time employment, career events and job shadowing.
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin received the Paving the Pathways to Success award, which honors organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to work-based learning.
Each year, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin hires more than 100 interns, said Mark Farrell, Froedtert’s associate vice president of talent acquisition. “We are training the future talent for our city,” Farrell said. “And we want to keep them in our city.”
Work-based learning bridges the gap between knowing and doing, and are essential, said MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz said at the recognition ceremony, held at the college’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus.
“Strategic partnerships between industry and education are not just nice to have: They are absolutely critical to student preparedness, long-term success and economic mobility,” Dr. Cruz said. “When you offer an internship, an apprenticeship or a structured work-based experience, you aren’t just filling a temporary position. You are unlocking a door to a family-sustaining career. You are driving equity in our city. You are fueling the economic engine of southeastern Wisconsin.”
Silva continued to work at Capri as she participated in an M-Cubed dual enrollment program as a high school senior and as she earned a business degree from Marquette University. Today, she’s the executive director of Wilson Commons, one of Capri’s properties. And that early exposure to the working world through M-Cubed made all the difference, she said.
“I tried to take advantage of everything I could during high school,” Silva said. “My work experiences gave me a curious mind and really helped my personal development.”
Many times, the employers who partner with M-Cubed provide the first and perhaps most critical working experiences to students, Dr. Thomas Gibson, UWM’s chancellor, told the audience.
“You help them build habits and skills that will stay with them for a lifetime,” Dr. Gibson said. “You teach them how to show up on time, how to get along with their coworkers, how to follow directions and how to contribute to something larger than themselves. You are launching our students on a trajectory of service and growth.”
Jennifer Mims-Howell, the chief academic officer at MPS, praised the employers for participating in career fairs that have helped thousands of MPS students prepare for interviews, dress for success, use social capital in networking and write effective resumes.
“Through these partnerships, we can offer our students hands-on learning experiences and conversations with real employers,” Mims-Howell said. “That will help them handle real-life work in the workplace.”
The City of Milwaukee won the Paving the Pathway award in 2025 for its exemplary internship and apprenticeship programs. Aviation Careers Education, a summer internship program managed by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Bureau of Aeronautics, was honored in 2024, and We Energies won the inaugural award in 2023.
The event also included a panel discussion of employers, current interns and former students relating their experiences with work-based learning programs. In addition to Silva, the panel included Sam Smith, Sr. HR business partner-talent acquisition manager, Capri Communities, Casey Seneczko, early careers recruiter, Rockwell Automation; Mustafa Yusof, human resources student employee, Rockwell Automation and Levi Stein, president and CEO of the Friendship Circle of Wisconsin.
“Employers need to make the time for these kinds of efforts,” said Stein, which provides support and opportunities for people of varying abilities. “Doing this has made me a better employer, and I have helped so many people grow.”
Smith is the talent acquisition manager at Capri who originally hired Silva as a 17-year-old.
“She is a great example of making an investment in people,” Smith said. “I believe participating in these types of programs makes us a greater employer.”
About M-Cubed: Founded in the spring of 2015, M-Cubed seeks to transform the future of Milwaukee through education. Through collaboration, coordination and partnership, MPS, MATC and UWM will increase the retention, graduation and career success of our students and provide a prepared workforce and citizenry for the Wisconsin economy. M³ will also provide the education and resources to help drive an entrepreneurial mindset for all students to increase choices and opportunities for growth.
About MATC: As Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 180 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 45 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
