As students across Wisconsin prepare to begin college this fall, College Possible Wisconsin is helping ensure they arrive on campus equipped with both the technology and personalized support they need to succeed.
This summer, College Possible Wisconsin distributed 100 free laptops to eligible incoming college students through its annual Ready, Set, College! initiative, made possible through a partnership with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. The initiative is part of the organization’s broader commitment to helping students successfully transition from high school to college by removing barriers before classes even begin.
For many first-generation college students and students from low-income backgrounds, beginning college means navigating unfamiliar systems while balancing financial pressures and increasing academic expectations. Reliable access to technology is essential, allowing students to complete coursework, communicate with professors, access online learning platforms, and connect with campus resources from their very first day.
“Starting college is an exciting milestone, but it can also be overwhelming,” said Lauren McDuffie, Program Director at College Possible Wisconsin. “Our advisors work alongside students through every step of the transition, helping them navigate enrollment, financial aid, orientation, and all of the questions that arise before classes even begin. Providing students with reliable technology ensures they have one of the essential tools they will depend on throughout their college journey.”
The laptop distribution was paired with individualized transition support from College Possible advisors, who met one-on-one with students to complete enrollment tasks, answer questions, connect them with their college success advisors, and ensure they entered the fall semester prepared and confident.
College Possible Wisconsin provides personalized, evidence-based coaching beginning in high school and continuing through college graduation. Advisors help students navigate college admissions, financial aid, scholarship applications, enrollment, persistence, and career preparation, providing consistent support through every stage of the college journey.
“College success begins long before students step onto campus,” McDuffie said. “When students have both someone in their corner and the resources they need to fully participate in college life, they are better positioned to persist, earn their degree, and build lasting economic mobility.”
Since 2014, College Possible Wisconsin has celebrated more than 1,000 college graduates. This fall, another class of students will begin that journey with the support of dedicated advisors and the tools they need to thrive in college and beyond.
About College Possible Wisconsin
College Possible Wisconsin empowers students from low-income backgrounds to earn college degrees through personalized, evidence-based coaching from high school through college graduation. By combining expert advising with long-term mentorship and strategic support, College Possible Wisconsin helps students overcome barriers, persist in higher education, and achieve lasting economic mobility for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Funding Acknowledgment
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number CPFFN0201 awarded to United Way of Wisconsin through $16,459,684.90 of funds from the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act and the State of Wisconsin, acting by and through the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
