This past Sunday, College Possible Milwaukee partnered with Milwaukee Film, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and the Higher Education Regional Alliance to host a screening of “Unlikely,” a documentary that investigates the college dropout crisis in America and the obstacles students face when pursuing an education and meaningful career.
Following the screening, director Adam Fenderson and local panelists from higher education and the community discussed the film with audience members, focusing on the importance of persisting and earning a college degree.
College Possible Milwaukee graduate and current board member, Mayra Alaniz, participated in the panel and spoke about the significance of College Possible’s work for students and the Milwaukee community.
During Mayra’s junior year, her College Possible coach advised her to believe in herself and reach higher with her college applications. That encouragement resulted in her attending Georgetown University as a Gates Millennium Scholar. Mayra emphasized the importance of all students having access to the best education possible and reducing financial barriers for promising students who come from low-income backgrounds.
The “Unlikely” screening was beneficial to our community as it helped spread awareness of the college completion crisis. The discussion afterwards provided a public space to express concerns and address how we as a community can help to overcome these barriers. Panelist Katie Miota, chief enrollment officer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, stressed that community engagement at all levels is crucial to continue this conversation.