Final up to date on November 2nd, 2023 at 10:29 am
The Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation has named Willie Jude, II, as its new govt director.
Jude has greater than 17 years of expertise in greater training and holds a Certificates in Fundraising Administration from The Lilly Household Faculty of Philanthropy from Indiana College. Earlier than becoming a member of the MPS Basis, he served because the vice chancellor for development at UW-Parkside in Kenosha. Earlier than becoming a member of UW-Parkside, he spent three years at Fisk College in Nashville, Tennessee, the place he served as vp for pupil affairs and enrollment administration.
In 2022, he was named one in every of “Wisconsin’s most influential black leaders” by Madison365.
Jude replaces the muse’s earlier director, Tiffany Tardy, who not too long ago left to turn into the manager director of PEARLS for Teen Women. Previous to Tardy’s roughly nine-month time period, the muse was led by Wendell Willis, who served as executive director of the muse from 2018 to 2022.
As govt director, Jude will lead the muse’s fundraising efforts, operations, and public engagement, whereas overseeing enrichment plans for all MPS college students and employees.
Jude’s observe document of fueling development, group philanthropy, and academic fairness and a ardour for serving to Milwaukee college students succeed made him the standout selection for this new function, the muse mentioned.
“Willie Jude II connects with children, alumni, educators, dad and mom, companies, and group companions in a manner that’s merely exceptional,” mentioned John Kersey, MPS Basis board president. “He’ll construct bridges on this metropolis the place they’ve by no means been constructed earlier than, and we’ll all profit from that.”
An impartial 501(c)3 nonprofit, the MPS Basis helps to supply and maintain enrichment initiatives, applications, and initiatives that the restricted MPS annual funds can not present. Every college 12 months, the MPS Basis connects 1000’s of MPS college students with faculty scholarships, immersive area journeys, fundamental college provides, trauma care, artwork programming, and STEM initiatives.
In October, 5 new out of doors play areas had been unveiled to profit all space kids and in November, the Basis will likely be launching a brand new studying mannequin with Junior Achievement. Different current basis highlights embody, offering greater than $150,000 to 32 college students throughout 13 excessive faculties, 81% of whom are first-generation college students and 87% college students of coloration; and offering $160,000 to launch Junior Achievement’s 3DE coaching for 450 college students.
As a Milwaukee native and an MPS alum, serving to to advance the work of the MPS Basis is private for Jude.
“It appears my total profession has led to this second, coming from a household of educators and group leaders to a profession devoted to making sure equitable entry to an training,” Jude wrote. “I’m grateful for the prospect to make a constructive influence on the identical faculties that performed a big function in shaping who I’m immediately.”
