NBA FOUNDATION SELECTS MKE FELLOWS TO RECEIVE MAJOR GRANT AWARD

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (February 1, 2023) – The NBA Foundation today announced the recipients of its

latest round of grant funding to 34 organizations totaling $16.4 million. Among those awardees chosen

to receive critical funding is the MKE Fellows, a Wisconsin-based leadership and professional

development initiative which launched in 2011 and has escalated to national acclaim for the astounding

college graduation rate it has established for African American males from Milwaukee.

“With this life-sustaining injection of financial support from the NBA Foundation, the stability and

progress of the MKE Fellows program is assured for years to come,” remarked MKE Fellows President

and Founder, John W. Daniels III. “2023 has been a phenomenally progressive year for the Fellows

program, well-defined by the Olympians, Hall of Famers, World Champions, CEO’s, Presidents, History

Makers, and America’s most distinguished and influential business leaders, corporate icons, and sports

figures who have chosen to partner and support this phenomenal initiative. We are deeply grateful for

this tremendous show of support and confidence from the NBA Foundation for the MKE Fellows.”

About the NBA Foundation

Created in August 2020, the NBA Foundation is the league’s first-ever charitable foundation dedicated to

driving economic opportunity for Black youth. The Foundation invests in local and national

organizations that promote school-to-career and workforce development opportunities. For more

information visit nbafoundation.com. “The NBA Foundation is proud to support the MKE Fellows in their endeavor to prepare young Black men to excel in their careers and as leaders in the Milwaukee community,” said NBA Foundation Executive Director Greg Taylor. “Our philosophies are similar in that we want to ensure young people have access to workforce development programs that lead to meaningful job opportunities, and we look forward to seeing their continued impact on the next generation of Black leaders.”

Impact of MKE Fellows

Google, BlackRock, MIT, Harvard University, the US Army, Pro Football Hall of Fame, American Express,

PGA of America, NBA, NFL, MLB, the Ryder Cup, and other universally recognized corporations and

organizations now advise, intern, mentor, or employ multiple MKE Fellows graduates across the country.

By design, MKE Fellows are emerging as thought leaders and decision makers with organizations like

Church Mutual, RW Baird, Morgan Stanley, Advocate Aurora,  BMO Harris, Northwestern Mutual, and

many others.

MKE Fellows educational partnerships have never been stronger as evidenced by the significant progress

results produced through the “Lead Generation” program – a collaboration of resources with Cardinal

Stritch, Milwaukee Area Technical College, and Milwaukee Public Schools. Marquette University was

instrumental in participating in the Sports Analytics Club Program (SACP) – a data analytics project that

has taken former Final Four MVP and Marquette University alum Butch Lee to the doors of the NCAA

Hall of Fame and then back to Wisconsin to celebrate Butch Lee Day in Milwaukee. We launched or

expanded initiatives with UW-Green Bay, Lakeland College in Sheboygan, and Edgewood College in

Madison. The MKE Fellows program now boasts of over 185 collegiate scholars matriculating around the

country from HBCU’s to the Ivy League.

For additional information, contact Nathaneal Washington at nwashington@alivemke.com.