In partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of
Greater Milwaukee and Milky Way
Tech Hub, Associated Bank AI Academy will boost digital skills and
financial literacy among Milwaukee
youth
MILWAUKEE, June 10,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:
ASB) ("Associated") today announced a dynamic pilot program aimed
at empowering Milwaukee youth with
essential skills in artificial intelligence (AI) and financial
literacy: Associated Bank AI Academy.
Associated Bank AI Academy is a six-week curriculum designed for
local youths to help them learn critical life skills. Led by
Terry L. Williams, chief information
officer at Associated Bank, the new initiative will launch this
summer as part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee's curriculum. The program is
designed for sixth through eighth grade students and will focus on
artificial intelligence, financial literacy, and
entrepreneurship—including hands-on instruction in prompt
engineering using platforms like ChatGPT and learning fundamentals
of data science.
"Supporting innovation in youth education is a core part of
Associated Bank's commitment to the community," said Williams.
"This program blends financial literacy with emerging technology to
give young minds a head start in understanding how artificial
intelligence will shape their ongoing education and future—and
we're proud to partner with Boys and Girls Club and Milky Way Tech
Hub to bring it to Milwaukee."
Each week, Associated Bank AI Academy will focus on a new topic,
building each week's learning off each other to build a wholistic
view of how AI will shape the future. Students will earn
"Associated Bank Bucks," a co-branded incentive system to recognize
their participation and performance in the program. These "bucks"
can be exchanged for Associated Bank merchandise and other
exclusive rewards, making the learning experience both meaningful
and fun.
Milky Way Tech Hub will help facilitate the classes and Boys
& Girls Clubs of Greater
Milwaukee will host and manage the pilot and class
operations at one of their Milwaukee-area locations.
"This partnership embodies what Milky Way Tech Hub stands
for—equity, education and empowering future innovators," said
Nadiyah Johnson, founder and CEO of
Milky Way Tech Hub. "We're thrilled to work alongside Associated
Bank to provide young people with tools to build wealth and
navigate the future of tech."
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater
Milwaukee will announce additional details, including how
parents can register their children for AI Academy.
"Our youth development work at the Boys & Girls Clubs will
rise or fall on our ability to innovate. Our offerings must be
engaging, fun, relevant, and genuinely life changing. Otherwise,
kids vote with their feet, and we lose them," said Jeff Snell, president and CEO, Boys and Girls
Club of Greater Milwaukee.
"Associated Bank's AI Academy available to our members—the first
such AI learning experience as a career pathway for Boys &
Girls Clubs members in Wisconsin—is a perfect example, capturing
young imaginations, providing a context to aspire, and then
equipping them in new ways to be productive, responsible, caring
citizens. We are very grateful."
The program will begin July 7 and
will start with a cohort of 15–20 students. Sessions will be
delivered by Milky Way Tech Hub facilitators in partnership with
employee volunteers from Associated Bank supporting the hands-on
youth training. The program will culminate with a celebration
hosted at the Associated Bank River Center.
Planning is already underway to expand the program once a
successful pilot is complete. Associated Bank and Milky Way Tech
Hub are also collaborating on a series of co-branded materials to
promote the initiative across the city.
For more information on Milky Way Tech Hub's programs and
partnerships, visit milkywaytechhub.com.
For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Great
Milwaukee, visit: https://www.bgcmilwaukee.org/.
ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP
Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE:
ASB) has total assets of $43 billion and is the largest
bank holding company based in Wisconsin. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading
Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial
products and services from nearly 200 banking locations serving
more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. The company also
operates loan production offices in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New
York, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal
Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More
information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at
www.associatedbank.com.
Media Contacts:
Leia Ferrari
Traner, Milky Way Tech Hub (leia@jetcontsellations.com)
Andrea Kozek, Associated Bank
(andrea.kozek@asssociatedbank.com)
LaRae Norwood, Boys & Girls Club
of Greater Milwaukee
(Rae.Norwood@bgcmilwaukee.org)
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SOURCE Associated Banc-Corp
