Thank you for visiting our site! We noticed you are using a browser we no longer support. To have the best overall experience and avoid issues navigating the site, please click one of the supported browsers to the right to download the latest version for free:
Search Site
We believe that every student at Green Bay West High School can attend college. We believe that with proper assistance all students can realize that goal.
Our mission is to enable more Green Bay West High School students to attend college by reducing barriers that stand in their way.
Our vision is to create a community-based program that invests in the students at Green Bay West High School and has a positive impact on the quality of life for citizens of the GB West community.
We hope to encourage alumni and local business leaders to form “close the gap” scholarships that can be awarded to students and allow them to make their dream to attend college a reality.
The Do Great Things Scholarship Initiative was started by Jim and Tracy Ryan, 1989 graduates of Marquette University. Jim is also a graduate of Green Bay West High School, class of 1985.
Jim and Tracy are active Marquette University alumni and in 2012 donated funds to Marquette to create an endowed scholarship that aided students with financial need. In 2021, upon learning of the limited number of students from Green Bay West High School that apply to and attend Marquette, Jim and Tracy decided to create two Marquette University scholarships that award funds to Green Bay West students. While working with the staff and faculty at Green Bay West High School, Jim and Tracy became passionate about helping more students realize that they have control over their future. With motivation, hard work and assistance more students can attend college and in turn Do Great Things for themselves and their community.
The great thing about passion is that there is no “one size fits all” definition of what a person is passionate about. While one person may be passionate about medicine or law, another may find service and giving back more rewarding. Regardless of one’s own definition of success, the best way to go out and Do Great Things is to pursue one’s own, individual passion during and after college. The single best way to set up a person to Do Great Things is to have them follow what they love.
The Do Great Things Initiative starts with the message for all students: “You can do anything, and WE BELIEVE IN YOU!” Regrettably, not all kids are raised in an environment where encouragement and/or a ‘can do’ attitude is prevalent. The program is designed to provide encouragement, structure, and guidance to the students, which is essential for young people as they work their way into the professional world.
No one does anything alone. The Do Great Things Initiative is a partnership with Green Bay West High School, the students who need our help, colleges and universities including Marquette, and the Green Bay community around the high school. Sharing the mission and passion to send more Green Bay West students to college will ensure the Initiative’s effectiveness.
The Advisory Board for the Do Great Things Initiative is comprised of alum and staff of Green Bay West High School, donors, and business leaders in the Green Bay community. We meet on a regular basis to further the growth of the Do Great Things Initiative and ensure the Initiative is meeting the needs of the students at Green Bay West High School.