HISTORY & CO-FOUNDERS

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CO-FOUNDERS:
Cyndie Shepard	Ginny Riopelle

IN THE BEGINNING...

Cyndie Shepard, the wife of the former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, was taking a tour of area schools because she was new to the area. While at a local school in January 2002, Shepard had the chance to sit with a 5th grade student in the principal's office. During the course of their conversation, she became concerned. The young boy felt that he had no hope for a bright future. He felt that he would end up like his father, who was in prison.

Shepard was aware that Northeast Wisconsin has a lower than average rate of students graduating from high school and pursuing higher education. This brief encounter inspired Cyndie Shepard, an educator herself, to think about ways she could encourage children in the Green Bay area to finish high school and pursue some kind of advanced training or education.

HOW IT STARTED...

Shepard and her good friend, Ginny Riopelle, (University Trustee) sat down at a restaurant to discuss what she had experienced and brainstorm ideas about a mentoring program. An afternoon of chatting produced a blueprint for a program, which they called Phuture Phoenix.

They chose this program name because it promotes UW-Green Bay, the founding institution, and is symbolic of our mascot. The Phoenix is a mythological bird that symbolizes new beginnings.

The Phuture Phoenix program depends upon college student role models, faculty and staff, community volunteers and the cooperation of the school districts.