Maria Hamidu Joins Team as High School Success Project Manager

Maria Hamidu, High School Success Project Manager

On June 1, Maria Hamidu’s 18-month tenure as a Trinity Fellow at Milwaukee Succeeds officially came to an end – and the team welcomed her full-time in the new role of high school success project manager. As such, Maria will manage special projects related to our youth-centered work, measure their impact, and coordinate with local organizations and institutions to improve the success trajectory of Black male youth.

“I am excited about my role as project manager,” Maria said, “because we get to equip the youth of Milwaukee with the tools to create, in partnership with community organizations and members, a space where they can decide what matters to them and have an opportunity to act on issues that matter. I am hopeful and excited for change.”

Maria recently graduated from Marquette University with her master’s degree in educational policy and leadership. In addition, she brings a wealth of experience working directly with youth in the education field. This includes serving as an AmeriCorps math fellow in New Jersey, a primary school educator through Peace Corps South Africa and a City Year AmeriCorps volunteer in New York.

Since then, Maria has shifted her attention to systems work, striving to carve a space for youth where their voices can be heard and acted upon. As part of this, she recently completed the Norman N. Gill Research Fellowship with the Wisconsin Policy Forum, where she conducted research on teacher turnover in Wisconsin and its impact on teacher diversity.

During her time as a Trinity Fellow at Milwaukee Succeeds, Maria worked closely with the Youth Forward MKE Ambassadors, helped lead the K12 Civic Action Team as they worked to advance educational equity and collaborated with the data team to create the Youth Adult Equity Assessment, which has been instrumental in promoting youth empowerment.

“Maria’s contributions to our organization have been exceptional, and I am truly impressed by her accomplishments,” said Clintel Hasan, strategic initiatives manager. “Her dedication, expertise and collaborative spirit make her an invaluable member of our team.”