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GBAPS

Green Bay Area Public School District

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Do Great Things Initiative

The Do Great Things Initiative (DGTI) allows West High School students to envision a future without boundaries. The DGTI strives to eliminate the financial obstacle associated with getting a college degree.

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Students and Jim Ryan pose in front of West High logo on gray wall

Mission & Vision

Glass DGTI awards with students names

The DGTI mission is to encourage and assist West High School students to become college-ready, understand the financial aid available to them and secure the funding to alleviate their financial burden for attending college. The DGTI vision is to create a community-based program that invests in the students at West High School and has a positive impact on the quality of life for citizens of the West High community. The DGTI hopes 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 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.

Learn more

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A young man in a black sports jersey is holding an award in the LMC
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A group of people, some wearing casual clothing and others in more formal attire, stand behind a table displaying various products and a sign that reads %22Do Great Things%22.
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Two women are holding a Marquette pennant in what appears to be a library or academic setting, with bookshelves visible in the background.
A person wearing a green and white UW-Green Bay pennant is standing in front of a media center backdrop.
The image shows four individuals standing in front of a bookshelf with a sign that reads %22DO GREAT THINGS INITIATIVE%22, indicating a community-based program or event.
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Students attending Marquette posing with black and yellow Marquette pennants in front of west logo
DGTI scholarship recipients in West LMC on stools
DGTI scholarship recipients in front of DGTI wall at West sitting at signing day table.
Full LMC of supporters during DGTI scholarship ceremony.
Jim Ryan shaking hands with scholarship recipients in West LMC
Jim Ryan speaking at West podium in the West LMC
DGTI glass awards on a shelf in the West LMC
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DGTI scholarship recipients in 2023.
2023 DGTI scholarship recipients standing with Jim Ryan in front of West logo and gray wall
2023 DGTI scholarship recipients sitting in LMC.
Green and white UWGB pennant laying on purple table cloth
Jim and Tracy Ryan at podium in West Library Media Center speaking to audiance

 

About The Supporters

Jim Ryan

Jim Ryan leads Flexera, a global, privately-held $400M software company headquartered outside of Chicago. He has been with the company since 1998, in roles that included Chief Operating Officer, SVP of Global Sales, and Managing Director of EMEA, where he lived in the United Kingdom for seven years. 

Jim and Tracy Ryan are 1989 graduates of Marquette University, and Jim is a West High School graduate from the class of 1985. Read Jim’s full bio here.

Gary Wiessinger

Gary Wiessinger is the Senior Vice President of Application Development at Oracle NetSuite, a leading business software company. He earned a degree in Economics from Yale University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Hillary received her Accounting degree from the University of San Diego and a Master’s in Education from National Louis University. She currently teaches math at Central Middle School in San Carlos, California.

Do Great Things Advisory Board

The Advisory Board for the Do Great Things Initiative is comprised of alumni and staff of Green Bay West High School, donors, and business leaders in the Green Bay community. They 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 West High School. See the full Advisory Board.

About the Scholarships

Jim and Tracy Ryan 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 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. In 2025, with the support of West High School alumnus Gary Wiessinger and his wife Hillary, the initiative was expanded to support scholarships to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. These scholarships will be awarded annually to students from West High School. The DGTI scholarships have since been expanded to an excess in excellence and deserving students at West High School. 

DGTI by the Numbers

Since May 2022, the DGTI has awarded nine scholarships to Marquette University, four to University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and two $5,000 grants. Funding to support student scholarships to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College kicks in in 2026.

Marquette University

DGTI has endowed $5,250,000 in scholarships at Marquette University, including an experimental learning fund, allowing students to become involved at the university and not worry about the costs. This can be travel abroad experiences, club membership fees, or additional courses.

UW-Green Bay

DGTI has provided a $60,000 donation to UW-Green Bay, to allow one annual scholarship.

 

 

 

 

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

DGTI has committed $500,000 to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to allow two students an annual scholarship, beginning in 2026.

 

 


$86,175 has been spent to date on programming at the high school level to enhance students’ learning opportunities and better prepare them for after high school. This amount also includes $10,000 in grant money awarded to date.