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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 at do-great-things.org

DGTI scholarship recipients in West LMC on stools
Full LMC of supporters during DGTI scholarship ceremony.
Students attending Marquette posing with black and yellow Marquette pennants in front of west logo
DGTI scholarship recipients in front of DGTI wall at West sitting at signing day table.
Jim Ryan shaking hands with scholarship recipients in West LMC
2023 DGTI scholarship recipients standing with Jim Ryan in front of West logo and gray wall
DGTI glass awards on a shelf in the West LMC
DGTI scholarship recipients in 2023.
2023 DGTI scholarship recipients sitting in LMC.
Black and yellow Marquette pennant laying on purple table cloth
Green and white UWGB pennant laying on purple table cloth
Jim Ryan speaking at West podium in the West LMC
Jim and Tracy Ryan at podium in West Library Media Center speaking to audiance

 

About Jim Ryan, President & CEO of Flexera

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.


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.

 


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. 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.