{"id":13688,"date":"2026-07-17T09:29:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T14:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13688"},"modified":"2026-07-17T09:29:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T14:29:58","slug":"striking-a-perfect-match","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/striking-a-perfect-match\/","title":{"rendered":"Striking a Perfect Match"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From UW-Green Bay Rising Phoenix dual enrollment to Stanford: a first-generation student\u2019s path powered by access, advising and hard work<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Photo by Dan Moore, University Photographer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It starts with hard work, big dreams and a small-town foundation. Then comes the message that changes everything: You\u2019re in.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For UW\u2013Green Bay alumna and first-generation student Miya Nell of Sturgeon Bay, that moment was both surreal and deeply personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy mom\u2026 she was like, \u2018Stanford\u2014where\u2019s that?\u2019\u201d Nell says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, they discovered the answer\u2014one that would carry Nell to one of the most competitive universities in the country and reflect the power of a UW\u2013Green Bay education: support that meets students where they are and prepares them to rise beyond what they thought possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Located in California\u2019s Silicon Valley, Stanford University is widely regarded as one of the world\u2019s most selective and influential private universities. Its graduates include the founders of Google, global CEOs, Nobel Prize winners and public leaders whose influence extends across business, science and government\u2014plus a recently graduated UW\u2013Green Bay Rising Phoenix<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early College Access: Rising Phoenix in Action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even before Stanford was on the radar, Rising Phoenix had already been preparing Nell for whatever came next. Through the program, she was navigating college-level coursework while still in high school \u2013 learning how to manage deadlines, balance competing priorities and take ownership of her work in ways that mirror a full college experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launched in 2020, the UW\u2013Green Bay program is designed to expand access to higher education by giving high school students across Wisconsin a head start on college\u2014many times at no cost to them\u2014pairing early coursework with dedicated advising and support. Since then, it has helped hundreds of students from partner schools across the state take that next step after high school graduation, granting them an associate\u2019s degree upon completion of the Rising Phoenix program. For most, that path leads to campuses closer to home. For Nell, it reached all the way to Stanford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Miya
UW-Green Bay Rising Phoenix grad Miya Nell celebrates her admission to Stanford University. Photo submitted.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The circumstances surrounding her acceptance were just as unlikely. \u201cI didn\u2019t go into it expecting Stanford\u2014I just knew that if I got matched anywhere, I\u2019d be endlessly grateful,\u201d Nell recalls. \u201cAnd when it happened, it just felt like one of those one-in-a-million opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The path that carried her there was the QuestBridge National College Match, a nonprofit program that connects high-achieving students with selective colleges through a rigorous application and ranking process. Finalists who are matched receive a full four-year scholarship covering tuition, housing and other expenses. For Nell, that match was Stanford. Still, her motivation to attend college had been building long before any application or program entered the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always told my mom how proud I am of how hard she\u2019s worked for me,\u201d Nell said. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve always known I wanted to go to college so I could build a different kind of future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That determination was built over years of balancing an extraordinary range of high school commitments. In addition to college-level coursework through Rising Phoenix, Nell maintained a 4.35 GPA while leading student organizations, competing in varsity athletics, working multiple jobs and staying deeply involved in her school and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt really taught me how to manage my time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coaching and Support That Deliver Results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rising Phoenix success coaches Alyssa Simonar and Kayla Boguski saw that growth develop firsthand. \u201cShe stood out right from the start,\u201d Simonar said. \u201cShe sees her path\u2026 and she\u2019s going to make sure it happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boguski, who worked with Nell during her second year, said that focus showed up in how she approached challenges. \u201cShe wasn\u2019t afraid to take on more or push herself, and she knew how to use the support around her\u2014that\u2019s a big part of being able to manage college-level work while still in high school,\u201d Boguski said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Nell, the experience came with a learning curve. As part of the first cohort at Sturgeon Bay High School, she said it sometimes felt like learning on the fly. \u201cI kind of felt like a \u2018guinea pig\u2019 at first, figuring things out as we went,\u201d she said. \u201cBut\u2026 everyone has been so welcoming, supportive and encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising Phoenix Early College High School Program<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n