Associated Bank launches AI Academy, a summer youth education program

In partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Milky Way Tech Hub, Associated Bank AI Academy will boost digital skills and financial literacy among Milwaukee youth

MILWAUKEE, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) ("Associated") today announced a dynamic pilot program aimed at empowering Milwaukee youth with essential skills in artificial intelligence (AI) and financial literacy: Associated Bank AI Academy.

Associated Bank AI Academy is a six-week curriculum designed for local youths to help them learn critical life skills. Led by Terry L. Williams, chief information officer at Associated Bank, the new initiative will launch this summer as part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee's curriculum. The program is designed for sixth through eighth grade students and will focus on artificial intelligence, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship—including hands-on instruction in prompt engineering using platforms like ChatGPT and learning fundamentals of data science.

"Supporting innovation in youth education is a core part of Associated Bank's commitment to the community," said Williams. "This program blends financial literacy with emerging technology to give young minds a head start in understanding how artificial intelligence will shape their ongoing education and future—and we're proud to partner with Boys and Girls Club and Milky Way Tech Hub to bring it to Milwaukee."

Each week, Associated Bank AI Academy will focus on a new topic, building each week's learning off each other to build a wholistic view of how AI will shape the future. Students will earn "Associated Bank Bucks," a co-branded incentive system to recognize their participation and performance in the program. These "bucks" can be exchanged for Associated Bank merchandise and other exclusive rewards, making the learning experience both meaningful and fun.

Milky Way Tech Hub will help facilitate the classes and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee will host and manage the pilot and class operations at one of their Milwaukee-area locations.

"This partnership embodies what Milky Way Tech Hub stands for—equity, education and empowering future innovators," said Nadiyah Johnson, founder and CEO of Milky Way Tech Hub. "We're thrilled to work alongside Associated Bank to provide young people with tools to build wealth and navigate the future of tech."

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee will announce additional details, including how parents can register their children for AI Academy.

"Our youth development work at the Boys & Girls Clubs will rise or fall on our ability to innovate. Our offerings must be engaging, fun, relevant, and genuinely life changing. Otherwise, kids vote with their feet, and we lose them," said Jeff Snell, president and CEO, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. "Associated Bank's AI Academy available to our members—the first such AI learning experience as a career pathway for Boys & Girls Clubs members in Wisconsin—is a perfect example, capturing young imaginations, providing a context to aspire, and then equipping them in new ways to be productive, responsible, caring citizens. We are very grateful."

The program will begin July 7 and will start with a cohort of 15–20 students. Sessions will be delivered by Milky Way Tech Hub facilitators in partnership with employee volunteers from Associated Bank supporting the hands-on youth training. The program will culminate with a celebration hosted at the Associated Bank River Center.

Planning is already underway to expand the program once a successful pilot is complete. Associated Bank and Milky Way Tech Hub are also collaborating on a series of co-branded materials to promote the initiative across the city.

For more information on Milky Way Tech Hub's programs and partnerships, visit milkywaytechhub.com.

For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Great Milwaukee, visit: https://www.bgcmilwaukee.org/.

ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP
Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of $43 billion and is the largest bank holding company based in Wisconsin. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from nearly 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. The company also operates loan production offices in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com.

Media Contacts:
Leia Ferrari Traner, Milky Way Tech Hub ([email protected])
Andrea Kozek, Associated Bank ([email protected])
LaRae Norwood, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee ([email protected])

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SOURCE Associated Banc-Corp