$50K T-Mobile Grant Supports STEM Workforce Initiative in Wausau

Visit Wausau is highlighting a $50,000 grant awarded to the Children’s Imaginarium through T-Mobile’s Hometown Grants program, supporting a new STEM Careers in Action Lab aimed at building future workforce opportunities in Central Wisconsin.

The interactive lab will provide hands-on career exploration for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, focusing on high-demand industries such as manufacturing, health care, construction and engineering.

“This is the kind of investment that strengthens an entire community,” said Tim White, executive director of Visit Wausau.

“By connecting kids to real-world careers early, we’re building a stronger workforce and a place where people want to live, work and visit.”
Julie Bollmann, executive director of the Children’s Imaginarium, said the project will expand access to meaningful STEM experiences.

“This grant represents what’s possible when a community invests in its future,” Bollmann said. “The STEM Careers in Action Lab will help thousands of children see themselves in careers they may have never imagined.”

The lab is expected to serve 8,000 to 10,000 students annually and will emphasize hands-on, immersive learning designed to reflect regional workforce needs. T-Mobile officials say the program is designed to empower small communities through local innovation.

“Through our Hometown Grants program, we’re investing in projects that bring people together and create opportunity,” T-Mobile said in a statement. “We’re proud to support communities like Wausau that are building stronger futures from the ground up.”

Since launching in 2021, T-Mobile’s Hometown Grants program has invested millions in community projects nationwide.