Associate: MATC
In 2015, Nigel Harvey, founder and executive director of Milwaukee-based Cream City Skills Inc., created the Cream Skills Basketball Association, a free, co-ed summer basketball league to help students aged 14 to 17 build character, develop life skills, foster entrepreneurship and prevent violence.
Since then, Harvey, who holds an associate degree in human services from Milwaukee Area Technical College, has guided nearly 1,000 students through Cream Skills.
As a student at MATC, Harvey met Armen Hadjinian, coordinator and instructor in MATC’s entrepreneurship program, and pitched his idea about a youth basketball league.
At first, classes were held at MATC and games were played at the COA Youth & Family Centers. In the summer of 2024, the games moved to MATC’s gymnasium, and students started taking classes at the college’s downtown Milwaukee campus.
“So many people talk about doing things like this, but Nigel has been able to pull it off,” said Hadjinian, who serves on the Cream Skills leadership team. “He gets so many people to volunteer their time and that has meant a lot of continuity and consistency for the program.”
