Paying It Forward Through Opportunity and Education

When Demetrius Patterson ’92 came to USM in 9th grade, it was a culture shock coming from a public school in Milwaukee. “Craig Smith ’92 and I, we were the only two Black males in the entire grade,” he said. “Plus, the academic rigor took some getting used to.” But soon Patterson, who attended USM on a scholarship, was taking AP classes, playing sports, and serving as a prefect and student council leader. “By my senior year, I felt like I belonged and could lead,” he says. “That confidence carried me into everything that came next.”

What came next was a full scholarship to Morehouse College as a NASA Scholar, to pursue a computer science degree. After graduation, Patterson was hired by The Coca-Cola Company, where he spent 26 years in the company’s IT department, working his way up from programmer to director.

Patterson and his wife, Merlina, have long supported USM on an annual basis. But after reevaluating their estate plan, they realized they could do more. “We learned that we could allocate a portion of our estate to provide a full scholarship for one student at USM and one at Morehouse, and still leave a significant remainder to our children. Once we realized that, it was kind of a no-brainer.”

Their gift will provide a full scholarship for a Black male student from Milwaukee Public Schools—someone much like Patterson—to attend USM. It aligns with the school’s broader commitment to fostering an inclusive community rooted in opportunity, equity, and belonging.
“This is my way of trying to do all I can to help educate Black men so they can compete and give meaningful contributions to society. Because I know, if not for those programs that benefited me, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity to go to USM or Morehouse and end up having the success that I’ve had in my life.”