Local schools awarded $12,000 in grants from Northwestern Mutual on behalf of North Shore residents

MILWAUKEE – January 10, 2012 – The Milwaukee School of Engineering and St. Marcus Lutheran School will receive grants totaling $12,000 from the Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, on behalf of North Shore residents Luke Vandenavond of Glendale and Judi Ruppel of Whitefish Bay as part of Northwestern Mutual’s Days of Sharing program which encourages all employees to nominate local nonprofits they care deeply about to receive grants.

MSOE will receive $10,000 on behalf of Vandenavond who works as a systems and research specialist at Northwestern Mutual. St. Marcus Lutheran School will receive $2,000 on behalf of Ruppel who works as director of new business risk sprint service at Northwestern Mutual.

“By nature, our employees are very active in the community. It’s part of our culture,” said John Kordsmeier, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. “Days of Sharing is a chance for us to acknowledge all the great work that our employees do in the community by supporting those nonprofit organizations that they feel strongly about.”

More than 790 employees submitted Days of Sharing nominations this year, representing over 500 nonprofits and schools. The 25 winning grants were chosen at random from a computer database throughout the month of November and range in amount from $1,000 to $10,000.

Since the program’s inception in 2007, the Northwestern Mutual Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in grants on behalf of its employees.

About Milwaukee School of Engineering

MSOE is an independent university with 2,500 students. MSOE offers 18 bachelor’s degrees and 10 master’s degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, computer, business, nursing and health-related fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real- world experience; and extremely high placement rates and the highest starting salary of any Wisconsin university, according to PayScale Inc. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.

About St. Marcus Lutheran School

St. Marcus Lutheran School is a Christian, college-prep school serving over 550, predominantly low-income African American students from K3-8th grade. As a nationally recognized leader in urban education reform, St. Marcus empowers individuals, children and families to overcome challenges and reach their full potential. Graduating students are fully prepared for high school and positioned to excel in higher education, including university academics and as leaders in their communities. The Christian focus and no-excuses approach encourages growth in wisdom, dedication and self-discipline.

About the Northwestern Mutual Foundation

The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation – the largest corporate giver in the state of Wisconsin – is to build strong, vibrant communities that serve as a legacy to future generations. The Foundation’s giving is designed to create an impact on the communities where the company’s employees and financial representatives live and work. In fiscal year 2011, the Foundation contributed $15.4 million to nonprofit organizations across the country.

About Northwestern Mutual

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company – Milwaukee, WI (Northwestern Mutual) – “World’s Most Admired” life insurance company in 2011 according to FORTUNE® magazine, has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 150 years. As a mutual company with $1.2 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual has no shareholders. The company focuses solely and directly on its clients and seeks to deliver consistent and dependable value to them over time.  Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.