The Burke’s Nonprofit Vision

In addition to graduating with four majors (accounting, MIS, marketing and business management), earning the Spring 2022 Chancellor’s Award emblematic of the top graduate in the class, and enrolling in the UW-Parkside M.B.A. program, Kelly Burke has other plans.

She and her husband, Anthony, have their sights set on a nonprofit venture reflecting two of their life passions. “I am a huge animal-person and Anthony loves helping people,” Burke says. “The vision is to buy a large parcel of land for use as an animal sanctuary, and construct 'tiny homes' or something similar. We would give people who need help a foundation to get back on their feet.”

Anthony hopes to be able to help veterans. Kelly sees an opportunity to help kids who are aging out of the foster-care system. “As we guided our own kids into adulthood,” Kelly says, “even with all the support and guidance that we provided our children, they weren't just ready to take on adulthood at the age of 18. I can't imagine being a person in foster care – who, most likely, doesn't have much of a foundation to begin with – just being thrown to the wind at the age of 18 because legally they are considered an adult. I want to give them somewhere to establish a foundation.”

Related Story: Kelly Burke’s Amazing Journey