MATC Part of National Discussion on Two-Year Education
MATC continues to be well represented in the ongoing national discussion about how two-year colleges increasingly advance economic success.

As a follow-up to the October 2010 White House Summit on Community Colleges, four regional summits were held across the country March 23. The summit in Indianapolis, "Partnerships Between Community Colleges and Employers," featured 200 participants from 13 states, including MATC representatives Lauren Baker, MATC District Board member and a board member representative; Larry Domine, Information Technology instructor and member of the WTCS Academic Leadership Council, as a faculty representative; and Melanie Holmes, MATC District Board Chairperson and industry representative.

Domine said a goal of the summit is to provide feedback to the U.S. Department of Education, especially on strategies to eliminate barriers to partnerships between two-year colleges and businesses.

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Event Showcases Mobile Technology in Education
Students, faculty and staff are invited to learn about uses of mobile technology in education at the April 11 Education without Borders event at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. A showcase of current and new mobile technologies will be displayed, demonstrated and integrated into a technical college environment by representatives of Apple, Blackboard Mobile, Cisco Systems, Elsevier, Sprint, Vanguard Computers and Verizon. Vendor areas will be set up in M605 from
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Information sessions include:

• Apple - iPad in Higher Education, 10 - 11 a.m., Room M612
• Blackboard Mobile - Offering a Portable Learning Experience,
  11 a.m. - noon, Room M612
• Cisco Systems - Next Generation Classroom Video, 11 a.m. - noon and repeated 1 - 2 p.m., Room M614
• Apple - Beyond Textbooks: ePublishing and ePublishing for the iPad,
  1 - 2 p.m., M612
• Blackboard Mobile - Offering a True Mobile Campus, 2 - 3 p.m., M612

Education without Borders is sponsored by the college's Academic Technology Committee and its subcommittee on Mobile Technology. Members are Toshiba Adams, Brian Carlson, Mark Mankowski, Kevin Rutkowski and Michael Walsh.

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Grainger Tools Scholarship Recognized Through Foundation Award
The MATC Foundation honored W.W. Grainger, Inc., with the Partners in Excellence Award. The annual honor is awarded to a local corporation, foundation or individual who has contributed significantly to MATC and the Foundation through support of educational initiatives. Grainger is an international supplier of industrial equipment and tools and supports MATC through the annual Grainger Tools for Tomorrow Scholarship Program, recognizing outstanding students with a $2,000 scholarship and a customized toolkit specific to their program of study. The Partners in Excellence event on March 29 also recognized Foundation scholarship donors and the student recipients.

Photo: MATC Welding Technology student Nicholas McDonald (fourth from left) receives congratulations from W. W. Grainger employees (from left) Jim Leurgin, Tessa Schilling, Darlene Walsh, Joe Williams and Lynne Valentine. Nicholas is a Grainger Tools for Success scholarship winner. Grainger received the MATC Foundation's 2011 Partners in Excellence Award. 

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Alumnus Helps Green Bay Hospital Ease into Expansion
Scott Richardson, a 2004 graduate of the Biomedical Electronics program, was prominently featured in the March 2011 issue of 24x7 Technology and Service Solutions for Biomeds, a national trade magazine for the biomedical equipment field. Scott is a biomedical technician responsible for the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. He is featured on the magazine's cover and is a source for the story, "Gain without Pain," about St. Vincent's expansion and the sophisticated technology that is part of the hospital's growth. Biomedical Electronics program faculty member Edward Stanclik was one of Scott's program instructors. See the full story at www.24x7mag.com/issues/articles/2011-03_01.asp.

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Top Student Work Showcased at Portfolio Night
Portfolio Night is an excellent opportunity for graduating students to showcase the best of their work. Students from the School of Media and Creative Arts (which offers eight associate degrees, one technical diploma and 10 certificate programs) will be heavily represented at the annual event that attracts area employers to help students jump-start their career search. Portfolio Night is free and open to the MATC community. Your attendance on May 11, 5 - 8 p.m. at Discovery World will help support our students.

Photo: A scene from the 2010 Portfolio Night. This year's highly anticipated event will be held May 11 at Discovery World.

Print Schedule Will Combine Summer and Fall Class Listings
To maximize efficiency, the summer and fall class listings will be combined into one print schedule. This move will save costs as well as allow those interested in summer classes to view the fall listings and vice-versa. Summer and fall classes will be listed in separate sections. Look for the print schedule on campuses April 25, in time for open registration for the summer and fall semesters. Summer classes begin June 13 and fall semester classes start August 25.

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Award Represents Years of Service to Local Municipalities
Here's a follow-up to the February Communique story about Mike Wendt, the Horticulture instructor who recently received the Distinguished Service Award from the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council for his "ongoing efforts to provide the best arboricultural training for students while also supporting healthy municipal trees." Superintendent of Cedarburg Parks and Forestry Kevin Westphal had nominated Mike for the award, and a presentation ceremony was held April 8 in Centennial Park in Cedarburg during Mike's Arboriculture 2 (tree pruning and trimming) class.

Some additional information provides important context. Starting in the late 1990s, Mike began looking for work that would help his students gain pruning, trimming and climbing experiences. In an effort to give back to the taxpayers who help support the college, the class priority became projects on public land that benefits MATC district residents and taxpayers. For almost 15 years, his Arboriculture 2 classes have worked and learned in district municipalities, trimming and pruning trees in parks, along streets and other public spaces. Mike's classes received work experiences in Bayside, Cedarburg, Germantown, Grafton, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Mequon, Oak Creek, Richfield and South Milwaukee. The economic value of the work is difficult to calculate because learning (not production) is the main focus. Mike estimates that his students have spent more than 5,500 hours on public-owned property caring for trees.

Photo: Mike Wendt (right) and students from his Arboriculture classes have volunteered their time and talents for 15 years to care for trees in numerous local communities.  

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High School Students Invited to Sample Careers This Summer
High school students can sample two program/career areas this summer and earn one college credit. Both experiences are offered at no cost at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus.

Students 16 and older can choose one of two Summer Culinary Camp weeks (June 13 - 17 or June 20 - 24; 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.) led by MATC Culinary Arts faculty. The camps will cover culinary terminology, proper food handling and a variety of food preparation techniques. Contact Nutan Amrute at amruten@matc.edu for registration information. Registration deadline: April 30.

High school students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are invited to the Biomedical Excellence in Science and Technology (BEST) eight-day camps (June 20 - 30 or July 11 - 21, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Camps are not held on Friday). The camp is designed to introduce students to BEST, a four-year college transfer program. Students complete the first two years at MATC and transfer to one of four area four-year college/university partners in a STEM discipline. The camp is led by MATC BEST program faculty members Dr. Aparna Sen and Dr. Zack Shana. Contact them at sena1@matc.edu or shanaz@matc.edu before the May 15 enrollment deadline.

Photo: Summer camps for high school students are planned for culinary and science fields. Dr. Aparna Sen (left) and Dr. Zack Shana will lead the Biomedical Excellence in Science and Technology (BEST) camp.

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News and Notes
Reminders: Spring Break dates are April 15 - 22 and spring semester graduation is scheduled for Friday, May 20 at the U.S. Cellular Arena, 500 West Kilbourn Avenue. The event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

The college's popular Mexico Study Abroad program has openings for students, faculty and staff for summer 2011 and winter 2011-12. The 12-day, 18-day and 32-day trips to Cuernavaca, Mexico (50 miles south of Mexico City) take place during the summer and winter breaks. For more information, contact
hoem-esd@matc.edu or nighp@matc.edu.

Congratulations to the 2010 apprentice graduates who will be honored at the annual All-Trades Apprenticeship Banquet on April 13. Graduates from 23 apprentice programs and their business sponsors will be recognized.

Four Culinary Arts program students earned second place in the Reinhardt Foodservice Foodshow competition March 29. The students competed in a "mystery box" contest in which they received ingredients and were given two hours to create a menu and cook an appetizer and entree for six people. The MATC team included Adam Struebing, Alex Beronja, Anthony Scardina and Evan Greenhalgh. The students are enrolled in the independent study course, Culinary Competition. Instructor James Udulutch teaches the course.

We are involved in a new national program to help Hispanic students transition to college. Funded by the Ford Motor Company, the Driving Dreams Through Education initiative provides qualified students admission into our English-201 class during their junior or senior year. Currently, 10 South Division High School students are enrolled. An April 4 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article highlighted the program. MPS Superintendent Gregory Thornton and students praised the program and its potential. See the story here: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/119159459.html

Congratulations to Becky Alsup, associate dean, Technology and Applied Sciences, for her election to the Board of Directors for Gateway Milwaukee, a nonprofit organization working on an economic development plan for the area surrounding General Mitchell International Airport.

School of Health Sciences staff served as judges at the recent Dr. Benjamin Carson Academy of Science 2011 Science Fair. The MATC team judged the fifth- and sixth-grade projects, with some moving on to a regional competition this month. Judges were Dr. Dessie Levy, dean; and associate deans Dr. Sharon Abston-Coleman, Dr. Wilma Bonaparte, Kelly Dries and Dr. Nancy Vrabec.

Photos: Becky Alsup (top); Dean Dessie Levy with associate deans Wilma Bonaparte, Nancy Vrabec, Kelly Dries and Sharon Abston-Coleman.

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