Dr. Michael L. Burke at the kick-off
event for MATC's Centennial celebration.

Greater Milwaukee Committee President to Give
Winter Commencement Address
We welcome Julia H. Taylor, President of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, as the Winter Commencement speaker. More than 700 candidates for graduation will receive their degree or diploma starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 21 at the U.S. Cellular Arena, 400 West Kilbourn Avenue. Also addressing the candidates and their attending families will be Melanie C. Holmes, MATC District Board Chairperson and Dr. Michael L. Burke, MATC President. The student speaker is Erica Wilkie, a candidate for graduation from the Meeting and Event Management associate degree program.
Appointed GMC president in 2002, Taylor is the first woman to lead the organization in its 63-year history. The GMC focuses on nurturing and developing public-private partnerships, and is a catalyst for economic revitalization, education and quality of life. The GMC and MATC are natural partners in growing local talent in emerging technologies.

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November 16 Was 'MATC Day' Across City and County
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele proclaimed November 16 "MATC Day" throughout the city and county. The proclamations were part of a Centennial luncheon (see article below) at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus sponsored by the MATC Foundation. Mayor Barrett attended the event and read the city's proclamation recognizing the college's commitment to providing the highest quality educational opportunities for all district residents. County Executive Abele's proclamation was in honor of MATC's "100 years of dedicated service in our community and I look forward to ongoing inspiring contributions to its citizens."
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson sent a congratulatory letter stating, in part, "MATC has served as the bridge to a better future for countless students...I commend your milestone and congratulate you and the thousands of staff members and educators who have made MATC a distinctive leader in the service of higher education."

Photo: Mayor Tom Barrett presents MATC President Michael L. Burke with a City of Milwaukee proclamation making Nov. 16 "MATC Day" in the city.

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Successful Centennial Luncheon Draws Area CEOs and Officials
Area CEOs, elected officials and civic leaders were among the 125 people who helped the college and the MATC Foundation celebrate MATC's Centennial at a November 16 luncheon on the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. In addition to proclamations from Mayor Tom Barrett and County Executive Chris Abele and a congratulatory letter from U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (see article above), the event also featured remarks from Dr. Michael L. Burke, MATC President; and Dr. Robert Davis, MATC Foundation President and President and CEO of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Dr. Davis announced the establishment of the Foundation's Centennial Fund that will support the college's involvement in the Completion Challenge, a federal initiative to increase graduation rates 50% by 2020. Dr. Davis said the new fund "will address the issues that are preventing more students from successfully completing college."
Among those attending were Mayor Barrett, Common Council President Willie Hines, state representatives Barbara Toles and JoCasta Zamarripa, state senator Chris Larson, MPS Superintendent Gregory Thornton, Greater Milwaukee Committee President Julia Taylor, MATC District Board Chairperson Melanie Holmes and Foundation board members Maria Avila, David Bishop, Angela Rester and Douglas Winter.

Photo: Julia Taylor, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee and Dr. Gregory Thornton, MPS Superintendent, at the recent Centennial luncheon on the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. It was sponsored by the MATC Foundation.

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Local Leaders Praise MATC and Mequon Campus at Centennial Event
More than 100 Mequon Campus students, faculty and staff along with several north region education and civic officials wished MATC a happy 100th anniversary at a December 1 celebration held in the campus's cafeteria. The event featured remarks by guests Dr. Demond Means, superintendent of the Mequon-Thiensville School District; John Richmond, President of the Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce; Dianne Robertson, Thiensville Village Administrator; Mark Seider, fifth district Mequon Common Council member; and Dr. David Brost, Dean, School of Business, Concordia University. Each spoke about the importance of MATC and the Mequon Campus to the region and the strong partnerships that have developed with the campus. "As the education landscape has changed, so has MATC," Seider said. "The Mequon Campus and MATC have added to the richness of Mequon life."
Mequon Campus Vice President Lucia Francis, MATC President Michael L. Burke, and Mequon Campus Liberal Arts student Justine Kraemer also spoke.
"MATC gave me a chance and I've run with it," said Kraemer, who is Vice President of the Mequon Campus Student Government and a leader in the national American Student Association of Community Colleges organization.

Photo: President of the Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce Dianne Robertson (left) congratulates MATC and Mequon Campus VP Lucia Francis at a recent Centennial celebration at the Mequon Campus.

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MATC Retirees' Donation Begins New Scholarship Fund
The MATC Retirees Association made a $10,000 donation - its largest single gift - to the MATC Foundation at a retirees' group luncheon December 6 at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. The check was presented to President Michael L. Burke and Director of Fundraising and Development Christine McGee. The donation begins a new student scholarship fund, the MATCRA Centennial Fund for Student Success. The retirees group has been building a scholarship fund over the last several years from various fundraising activities, including the Centennial kick-off celebration last September.
"We are delighted to receive this gift from the MATCRA," said McGee, who anticipates awarding the first scholarship in fall 2012.

Photo: Members of the MATC Retirees Association present the MATC Foundation with a $10,000 check to begin a new student scholarship fund. Accepting the donation are Christine McGee, director of Fundraising and Development (fifth from right); and Dr. Michael L. Burke, President (second from right). Also pictured (from left) are Yvonne Meisner, Mary Bird, Dario Rozas, Barbara Rozas, Wesley Porter, Mary Sorensen, Beverly Mioskowsi, Richard Beyerl and Mary Anne Gross.

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Connect MATC to Your Apple Mobile Device
Bring MATC news and information to your mobile device through MATC 2 Go, now live on the iTunes App store. It is available for download on Apple mobile devices. MATC 2 Go provides essential and informative college resources for students, faculty and staff. Features include:

• Faculty, staff and department directory
• Gmail accounts (student access only)
• Blackboard
• Public Safety - Report or gain access to emergency and nonemergency information
• Maps - Search and find campus buildings using your GPS feature 
• News - Get the latest news from MATC
• Video - Access MATC's video content including guides to use MATC technology
• 100 Years - Browse vintage photos and see news and information during the yearlong Centennial celebration
• MATC Times - Read the student newspaper

A preview of the app is available at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/matc-2-go/id485079859?mt=8

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Question on Graduation Barriers Provides Window into Students' World
The question was compelling yet simple: "What factors are delaying your graduation from MATC?" Students recently offered their opinions on the MATC Entrepreneurs blog, a site run by School of Business students and faculty. About 125 students responded. Armen Hadjinian, lead faculty member on the student project, said he was impressed by the range and quality of responses. The anonymous answers will be shared with college leadership.
Answers to the question fell into two general categories:

• Personal impediments such as lack of finances or transportation
• College-related concerns such as needing more advisor involvement, academic support and the petition process (a requirement for some School of Health Sciences programs).

"It gave us wonderful insights and it showed the power of social media to my students," Hadjinian said.

Student-Created Gingerbread Houses Adorn Milwaukee Public Market
MATC students from the Baking and Pastry Arts program contributed festive holiday decorations to the Milwaukee Public Market, 400 North Water Street. More than 25 gingerbread houses were on display from December 2 - 8. Shoppers were encouraged to vote for their favorites and bid to buy them via silent auction. Proceeds will go toward student scholarships through the MATC Foundation. Industry professionals judged the houses and scholarships were awarded to the winners. The "people's choice" winner also received a scholarship. Sponsors included the Wisconsin Bakers Association, the Milwaukee Public Market, the American Institute of Wine and Food and the Construction Specifications Institute.

Photo: Baking and Pastry Arts student Alyssa Martz and her first-place and "People's Choice" award-winning gingerbread house.

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Spirit Shop Sells Academic Supplies and College Gear
The MATC Spirit Shop is the name of the recently opened store on the third floor of the Student Center at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. Bookstore manager Beth Phillips said students chose the name through a vote earlier in the semester. Among other goods, the store offers:

• MATC Spirit wear and related items such as sweatshirts, t-shirts and travel mugs (including Centennial merchandise)
• Academic program supplies including lab coats, stethoscopes and more
• General school supplies such as backpacks, notebooks, flash/jump drives (a big seller, according to Phillips)

The Spirit Shop is an addition to the College Bookstore at 8th and State streets, the primary location for student textbooks. Students can use their financial aid funds in the Spirit Shop for academic and general school supplies. Phillips said the pre-holiday period is also an excellent time to visit the Spirit Shop for MATC-themed gifts.

Photo: Marwill Santiago, Recruitment Department, at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus Spirit Shop.

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Spring Semester Classes Begin January 18
Among the important early spring semester dates:

• Monday, January 16 - Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (MATC closed)
• Wednesday, January 18 - Day classes begin
• Monday, January 23 - Online classes begin
• Wednesday, January 25 - Evening classes begin
• Friday, January 27 - Weekend classes begin

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Friday Forum Highlights MATC's Regional Contributions
The December 2 Friday Forum highlighted MATC's Centennial celebration and the college's many regional contributions. The forum is a breakfast or lunch meeting held on the first Friday of every other month at the Mequon Campus. It is sponsored by the Ozaukee County Board of Supervisors, the University of Wisconsin Extension/Ozaukee, and MATC and the Mequon Campus. The December event featured first-hand accounts of how MATC has made a difference throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Panelists included Scott Shully, MATC graduate and owner of Shully's Cuisine and Events; Kathy Bates, MATC graduate and Environmental Health and Water Quality Technology program faculty member; and current MATC students Nahid Shadram (IT Network Specialist), Renee Ryan (Registered Nursing) and Darrell Ward (Liberal Arts).

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