Milwaukee Area Technical College

Enrollment Rebounds
With other colleges in our category experiencing major enrollment declines, we begin spring semester just slightly down from our full-time-equivalent enrollment a year ago, amid hopeful signs that our cycle may be on the way back up. In 2006 as we began the spring semester, the situation looked worrisome. FTE was down 4 percent, program registrations were down 3 percent, and applications were down 18 percent.

Today it's a much brighter picture. FTE and program registrations are down
1 percent, and applications actually are up 4 percent - a dramatic turnaround. Also, overall registrations of new students are up 8 percent. This last category is heavily populated by 19- to 24-year-olds, many of them attending college for the first time. The numbers seem to indicate that we are poised to climb again.

'Smart Connect' Debuts
Related to enrollment news, this month we launch a series of user-friendly mini open houses. "Smart Start" general information sessions have been designed for people who are just beginning to explore their college options. Prospective students who are further along in their decision making may attend "Smart Connect" sessions highlighting specific programs. All sessions are designed to segue directly to application, toward the goal of "one-stop shopping."

It's affectionately known as "the Dave Turner Model," after Dr. David Turner, interim dean of Technology and Applied Sciences. Dave and his faculty last spring ran several highly successful information sessions about TAS programs. Brunnetta Soward, director of Recruitment, then picked up the ball and ran like only she can. Theresa Barry, vice president of Student Services, matched her stride for stride. It came together remarkably quickly. Our cross-divisional Enrollment Funnel Committee was the primary vehicle for developmental discussions.

Direct-mail promotion to targeted households plays an important part in this effort. To that end, Brunnetta spearheaded development of a new promotional piece called the Smart Connect Calendar. For prospective students, it maps out all Smart Start/Smart Connect activities from now until summer. We also created a website on matc.edu/Prospective Students. This program looks very, very promising.

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Ramping Up
Project Express Ramp with Bucyrus International, Inc. has gathered full steam with the start of two new sections, one at the West Allis Campus and the other at Esperanza Unida. Both groups, each with 12 students, began their training Jan. 8. The first class started in December at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus and reportedly has been progressing nicely.

We are trying to help the company fill more than 100 openings for heavy-plate welders this year. Bucyrus and the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County, working as key partners in this project, have agreed to fund up to $500,000 of our costs. This outside support has allowed us to offer free tuition. Every Friday we continue to screen applicants. More than 1,000 people have expressed interest.

Bucyrus staff take part in all candidate screenings to help us choose people with the raw talent, work ethic and determination to succeed. We also have hired Robert Dricken, a former welding supervisor at Bucyrus, as an instructor. The Downtown Milwaukee class recently took a plant tour; the two new classes will do likewise in the next few weeks. Five sections will run this summer, with 60 to 70 total trainees.

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West Allis Addition Approved
The City of West Allis has approved a scaled-down version of our original expansion plans. It will add 3,600 square feet, to include a "green roof," a large classroom, computer lab and a multi-purpose sciences classroom. Phase two remains in the very early planning stage and would require separate approval by the city and the Wisconsin Technical College System. We ultimately want to add a total of 5,400 square feet.

The plant-covered roof again demonstrates our commitment to energy conservation across the district. The expansion will fill in a courtyard between the main building and the 1997 addition immediately to the north, keeping the existing buildings intact. This will take some of the pressure off the cramped conditions common to the campus. The addition is badly needed, and we are grateful to city officials and the WTCS for giving us the green light.

Congratulations especially to Dr. Rick Kettner, campus vice president, who spearheaded the project, and to Al Evinrude, director of Construction Services.

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Classes Expand at Discovery World
Last fall, classes launched at the new Discovery World with two advanced courses. Now, for spring 2007, we have widened student access by expanding to six course offerings. They include Animation Studio, Advanced Visual Design, Marketing Management, Digital Video and Still Photo, Audio Production and Multimedia Collaborative Lab.

In development, also to be taught mainly at Discovery World, is a new associate degree program in Computer Simulation and Gaming. Officials
from the museum and MATC, meanwhile, are working together on another expansion of offerings for fall 2007. About 20 degree and diploma programs eventually will use the labs and facilities for special projects ranging from 3D animation to video production. Shuttle van service between the lakefront site and the Downtown Milwaukee Campus begins soon.

Several cooperative productions with Discovery World and Milwaukee Public Television are in progress. The museum has become a marvelous site for MATC events. This spring it will host our annual Portfolio Night for Graphic Arts students, being expanded to include Interior Design, Marketing, Music, Television and other programs. Portfolio Night also will coincide with a grand opening of MATC facilities at Discovery World. We already have held several high-profile, high-impact events there, such as the MATC Foundation's Partners in Excellence banquet honoring scholarship recipients.

Photo: At the Partners in Excellence banquet, guests toured our new facilities at Discovery World.

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Foundation Welcomes New Board Members
I want to publicly welcome four new members to the MATC Foundation Board of Directors:

Tanzy Lawhorn, director, leadership development, Briggs & Stratton Corp.
Jerome R. McGinnis, Sr., retired CEO/chairman, Embassy Construction
Paul Krajniak, executive director, Discovery World
Lenard Wells, representative/liaison, MATC District Board

All are outstanding additions. The Foundation plays a critical role in support of student scholarship and new classroom equipment.

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A Quarter Century of Tax Assistance
MATC remains a priceless community resource thanks to people like Accounting Instructor Jim Benedum. At the Oak Creek Campus, Jim celebrates 25 years of service to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Staffed by our accounting students, VITA is run in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service. The free e-filing program, also offered at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, is for low- and moderate-income people. Bobbie Sherrod, a recent retiree, helped start the downtown program and remains very active with it.

Photo: Jim Benedum

Congratulations . . .
. . . To Bobbie R. Webber, chairperson of the MATC District Board, on his election as president of the Firefighters Union Local 215.
. . . To Gloria Pitchford-Trice, dean of Pre-College Education, for being asked to speak at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday event Jan. 15 at the African-American Women's Center.

Special Thanks . . .
. . . To all who attended our Community Advisory Council meeting on Feb. 6. Speaking about partnership experiences with the college were Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett; UWM Provost Dr. Rita Cheng; Sean McGowan, president of Tramont Corp.; Tim Sheehy, executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce; Milwaukee Municipal Judge James Gramling; and Gerard Randall, CEO, the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County.

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'Sometimes I Cry'
On Saturday, Feb. 3, the Office of College Events joined with sponsor Planned Parenthood to stage the Wisconsin premiere performance of "Sometimes I Cry" in Cooley Theatre. Award-winning actress and AIDS activist Sheryl Lee Ralph performed her one-woman show before a very enthusiastic audience. Milwaukee Public Television also recorded the production for national broadcast.

To bring the show here, Synovia Youngblood, director of College Events and Marketing, worked with contributing sponsors including the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Chapter of the Black Nurses Association, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., and media partners MPTV, WJMR 98.3, 1290 WMCS, WNOV 860 AM and the Milwaukee Courier.

The play was inspired by the real lives of women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Ms. Ralph becomes each one of these characters, breathing life into them and their stories. Critically acclaimed, "Sometimes I Cry" initially was presented at the National Black Women and HIV/AIDS Conference in Los Angeles, December 2005. We were pleased to provide the venue and logistical support for this important cultural event.

Photo: Sheryl Lee Ralph performs at MATC.

Ford ASSET Program Among Nation's 'Very Best'
In another accolade for MATC, the Automotive Industry Planning Council has given our Ford ASSET program a top national award. In a nationwide survey of automotive college programs, we were runner-up in the category Post Secondary Manufacturer Affiliated Education. "This award acknowledges some of the very best automotive training programs in the country," said AIPC president Fred Hines. Congratulations to Ford ASSET instructors Scott Scheife and Margie Zamorski.

Cuisine Greets Spring Semester Guests
The start of a new semester means the reopening of our Cuisine Fine Dining restaurant. This unique student-operated learning lab supports the Culinary Arts program and is open for lunch most Tuesdays through Thursdays during the semester. Recent innovations, including lighter fare and ala carte selections, have made Cuisine an even more desirable lunch destination. The students also are working hard to keep the dining experience within one hour. Reserve your table at http://matc.edu/communityresources/cuisine_fine_dining/reservations.asp

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Redefining Smart
Many thanks to the two students who agreed to tell their stories for our "Redefining Smart" TV program on guaranteed transfer, which premiered Feb. 2 on Channel 10. Desirale Clemons is in the Panther Tracks program with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Jajuan Zolicoffer is in the Badger Track program with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Desirale plans to be a registered nurse. Jajuan is working toward his bachelor's degree in kinesiology (exercise science), which can potentially lead to various careers in athletics and fitness.

This was the second in a monthly series, hosted by Mark Siegrist, that will highlight best practices in education, workforce development and economic development. MATC will be a part of these stories but not the sole focus. Our next show, March 2, will discuss "Milwaukee 7" and the new regionalism in economic development. Special thanks to the MPTV production team of Raul Galvan, Dan Braovac, Dan Jones, Jose Lozano, John McKay and Jeff Moorbeck. Please direct feedback to Jim Gribble in Public Relations.

Photos: Jajuan Zolicoffer, Desirale Clemons

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Melbard, Students Shine
Civil Engineering Instructor Al Melbard was honored, and his students turned in impressive performances, at the recent Society of Southeastern Wisconsin Land Surveyors Institute. Retired but back teaching part-time, Al received a plaque for his long dedication to surveyor training and his many professional contributions. He got a well-deserved standing ovation from a large crowd that included many former students. One of his current students, Jeff Jurgens, received a $1,800 scholarship. Our students took third in another event highlight - an industry-specific trivia contest.

Photo: Al Melbard

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Martin Luther King Day
I was honored to be one of the speakers at the citywide celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, held Jan. 14 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. My message was one of hope, in that his dream has come true in many ways. But much hard work still lies ahead, particularly with respect to the Earth's people living in peace and harmony and with mutual respect.

Economic Development Summit
In early December I had the privilege of moderating a panel discussion on Business and Workforce Development for the Milwaukee Community and Economic Development Summit. Initiated by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the two-day conference drew 800 people and generated some new ideas.

Recommendations are being developed, and I look forward to seeing the report soon. At the event, I emphasized that MATC is an important partner with the city and its economic development efforts. I talked about several of our new initiatives including the Bucyrus project, our $2 million workforce training grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and the $120,000 Bader Foundation grant that is allowing us to hire a manager of economic development.

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Communique is a monthly online newsletter of Milwaukee Area
Technical College. Got an item for Dr. Cole? Please contact
Dan Reszel, coordinating editor.