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

Latest NSF Grant to MATC Advances Water Technologies Education
For the third time in 14 months, MATC has received a National Science Foundation grant to help advance innovative education and career opportunities. Most recently the college received a three-year $498,216 NSF grant for H2Options - a program that will identify and fill gaps in the area's growing water technology field. A key goal will be to train new water industry technicians. Selected MATC programs will be modified and others developed as part of H2Options. A pathway from high school to MATC to four-year colleges and universities will be established to help address workforce demands in emerging water technology careers. In addition to MATC, members of the H2Options consortium include UWM, WCTC and the Milwaukee Water Council.

Dr. Kimberly Farley, associate dean, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is the project's principal investigator.

In 2010, MATC received a three-year NSF grant to increase the number of students transferring to bachelor's degree programs through the Biochemical Excellence in Science and Technology (BEST) program. In September 2011, MATC received an NSF grant to develop curriculum and recruit students to pursue science and technology careers.

Photo: A new National Science Foundation grant awarded to MATC and area partners will educate the region's future water industry technicians.

Students Plan Effectively through Advising Days
Advising Days starts Monday, October 31, in anticipation of early registration for the spring semester. During Advising Days, returning program students are encouraged to meet with their faculty advisor (typically a lead faculty member) to plan their academic schedule for the next semester and beyond. Priority registration for the spring semester is November 14-20. Currently enrolled program students who register early are more likely to get the classes, times and campuses they most want and need. Open registration for new and non-program students begins Monday, November 21. Faculty members are encouraged to remind their students to meet with their advisor before registering for spring semester classes.

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Annual Open House a Showcase for Programs and Services
MATC will showcase its career-centered programs, student services, student life and campuses at the annual Open House, Saturday, November 5, from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. Most activities will be in the Student Center and the second floor of the Main Building at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. The event attracts up to 1,000 prospective students, many with their parents. Those attending can complete an admissions application at the Open House and have the $30 admission fee waived. A postcard promoting the event was mailed to 28,400 district households, targeting high school juniors and seniors and 18 - 24-year-olds. The Open House is an excellent opportunity for faculty members to promote their programs. Register here: http://matc.edu/matc_open_house/Open_house_registration2011.asp.

Photo: Hundreds of prospective students are expected at the November 5 Open House on the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. Pictured here is a scene from the 2010 event.

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November Events Celebrate Student Veterans
Two events for MATC student veterans will celebrate their service and provide information about financial aid and other educational benefits for veterans. On Veterans Day, Friday, November 11, veteran students are invited to a complimentary lunch in Room M605 at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus starting at 11 a.m. The event is sponsored by the Financial Aid and Student Life offices. On Thursday, November 17, David Rueth, Regional Coordinator for Wisconsin Veterans Affairs, will explain federal and state veteran education benefits from 10 a.m. - noon and 5 - 7 p.m. in Room S120. Also at the event, Milwaukee County Veterans Affairs Director Jim Duff will offer important information about how his office can assist veterans. MATC staff will also be on hand to answer questions and provide information. The November 17 presentations will be broadcast to the regional campuses: Mequon, Room A129; Oak Creek, Room A200E; West Allis, Room 104E (10 a.m. session) and Room 117 (5 p.m. session).

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Second Bookstore Offers a Convenient Space to Buy and Browse
A newly opened second bookstore at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus offers a convenient place to buy class supplies (from blood pressure cuffs to head manikins to jump drives), MATC-brand apparel, MATC-logo coffee mugs, limited edition Centennial merchandise and more. It is located on the third floor of the Student Center in a former student lounge. Bookstore manager Beth Phillips said the store was developed with input from students via Student Government whose leaders helped determine what items would be sold. In coming months, more merchandise such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, glassware, reference books and other class supplies will fill the racks. Phillips said student needs will ultimately decide what will be sold. Also, a formal name for the space is expected soon. Students and employees voted on naming the space from a list of five possibilities.

The new bookstore is an addition to the 8th and State Street College Bookstore, the primary location for student textbooks. Phillips said special recognition for the new bookstore's inviting design space goes to Carrie Koenig of Construction Services.

Photo: A ribbon-cutting ceremony was part of the Grand Opening for the new Downtown Milwaukee Campus Student Center bookstore. Participants included Dr. Michael L. Burke, President (left); Carrie Koenig, Construction Services (third from left); Beth Phillips, Bookstore manager (fourth from left); Tony Kotnik, Construction Services (third from right); Dr. Jim Williams, VP Finance (second from right); and student Wayne Miller (right).

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Weapons Banned on MATC Campuses as 'Concealed Carry' Law Begins
"Concealed Carry" (Wisconsin Act 35) goes into effect November 1. The MATC District Board has responded by passing a resolution banning weapons in all college-owned and occupied buildings. Signs prohibiting weapons are installed on all campus entrances. MATC's previous no-weapons policy, in place since 1995, has been modified to continue the ban while ensuring compliance with the new law. Wisconsin Act 35 limits MATC's ability to prohibit concealed carry in certain places that are not indoors, such as parking areas and campus outdoor green spaces. The college will require that weapons in parked student and employee vehicles near or on campus be unloaded, encased, and out of sight in the locked vehicles.

Photo: Signs announcing the weapon ban now appear at campus entrances.

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Students Volunteer for Water Quality Events
A team of Environmental Health and Water Quality Technology students volunteered their time and talents at South Shore Beach in Bay View as part of the national Adopt-a-Beach program last month. The students cleaned up litter on the beach and water, sampled for E. coli, completed a comprehensive report and entered data into the Alliance for the Great Lakes Adopt-a-Beach database used by local and state health departments. Students also conducted water sampling and analysis as part of World Water Monitoring Day to raise awareness of water quality and quantity. Lead instructor Kathy Bates worked with the students at the events.

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Mequon Campus Hosts Program on Ozaukee County Economy
Following the successful September 20 "Addressing the Skills Gap in Manufacturing" community meeting at the Mequon Campus, the campus hosted another economic and jobs-related event October 7, again with area business leaders. "Snapshot of the Ozaukee County Economy" was the topic of the Friday Forum, featuring Jim Winistorfer, President, Mequon Equipment Company; Carol Schneider, CEO of Seek Careers/Staffing; Paul Schueller, CEO, Franklin Energy Services; and Thomas Peterson, Vice President, Associated Bank.
Friday Forum is a regularly held, timely-topic event co-sponsored by the Mequon Campus, the Ozaukee County Board of Supervisors and the UW Extension/Ozaukee.

Photo: Participants packed the Mequon Campus Lecture Hall for the "Snapshot of the Ozaukee County Economy" event.

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Early Childhood Education Program Earns Prestigious Accreditation
MATC's Early Childhood Education associate degree program has earned accreditation from the prestigious National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission. MATC's associate degree program is one of only 10% nationally and the only one in Wisconsin with this distinction.
"Earning accreditation from the NAEYC is a significant achievement for our Early Childhood Education program faculty and students," said Dr. Michael L. Burke, MATC President.

Photo: The college's Early Childhood Education program received a prestigious national accreditation.

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Final HIT Cohort Begins
The final groups of students started MATC's Health Information Technology (HIT) certificate programs on October 16. Completion is set for March 2012. The successful and unique short-term, targeted programs will have trained 300 information technology or health care students through the four certificates since fall 2010. MATC is only one of 17 colleges in the Midwest Community College Consortium chosen to provide training in the four HIT certificate programs. MATC was awarded a second $325,551 grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for this final year of HIT programs, which have since offered two of the four certificates online. The HIT programs were developed in response to a federal mandate (the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act) requiring patient care providers in the U.S. to develop accurate, well-protected electronic patient care health records that can be quickly accessed by health care providers.

New careers in electronic patient records are expected to grow dramatically as the federal law continues to take hold in health care facilities. Congratulations and thanks to Dr. Richard Ammon, HIT program manager and Laurie Kohel, project coordinator.

Photo: HIT instructor Sheryl Krueger (standing) works with students Tiffany Keogh and Jim Gill.

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Specialist Simms' Goal: Seamless Transfer to UWM
UWM is MATC's number-one four-year college transfer partner. About 500 MATC students enroll in bachelor's degree programs each year at UWM, many with junior-level standing. To help MATC students and graduates transfer seamlessly, a UWM-MATC Transfer Specialist is on staff at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus (Room M275) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Transfer Specialist Carmelita Simms works with MATC students to help them develop and complete their transfer plans to UWM. She also works closely with MATC staff to ensure students either get on or stay on the best transfer path to UWM. Simms explains her unique role at MATC in this three-minute video: http://www.youtube.com/user/InsideMATC#p/c/6/uRFfTk1t_-Y

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News and Notes
Ann Wilson, MATC District Board vice chairperson, was elected Central Region Representative to the Association of Community College Trustees Diversity Committee. ... The Oak Creek Campus again hosted the annual Milwaukee Empty Bowls fundraiser on October 8. About 2,000 attended the unique event where area artists, restaurants and entertainers work together to benefit local food pantries. ... The Oak Creek Campus also hosted the Franklin Lioness Club's annual Autumn Craft Fair on Saturday, October 22. ... Congratulations to former Graphic Design student Sarah Mudrock who received special recognition in the 2010-11 Local Search Association College Advertising Competition. Her entry placed in the top 20 from among almost 1,000 entries. ... The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences nominated six programs produced by students in the Television/Video Production and Animation degree programs for College Student Production Awards. This marks the highest number of student nominations in MATC history. Winners will be announced November 6. The student nominees are John Alvarez-Wallesverd, Antonio Cole, Jacob Fatke, James Frame, Andrew Ilk, Desere Jones, Phil Kraus, Jeff Lahti, Spencer Legan, Cassie Maldonado, Katy McCool, Cole Norton, Roberto Rivera Padro, Nathaniel Schardin, Evan Thompson, Jasmine Winters and Micah Zellinger. ... Carol Bangs, Landscape Horticulture faculty member, is a featured speaker at the October national Native Plant Conference. ... Part of Eva Hagenhofer's summer was spent in Beards Fork, West Virginia, where she was one of 20 volunteers to provide GED training for unemployed miners and local young people. The efforts were under the auspices of the Southern Appalachian Labor School. ... Poet Patrick Moran was the featured guest at the next MATC Grassroots Series, October 19, at the Oak Creek Campus. Moran read from his book Tell a Pitiful Story, a collection of poems based on the signs Great Depression-era hobos developed and used for communication as they traveled hitching rides on freight trains. The signs were used to share information about safe locations that provided help, food or shelter. The Grassroots Series connects issues studied in Liberal Arts and Sciences classrooms with our everyday lives. ... A daylong workshop for faculty members on classroom management will be offered Friday, November 4. Dealing effectively with disruptive students and maximizing teaching and learning class time will be explored with workshop leader W. Scott Lewis, JD, of the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management. Participants can earn one course credit by continuing work on classroom management with faculty member Pat McFarland. Details are available from the Faculty Innovation Center, Room M201 on the Downtown Milwaukee Campus.

Photos: (Top) Ann Wilson, District Board Vice Chairperson. (Bottom) The annual Empty Bowls event was again held at the Oak Creek Campus. Pictured are some of the 2,000 participants who helped raise funds for local food pantries.