Chier Plans Quick Career Start by Enrolling in MATC’s Human Resources Associate Degree Program

GINNY GNADT, PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR

March 01, 2015

At MATC, you don’t have to get a four-year degree right away. You can get a two-year degree, work for a while and go back and get a bachelor’s degree from a college or university later if you want. Many of my credits will transfer to a four-year school.

Melissa Chier MATC Student
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Melissa Chier

The chance to earn an associate degree and get started on a career quickly is one of the main reasons Melissa Chier chose to attend MATC. After graduating from Muskego High School last June, Chier enrolled as a full-time student in MATC’s human resources associate degree program and began classes in the fall.

“My parents and I talked about the possibility of me going to a state university,” she said. “But we decided that MATC was the best option for me. At MATC, you don’t have to get a four-year degree right away. You can get a two-year degree, work for a while and go back and get a bachelor’s degree from a college or university later if you want. Many of my credits will transfer to a four-year school.”

“There are many paths from MATC to four-year colleges and universities,” said Jonathan Feld, MATC director of high school articulation, four-year transfer, international education and recruitment. “Some programs transfer in their entirety, while others offer the transfer of many credits to provide advanced standing.”

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Human relations associate degree student Melissa Chier studies between classes.

Affordability, Quality and Small Classes a Draw

Chier also chose to attend MATC because of its quality and its cost. “I sat down and discussed this with my parents,” Chier said. “We believe MATC is the best technical college in the area. A technical college is the most affordable option for me.”

She also likes the small class size available at MATC. “You can get one-on-one attention from the instructors,” Chier said. “I prefer that to being in a lecture hall that may hold 400 students, which is what you might get at a university.” 

So far, Chier has taken all her classes at MATC’s Oak Creek Campus. She is happy with that arrangement because it is only a 20 minute commute from her home in Wind Lake, where she lives with her parents and younger twin sisters. At some point, she will attend classes at the Downtown Milwaukee or Mequon Campuses or take online classes as well.

She is familiar with the Oak Creek Campus because her father, Chris Chier, has been taking evening business management courses there for several years.  He works at Lucas-Milhaupt, Inc., a Cudahy-based metal fabricating business near Oak Creek. Her mother, Susan Stark Chier, also is a graduate of MATC’s registered nursing associate degree program.

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Chier takes all her classes at MATC's Oak Creek Campus, which is conveniently located near her home in Wind Lake.

Wants to Work on Behalf of Employees

Melissa’s interest in human resources stems from a visit to her father’s workplace during her senior year of high school. The company’s human resources director came to her father’s office and spoke with her about the field. Chier was intrigued. “I think it would be fun to interview people, to work on behalf of employees and to look out for their welfare.” She also is attracted to the career because she believes there will always be career opportunities for people in the human resources field. 

In addition to her full-time studies, Chier also works 24 hours a week at the Wind Lake branch of Discover Days Day Care, where she serves as a teacher for two- and three-year old children.  

She has not decided yet what kind of business she wants to work for, but she enjoys working with the children at the day care center and hopes to one day work for an organization that is involved with children. 

“It’s important to me to believe in the mission of any company I work for,” Chier said. 

 

For more information on MATC’s human resources associate degree program, visit: http://www.matc.edu/business/degrees/human-resources.cfm

For more information about transferring MATC credits to four-year colleges or universities, visit: http://www.matc.edu/student/credittransfer/index.cfm