MATC Joins Achieving the Dream to Continue to Improve Student Success, Close Equity Gaps

Tony Tagliavia Director, Marketing and Communications

June 01, 2020

ATD Contact: Glenn Fee (303) 249-3271, gfee@achievingthedream.org 

MILWAUKEE (June 2, 2020)-- Milwaukee Area Technical College is one of five colleges across the country joining the Achieving the Dream (ATD) National Network, ATD announced Tuesday. 

The network includes 250 community and technical colleges “focused on helping their students, particularly low-income students and students of color, achieve their goals for academic success, personal growth and economic opportunity.”

"We are committed to help more of our students graduate and achieve their dreams while closing equity gaps so more students of color succeed,” MATC President Dr. Vicki J. Martin said. “Achieving the Dream is a valued partner in this imperative work."

In making the announcement, ATD President and CEO Dr. Karen A. Stout noted that “[t]ransformational change is difficult under normal circumstances, and it’s particularly pronounced during such a challenging time. We are encouraged by the commitment of these five institutions who have shown that student success is at the core of their work.” 

Teams from MATC and the other four new member colleges will join a virtual meeting in July as they prepare to join the network. 

According to ATD, “their kickoff experience will include an introduction to ATD’s approach, a capacity-building framework and companion Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool, that enables colleges to pinpoint their strengths and areas for improvement across seven institutional capacities that are needed to facilitate change. This framework integrates and aligns efforts that the colleges may have already begun to implement, such as guided pathways, integrated planning and advising, developmental education redesign;and assesses readiness for other large-scale change work.”

“COVID-19 has further exposed equity gaps for many of the students served by community colleges, and student success work is now more important than ever,” said Stout. “The institutions that built a strong student success foundation are doing better during COVID-19, and we’re excited to work with this exceptional cohort as they build a post-COVID future at their institutions.” 

The Achieving the Dream 2020 Cohort includes:  
Central Arizona College (AZ)  
Compton College (CA)  
Milwaukee Area Technical College (WI)  
Northwest State Community College (OH)  
Wake Technical Community College (NC)

 

About Milwaukee Area Technical College
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. Nearly 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 150 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 35 four-year colleges and universities.  Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

About Achieving the Dream
Achieving the Dream (ATD) leads a growing network of 277 community colleges committed to helping their students, particularly low-income students and students of color, achieve their goals for academic success, personal growth, and economic opportunity. ATD is making progress in closing academic achievement gaps and accelerating student success through a unique change process that builds each college’s institutional capacities in seven essential areas. ATD, along with 75 experienced coaches and advisors, works closely with Network colleges in 44 states and the District of Columbia.