Froedtert executive Eric Conley will deliver the keynote address at MATC's Winter Commencement on December 10, 2023 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
On Sunday, December 10, 11 a.m., Milwaukee Area Technical College will host its 2023 Winter Commencement at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
More than 740 students will receive their associate degrees, technical diplomas, and apprenticeship and adult high school diplomas. In addition, 12 candidates for graduation who have served in the U.S. military will wear red, white and blue cords from the college.
MATC’s Outstanding Technical Diploma Graduate Chardaye Hartz will deliver the student welcome. Hartz is receiving a Pharmacy Technician technical diploma. She made the career decision to enter the medical profession after suffering a series of seizures and having multiple brain surgeries. Hartz received a full-ride scholarship from the Ellen & Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program, and completed her courses with honors.
“I watched nurses and pharmacy technicians in real-life time,” Hartz recalled. “These people were making a difference for me. That’s when I decided I wanted to make a difference as well.”
The Outstanding Associate Degree Graduate and student speaker is Hasnah Hussin, who is receiving her Human Service Associate degree. Hussin started working with refugee groups when she was a teenager in Malaysia before moving to Wisconsin. Hussin speaks seven languages and is studying to learn two others. Her remarks center on perseverance and the support she has received from her mother and MATC staff. Her remarks to the graduates includes a story told by her mother which advises:
“Don't be afraid of the dark. You should not be frightened to fail. Don't fear falling since the darkness will gradually fade away if you accept it in peace. Failing is only a stepping stone to greater success.”
MATC’s President's Award winner is Leslie Garcia Ramirez, who is receiving her associate degree in Television and Video Production. Ramirez is being honored for her academic achievement and contributions to the college and the community while enrolled at MATC.
The ceremony’s keynote address will be delivered by Eric L. Conley, executive vice president of Froedtert Health and president of Froedtert Hospital. Conley is responsible for the overall functions of the hospital. Conley leads the execution of performance goals with respect to strategic priorities and plans in the areas of service, quality, staff development, growth and finance. And he coordinates operational performance among system entities with oversight of ambulatory services in partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Conley will reference his uncle, the great African American playwright August Wilson, to motivate the graduates to be resilient, to be determined and to uplift one another as part of a collective community. He also offers seven axioms of advice to the MATC Winter Class of 2023.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: MATC 2023 Winter Commencement
WHEN: 11 a.m., Sunday, December 10
WHERE: Fiserv Forum, 1111 North Vel R. Phillips Avenue, Milwaukee
About MATC: 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. More than 30,000 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 180 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Human Service Associate Graduate and Outstanding Degree Award winner Hasnah Hussin will be the student speaker at MATC's Winter Commencement on December 10, 2023 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.