It’s always been about the students. When I wake up in the morning, I ask myself ‘what can we do today to make it better for them?’
Vicki Martin never let much stop her.
As a shy girl growing up in middle class Milwaukee, her options seemed limited. “I didn’t see a strong future for myself,” she recalled. But she became the first person in her family to attend college and eventually earned four degrees, including a doctorate.
In 1988, she started working at Milwaukee Area Technical College. In 2014, she became the college’s 10th president.
“I was an introverted person who wanted to make a difference in the world,” Dr. Martin said.
She certainly did at MATC. In her decade as the college’s president, she introduced and implemented numerous programs to improve student access and student success, forged dozens of partnerships with community organizations, and elevated the college’s image in the region. Last September, Dr. Martin announced she would retire from MATC in the summer of 2024.
On Thursday, May 23, nearly 200 colleagues, community partners, collaborators and friends gathered at MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus to thank her for a job well done and wish her well in retirement.
Laura Bray, vice president of college advancement and executive director of the MATC Foundation Inc., emceed the event, and several of Dr. Martin’s colleagues spoke about how she energetically improved the college during her decade of service.
Dr. Martin brought innovative ideas and removed obstacles to student success, said Mark Foley, MATC District Board chairperson. “I have seen firsthand your relentless commitment to students and community partners,” Foley said at the event. “Your legacy will live on in the students whose lives you impacted most.”
During her 10-year tenure as president, Dr. Martin:
- Led the creation in 2015 of Wisconsin’s first free-tuition Promise program.
- Expanded it to become one of the nation’s first Promise programs to serve working adults.
- Created the ReStart program to encourage students with outstanding balances to return to school.
- Established the college as the state’s first to offer Second Chance Pell funds to students who are in a correctional facility.
- Cofounded M³ (pronounced M-cubed) to harness the exponential power of Milwaukee Public Schools, MATC and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to transform the future of Milwaukee through education.
- Committed to closing student group performance gaps by 2030 through the groundbreaking EAB Moon Shot for Equity so that all students succeed.
- Launched in 2022 the college’s first-ever full-ride scholarship, the Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program — and the largest scholarship fund in MATC history.
“She has changed the public’s perception of the college and the college’s perception of itself in an amazing, wonderful way,” Dr. Morna Foy, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System, said at the event. “You can tell that she truly loves this city and loves this college.”
M-Cubed partners Dr. Keith Posley, superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools, and Dr. Mark Mone, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, spoke glowingly about how Dr. Martin had almost a limitless supply of enthusiasm to accomplish even the most difficult tasks.
“When I think of Vicki Martin, I will think of excellent leadership with a smile and that smile is infectious,” Dr. Posley said.
“Dr. Martin has been a friend, a partner, a force of nature, a dynamo,” added Dr. Mone.
Wisconsin’s political leaders also expressed their gratitude for her service to the state. In a proclamation, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers commended Dr. Martin for her deep commitment to public service and education. “Countless students have benefitted from the education provided by MATC during your tenure,” Evers wrote in the proclamation.
Wisconsin Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson sent letters recognizing Dr. Martin’s dedication to education. “Because of your work, MATC continues to thrive, bringing in thousands of talented, dedicated and diverse students each year,” Baldwin wrote.
Interspersed between the speeches and letters, MATC graduates and students thanked Dr. Martin for supporting them and for helping them attain their educational and personal goals.
Tia Hopkins thanked her for establishing the Westown Green student apartments, while Jacob Pease, currently in the care of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, expressed his gratitude for her support of the Second Chance Pell Grant program. Angela McClain received a Checota scholarship and will graduate in July from the Truck Driving program.
“I always wanted to drive a semitruck,” McClain said. “I can’t believe my dream is coming true.”
Chantel Byrd, president of the MATC Foundation Board, thanked Dr. Martin for her strong support of the initiatives undertaken by the Foundation, the college’s philanthropic partner.
During Dr. Martin’s 10 years as president, individuals, foundations and corporations have contributed $36 million to scholarships, emergency funds, and student support programs, Byrd said, while annual student scholarship support has increased by more than 600% since 2013.
“Our achievements together during your tenure have been exceptional,” Byrd said.
In recognition of Dr. Martin’s service, Byrd announced the Foundation donated $10,000 to the Vicki Martin, Ph.D. Scholarship fund, a degree completion program established by Dr. Martin several years ago to support students in their final semester at MATC.
Current and former administrators and faculty members also expressed their gratitude for Dr. Martin’s work.
“The Milwaukee area is a better place because of your leadership,” said Dorothy Walker, who worked at MATC for more than 40 years and served as dean under Dr. Martin.
“In our hearts we know you can’t be replaced,” said Dr. Christine Manion, MATC’s vice president of institutional effectiveness and head of Dr. Martin’s leadership team.
After Dr. Martin announced she would step down, the district board conducted a national search and unanimously voted May 2 to hire Dr. Anthony Cruz, who has nearly 30 years of higher education experience, as the college’s 11th president. His tenure begins in July.
After nearly an hour of thanks and praise, Dr. Martin thanked the faculty, staff and community members who worked with her to make MATC a welcoming place where anyone and everyone can transform their lives.
“It’s always been about the students,” Dr. Martin said. “When I wake up in the morning, I ask myself ‘what can we do today to make it better for them?’ But I could not have accomplished everything I have without the support of the people I work with and the partners in the community who believe in MATC. I’m grateful to have such wonderful partners. I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world.”
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.