At MATC, I get to incorporate my love for metal fabrication, welding and teaching all at once.
Karen Feliciano knows that every obstacle can be overcome.
Feliciano, who has served as a welding instructor at MATC since 2021, moved to Milwaukee from Puerto Rico at age 15. She spoke little English. In high school, she got help from English as a second language teachers. But in college, she was on her own. She spent hours translating her homework into Spanish so she could understand the concepts, then translating it back to English to communicate her ideas to her instructors.
She persevered and earned a degree in welding from Waukesha County Technical College. She worked as a welder, assembler and plant supervisor at various firms before turning to teaching. Her own experience as a student motivated her to develop a bilingual (English/ Spanish) welding program at MATC, modeled on one she started at WCTC.
She started the program in June 2022 with 15 bilingual students. The first cohort graduated in the spring of 2023, and another 32 students signed up for the second cohort, receiving their technical diplomas in May 2024.
“My students inspire me,” Feliciano said. “I see the challenges I faced when I moved to Wisconsin. I know how much I struggled when I was first starting out in this career. But I see myself in their successes, too.”
Today, Feliciano is the lead faculty of MATC’s welding department, and she has gained the respect of her peers and college administrators for her strong leadership. She is a role model for her team and provides a large department with the organization and resources needed for student success.
MATC has a diverse team of employees — 42% are people of color — who serve the students who make the college one of the most diverse two-year institutions of higher education in the Midwest.
“A healthy culture is vital to the success of any organization, especially one as diverse as ours, where inclusion, equity and social mobility are at the forefront of our work,” said MATC President Anthony Cruz, Ed.D. “Embracing inclusivity and shared goals promotes unity, stronger relationships, and a more effective approach to problem-solving and community building.”
In July 2024, she was honored as the Women in Construction Educator of the Year by the Daily Reporter, a newspaper that covers the construction industry across the state.
“I realized that I not only had a passion for metal fabrication and welding, I also had a passion for education,” she said. “You could say I found my calling in life. At MATC, I get to incorporate my love for metal fabrication, welding and teaching all at once. And I have the privilege of watching my students learn and improve their skills.
“I have no words to describe how grateful I am to this college and to the Manufacturing, Construction and Transportation Pathway for the opportunity and for believing in me from day one,” Feliciano added.
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About MATC: As 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.