GED/HSED Graduates Earn Diplomas and Look to Brighter Future

There was a time when I thought this wasn’t for me. But today I feel accomplished and ready to see what the future holds for all of us.

Evelyn Perez was tired of quitting.

Pregnant at 14, she dropped out of high school. Ten years later, she had four children and was working almost any kind of job to make ends meet.

Perez needed a high school diploma to attend college, start a career and improve her situation. In January 2023, she enrolled in Milwaukee Area Technical College’s General Education Development (GED) program.

Six months later, she dropped out again.

“I gave up halfway through. I thought maybe this wasn’t for me,” she said. “I began to second guess myself, and doubt set in.”

MATC instructors, however, did not give up on her. They encouraged Perez to try the High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) program. She enrolled, and on December 17, 2024, she became one of nearly 300 students to earn GED certificates and HSEDs at a boisterous, ebullient graduation ceremony at MATC’s Cooley Auditorium.

“There was a time when I thought this wasn’t for me,” said Perez, who was one of two student speakers at the event. “But today I feel accomplished and ready to see what the future holds for all of us.”

The ceremony recognized students who graduated from MATC and five community-based educational partners — Dominican Women’s Center, Emerging Scholars, Literacy Services of Wisconsin, UMOS Inc. and YWCA Southeast Wisconsin.

“This is becoming my favorite day of the year,” said Clavon Byrd, Ph.D., associate dean of Community Education. “It’s the most joyful and the most meaningful, not just for me, but especially for you.”

Ruby Davis, the other student speaker, earned her GED through the Dominican Women’s Center at age 60. “It’s never too late to pursue your dreams,” she said. “I am proof of that. If I can do this at age 60, anyone can make their dream come true.”

The graduates heard inspiring stories of overcoming obstacles and finding success from two keynote speakers: Tina Nixon, a community advocate, mentor and spoken word artist, and Rochell Wallace, a teacher at Milwaukee Public Schools’ Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts.

Nixon grew up in a Chicago housing project. When she was 9 years old, her mother died. Her father struggled with addiction issues. She got pregnant at 18, dropped out of high school and had two more children by the time she was 23.

“I know what it’s like to climb mountains that seem insurmountable,” Nixon told the crowd. 

Nixon conquered those mountains. She became a poet, actress and an artist. She founded a community group, My Sista’s KeepHer, and has worked with youth and young adults for over 25 years with a mission to inspire individuals to celebrate life, pursue their dreams, embrace self-love and cultivate self respect. 

She praised the graduates for working hard to make a better life for themselves. “You showed up when it was easier to give up,” Nixon said. “Your accomplishments are not just impressive, but a victory. The world needs more people like you — resilient, determined and unafraid to dream big.”

Wallace became a mother at 14 and left high school after two years. After having three children, she returned to school and earned her GED in 2004. She went on to attain an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license. Today she teaches social studies and special education at Roosevelt.

“My mom and dad didn’t graduate from high school and neither did their moms or dads. I was the first in my family to break the cycle,” Wallace said. “It doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you finish. And I challenge all of you to finish strong.”

Learn more about MATC’s GED and HSED programs