I believe MATC really delivered for me. I will always cherish the connections I have made at the college. The faculty and staff have gone above and beyond for me.
In eight years, Warren Murphy took three mighty swings at college and came up mostly empty.
First there was Madison Area Technical College, which he attended right out of DeForest High School in 2015. Then he tried what at the time was called the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County. In 2019, he enrolled in the Audio Engineer program at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
“I always enjoyed learning, but I really struggled to find my place,” he said. “After three runs at it, I started to think that maybe school just wasn’t for me.”
In 2023 he returned to MATC, ready to give college one more, and perhaps final, try. “This time I decided it was all about diving all the way in,” he said.
He joined organizations, participated in events, met fellow students, volunteered in the community, excelled in the classroom and received academic and personal support from instructors, staff and co-workers.
“I feel like I have found where I truly belong,” said Murphy, who will receive an Associate of Arts degree at the college’s 2025 Spring Commencement on May 17.
To honor his academic achievements, his contributions to the college and his involvement in the community, Murphy has received the President's Award, which honors a graduating student each semester. The recipient is chosen by the registrar, Student Life and the Scholastic Recognition Committee.
“Warren came to MATC with a plan,” MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz said at the college’s Academic Honor Recognition ceremony on May 7. “A plan to better himself and lay a foundation to practice law, justice and service. His impact reached across all our campuses, into our community neighborhoods and into the lives of our district residents.”
Murphy also came with a long list of accomplishments: He served as managing editor of the MATC Times, the student newspaper. He was selected chairperson of the District Student Association. He worked at the Student Life office at the Oak Creek Campus. He volunteered at the Milwaukee Justice Center. He manned the sexual assault crisis line at Aurora Sinai Medical Center. He made the college’s honor roll four straight semesters. In March, he started tutoring immigrants studying for the American citizenship exam.
At the MATC Times, he helped the newspaper win six awards at the College Media Association, including a second-place award for best newspaper, and then won another five awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, including best website.
As chairperson of the District Student Association, Murphy regularly attended MATC District Board meetings and reported on student issues.
Between classes and working at the Times, Murphy volunteered, learning empathy and perspective by working with people harmed in the worst ways by assault, abuse and divorce.
“For these people, it might be the worst day of their life, and I am sitting across the table, doing everything I can to support them,” he said. “It’s intense but very grounding. You hear what other people are going through and suddenly some of the things you are dealing with just don’t seem like much.”
“Warren has displayed an incredible work ethic and a passion for serving his community and helping others,” said Nicole Glaser, manager of Healing & Advocacy services at Aurora Sinai. “Warren handles all hotline calls professionally and calmly. He advocates for each caller and helps them navigate their situation by offering options, validating concerns and providing resources. His passion for helping others is evident through his work with us.
“Staff on our team are always glad when it is Monday evening because they know Warren is coming in for his weekly shift,” Glaser added. “He’s always great at jumping in to help wherever he can and going above the role of answering phones.”
Dr. Cruz noted that Murphy’s record is more than impressive.
“When I read Warren’s information, I felt I wasn’t doing enough,” Dr. Cruz said.
In the fall, Murphy will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and study economics and Spanish. He plans to attend law school and become an immigration attorney.
At MATC, he finally found a place to start his path to success. “I came here and I assumed that loneliness and feeling left out were just part of college. I couldn’t have been more wrong,” he said.
“I believe MATC really delivered for me. I will always cherish the connections I have made at the college. The faculty and staff have gone above and beyond for me,” he added. “I have learned that the more you invest yourself, the more that investment will pay off for you.”
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.