I never want a student to feel like they don’t belong here. I don’t want anyone to walk through our doors and feel that sense of uncertainty, that feeling I had as a first-generation college student, wondering, do I really deserve to be here.
Today, Milwaukee Area Technical President Dr. Anthony Cruz has a clear mission.
“To the students of MATC: You are the reason I am here,” he said. “Every decision I make, every initiative we launch, every conversation we have at the executive table, it’s all for you.”
There were times, however, when things weren’t so plain. There were times when Tony Cruz wanted to quit.
The son of Cuban immigrants and the first person in his family to attend college, Cruz constantly wondered if he belonged there, if he mattered to anyone, if he could ever succeed.
“There were moments when I felt like giving up. Moments of doubt. Moments when the road was unclear,” he recalled. “But what kept me moving forward was the sacrifice and resilience of my parents. They came to this country with nothing but hope. They didn’t speak the language. They didn’t have wealth. But they did have faith in the power of education and faith that their children could go farther than they ever dreamed.”
Cruz persevered, earned three college degrees and began a three-decade career in higher education.
On Friday, September 19, Tony Cruz — Dr. Anthony Cruz — reached a professional and personal pinnacle by being vested as the 11th president of Milwaukee Area Technical College.
A formal academic ceremony, investiture officially recognized Dr. Cruz, who started at MATC in July 2024, as the college’s new leader. It was the first ceremony of its kind in MATC’s 113-year history.
“We are all part of history today,” said Layla Merrifield, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System, who welcomed the guests to the event.
About 200 MATC students, faculty, staff and district board directors, along with business leaders, community partners and elected officials, attended the ceremony, held in Cooley Auditorium at the college’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus.
The investiture began with speakers and guests processing into the auditorium to the melody of a Mozart divertimento. The U.S. and Wisconsin flags were presented by a color guard from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, and the MATC Music Faculty Student Alumni Vocal Ensemble sang the national anthem.
See MATC Presidential Investiture page, including video of the event
Guests then heard remarks from speakers representing the MATC District Board; the college’s faculty, staff, students and alumni; the region’s business community; and the City of Milwaukee.
“It is a great honor for me to be a part of the board that brought Dr. Cruz here,” said Erica Case, chairperson of the MATC District Board. “It was one of the best decisions we ever made.”
MATC student Naomi Omoruyi praised Dr. Cruz for directly engaging with her fellow students. “You are walking the halls, showing up at our events and listening to our stories,” she said. “We can tell you care deeply about the student experience. We see how you see us.”
Joel Brennan, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, lauded Dr. Cruz for being a connector and collaborator with businesses and industries in the region. “In a world becoming more divided, we need leaders who are authentic and do those things day in and day out,” he said. “Dr. Cruz will make great things happen in the region.”
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said there is renewed enthusiasm for an MATC education and expects Dr. Cruz to harness that excitement. “MATC is the place where dreams can be realized and lives can be transformed,” he said.
Nancy Yi, an assistant professor senior of English and communications who worked with Dr. Cruz at Miami Dade College, said MATC should be thrilled to have him at the helm. “He has always led with heart, vision and grit,” she said. “I’ve seen firsthand what he’s capable of and you should be incredibly excited to have him here.”
After the remarks, Dr. Cruz stood and faced Case. He bowed slightly from the waist. Case then draped the Chain of Office, a medallion with the MATC seal on a chain with links representing the college’s four campuses, Walker’s Square Education Center and Milwaukee PBS, around his neck.
In his investiture address, Dr. Cruz thanked his family, including his parents, Caridad and Antonio, who attended the event, his colleagues, and friends for their support.
He also recalled his days of doubt as a young college student, and he vowed that no MATC student would ever feel the same way. For him, the college’s students will always come first.
“I never want a student to feel like they don’t belong here. I don’t want anyone to walk through our doors and feel that sense of uncertainty, that feeling I had as a first-generation college student, wondering, do I really deserve to be here.
“Yes, you do,” said Dr. Cruz.. “You belong here. You matter. And your success is our mission.”
To accomplish that mission, MATC recently developed a new strategic plan called Ascend Together. The plan focuses on three priorities: building community trust, fostering a caring culture at the college and ensuring student success.
“Community trust means showing up for Milwaukee — not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. We must be visible, credible and accountable to the people we serve,” Dr. Cruz said.
“A caring culture means that everyone — students, faculty, staff — feels seen, heard and valued,” he said. “That we celebrate your wins, lift you when you fall and never forget that empathy is the foundation of excellence.
“Student success is the whole reason we exist,” he said. “We are here to help students complete, to transfer, to skill up, to find purpose and to transform their lives.”
To do that, MATC must innovate in the classroom, partner with businesses and community leaders to ensure courses reflect the real working world, and provide needed student services, Dr. Cruz said.
“We’ll do it all while remembering that technical education is no longer blue-collar — it’s gold-collar,” he said. “These are high-skill, high-wage, high-demand careers, and MATC is the launchpad for that future.”
Everyone is more than welcome to attend MATC and find out what they can accomplish, he said.
“We are the hope for the students who didn’t think college was for them. We are the bridge for the adult learner changing careers. We are the future for Milwaukee’s communities and industries,” Dr. Cruz said. “And under my leadership, we will continue to rise, not just for the students we have today, but for the ones who haven’t even walked through our doors yet.”
After the ceremony, guests celebrated on the sixth floor of the Main Building, munching on Cuban food, sipping nonalcoholic concoctions and dancing to salsa music.
At that party, Dr. Cruz awarded the first Presidential Medals of Distinction to Ellen and Joe Checota, who created the Checota Scholarship; Julie Ebert, the past president of the MATC Foundation Board; and Viola Hawkins, a community activist and 1985 MATC graduate.
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.