You are more than enough. You need to tell yourself every day that I am special, I am capable and I am worthy.
As a student at Milwaukee’s Riverside University High School more than 30 years ago, LaNelle Ramey didn’t think he was college material.
“I was just a Black guy from 49th (Street) and Hampton (Avenue),” Ramey recalled. “I didn’t think I was smart enough.”
But he found out he was. He eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in pre-law/criminology and a Master in Public Administration from Marquette University. Since then, Ramey spent three decades working for various nonprofit organizations and is currently executive director of MENTOR Greater Milwaukee.
“It turned out that I was more than enough,” Ramey said.
And to Ramey, so are the nearly 1,200 students who graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College on Saturday, December 13, at Fiserv Forum, where Ramey delivered the keynote address.
“You are more than enough,” Ramey said. “You need to tell yourself every day that I am special, I am capable and I am worthy. And at the end of every day, celebrate the small wins, because they add up to bigger victories.
“When you believe in yourself, the obstacles of what you want to do disappear,” Ramey continued. “Your future is wide open. God didn’t make a mistake when he made you. Keep writing your story and know you are more than enough.”
Nearly 1,200 students — 1,178 — were eligible to receive their associate degrees, technical diplomas, apprenticeship diplomas and adult high school diplomas.
In addition, 21 candidates for graduation who have served in the U.S. military received red, white and blue cords from the college, and 371 students graduated with honors, said Dr. Phillip King, the college’s executive vice president and provost.
About 3,000 family members, friends and guests filled Fiserv on a frosty Saturday to witness the ceremony, along with MATC District Board members, administrators and faculty.
See more photos from Commencement
The venue was a fitting site to recognize success, said MATC President Anthony Cruz: It’s where the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team won the NBA championship in 2021.
“They practiced day in and day out. They made sacrifices and prioritized their dreams. They committed to themselves and those around them that they would give their all,” Dr. Cruz told the audience. “You have done all of these things too. Today you join this group of champions. And champions deserve to be recognized.”
After his remarks, Dr. Cruz took out his phone and snapped his customary selfie from the stage with all the graduates in the background.
Luis Pozos, who graduated with a technical diploma in the Auto Collision Repair and Finish Technician program, kicked off the ceremony by welcoming students, faculty, staff and guests into the arena.
Sumanpreet Kaur, who was selected as the Outstanding Associate Degree Graduate and served as student speaker, urged her fellow graduates to be resilient in the face of uncertainty.
“Make the most of what you have,” said Kaur, who received an Associate of Science degree. “Life doesn’t always go the way you planned.”
Out of high school, Kaur dreamed of attending a four-year college. When that didn’t work out, she enrolled at MATC, minutes away from her home.
“I threw myself into new experiences,” Kaur said. “I joined student organizations, attending events and talking to people I didn’t know. I made the most of what I had.”
Kaur made the president’s honor roll, which requires a 4.0 GPA, in four consecutive semesters, and was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society for students at colleges that grant associate degrees. She also interned at the International Institute of Wisconsin, a nonprofit that provides social services to immigrants and refugees, and volunteered with Legal Action of Wisconsin at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, assisting attorneys and law students who provide free legal services.
Kaur, who was born in India and came to the United States when she was 2 years old, plans to attend a four-year university to study political science or international affairs.
Finding your true purpose and passion in life, like Kaur did, is key, Ramey said in his keynote address. He encouraged graduates to expand their support systems, build meaningful connections and find effective mentors.
“The friends you have can either be a circle of support or a cage of despair,” Ramey said. “You need people who will challenge you when you’re wrong, but correct you with love.
“The book you are writing is not closed. This is just the end of one chapter,” Ramey added. “Remember you are the author of your fate.”
Edgar Mayorga, a member of the MATC Foundation Board of Directors, said the Foundation will establish a $1,000 scholarship in Ramey’s name.
The Foundation also presented awards to Pozos, Kaur and Vida M. Bridges, the winner of the President’s Award, which recognizes student achievement and contributions to the college and the community. Bridges received an associate degree in Business Management on Saturday.
The commencement ceremony will be broadcast Saturday, January 17, 9 a.m., on Milwaukee PBS Channel 36 and available on the MATC YouTube Channel.
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.