The PepsiCo scholarship has been a tremendous, tremendous help, and it came at a pivotal time, Figuring out how to pay for school became one less thing to worry about.
James Steffes is ready to boldly go where no heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician has gone before.
This month Steffes will earn an associate degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology program.
And he’s prepared to blast off into the final frontier of space to ply his trade.
“All the equipment and stations we have in space have heaters and refrigerators. Someday people could be living on Mars,” Steffes said with a smile. “All of those systems will need to be serviced at some point.”
Steffes, who dropped out of Milwaukee’s Rufus King High School nearly 30 years ago, could very well reach the stars thanks to the training and support he received from MATC.
In 2003, he earned his General Educational Development (GED) certificate from the college. He returned to MATC in 2022 and received a technical diploma in the Appliance Technician program in the spring of 2023.
This fall he received a PepsiCo Foundation Uplift Scholarship and completed his associate degree. He’ll graduate at MATC’s Winter Commencement on Saturday, December 13, at Fiserv Forum.
“The PepsiCo scholarship has been a tremendous, tremendous help, and it came at a pivotal time,” said Steffes, who has four children. “Figuring out how to pay for school became one less thing to worry about.”
The scholarship helped Steffes pay tuition for the final two courses he needed to complete his degree, along with the books, materials and fees for those classes.
The PepsiCo Foundation Uplift Scholarship program offers students pursuing associate degrees, technical diplomas and professional certificates financial assistance, support, professional development and employer networking opportunities.
The program’s goal is to help students gain access to high-skill, high-wage jobs in fields such as manufacturing, transportation, distribution and logistics. Since its inception, the Uplift Scholarship program has provided financial support to more than 4,000 students across the country.
In September 2022, MATC became the only technical college in Wisconsin to receive money for the Uplift Scholarship program. During the next two years, more than 150 students each received a $2,000 scholarship to complete their degrees.
This summer, the PepsiCo Foundation gave MATC an additional $180,500 for the 2025-26 school year. MATC is one of 15 schools across the country that PepsiCo renewed their relationship with, said Naomi Pollek, who leads corporate and employer relations for the MATC Foundation, the philanthropic partner of the college.
“Higher education is the single most important tool we have for addressing economic mobility,” said Dr. Anthony Cruz, president of MATC. “The funds from the PepsiCo Foundation will help eliminate a financial barrier and enable students to enroll, stay and graduate from MATC. Our students get the skills to secure high-paying, family-supporting jobs, and our employer partners in the region can alleviate their workforce shortages.”
Along with going to school, Steffes works third shift as a mail processing clerk at the United States Post Office’s distribution center in Oak Creek.
“Working that shift allows me the flexibility to attend classes,” he said. “For time management, you need to make sure you have a plan and try not to stray from it.”
After getting his associate degree, Steffes plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. In the future, Steffes wants to be an HVAC systems design engineer, a person who designs, builds and sells HVAC systems. “Being a mechanical engineer means you can work in just about any sector,” he said.
He also wants to open an engineering school for underprivileged and underrepresented students. “Giving back has always been a goal,” he said.
For Steffes, MATC fueled his dreams, provided him opportunities, transformed his life and inspired him to always reach high. “MATC has been a lifeline and a launch pad,” he said. “It has been an enriching and rewarding experience.”
Learn about MATC’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology program
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.
About PepsiCo Foundation: Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping alleviate hunger, managing water and waste responsibly, and supporting women as champions of nutrition from farm to family. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work — collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance.