Ms. Vi was more than an MATC Foundation Board member; she was a steadfast champion of opportunity and a tireless ambassador for MATC.
Viola Hawkins, a longtime community activist, a 1985 Milwaukee Area Technical College graduate, and a member of the MATC Foundation Board of Directors who established a scholarship fund at the college, died Monday, December 22, at her Milwaukee home. She was 86.
Hawkins, known to almost everyone as Ms. Vi, was an influencer long before there were any social media platforms. She was a commanding force of inspiration, encouragement and activism in the Milwaukee community for nearly seven decades.
The Ms. Vi Hawkins Grassroots Scholarship, which she started in 2019, helped dozens of young people realize their dreams of higher education.
“Ms. Vi was more than an MATC Foundation Board member; she was a steadfast champion of opportunity and a tireless ambassador for MATC,” said Dr. Anthony Cruz, MATC’s president. “Ms. Vi believed deeply in education’s power to transform lives, and she gave her time, voice and heart to ensure students felt seen, supported and inspired. Her advocacy strengthened partnerships, elevated the Foundation’s mission and opened doors for countless learners.”
Read Ms. Vi's obituary
Born on October 12, 1939, in Grayson, Louisiana, Ms. Vi came to Wisconsin in the 1950s and made Milwaukee her home. She began her long record of volunteering with the Red Cross in the early 1960s, then became involved in numerous neighborhood, tenant and community organizations.
She also became involved in local politics. She marched in protest with some of the giants of the Civil Rights Movement, including Milwaukee’s Father James Groppi and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. She worked with Milwaukee city and county elected officials to make the community safer and better.
After raising two daughters, she enrolled at MATC and earned an associate degree in business administration in 1985. “The instructors were very good, and they had compassion,” Ms. Vi recalled. “People at MATC are very cordial, and you know that you are all there for the same reason.
“The associate degree showed that I took the initiative to take another step forward,” she added. “There’s so much going on in the world that you need to know about.”
After graduating, she worked for the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee for 11 years. She continued volunteering, serving on the city’s Safety and Civic Commission and chairing Milwaukee County’s Commission on Aging. In 2010, she was inducted into the Milwaukee County Senior Citizen Hall of Fame.
After retirement, she traveled extensively, visiting France, Italy and Germany, as well as nearly all of the 50 states. She also organized several dance troupes, including the Jazzy Jewels, which performed at various venues across the city.
She always maintained a positive outlook on life, helping dozens of “godchildren,” as she called many of them, and other young people with advice, wisdom and knowledge.
In 2019, Ms. Vi created her scholarship for eligible students in either the Business and Management or Manufacturing, Construction and Transportation pathways. She always emphasized that this scholarship was not to enable, but to help students achieve.
“Vi served with generosity, wisdom, and unwavering dedication, leaving a lasting imprint on our organization and the community we serve,” said David Megna, president of the MATC Foundation Board. “We are profoundly grateful for her leadership, kindness, and belief in our work. Her legacy will continue to guide us.”
Ms. Vi’s 85th birthday celebration, held October 13, 2024, at the Historic Tripoli Shrine Center, attracted nearly 300 family members, friends, community leaders and elected officials.
She returned to MATC in September 2025, when she was awarded the first Ambassador Award, one the Presidential Medals of Distinction created by Dr. Cruz and bestowed during his presidential investiture ceremony.
The Ambassador Award recognizes individuals who have served as exceptional advocates and representatives for MATC, significantly enhancing its reputation, reach and relationships within the community and beyond.
“Ms. Vi led with grace, integrity and generosity, always lifting others as she moved our community forward,” Dr. Cruz said. “Her legacy will endure in the students she believed in and the institution she so proudly served with distinction. She will be sorely missed by all.”
About MATC: As 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 the MATC Foundation: As the college’s philanthropic partner, the MATC Foundation’s mission is to build donor relationships to facilitate private investments that remove barriers to education, accelerate careers, and deliver skilled talent to the Milwaukee area. The Foundation also serves as the financial steward of private donations to Milwaukee PBS, a viewer-supported service of MATC. Committed to a prosperous region built on expansive access to education and economic opportunities, the Foundation collaborates with civic leaders, employers, community partners, and MATC alumni, to promote economic opportunity for MATC students, their families, and our entire region.