I have never received so much support in my whole life, and I am so grateful for it.
Melissa Nemitz happily had her hands full.
At the same time, she held her 15-month-old son, Atrayus, in her arms, a sippy cup with a straw sticking out of it in one hand, and a certificate she received for completing Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Integrated Education and Training (IET) program in the other.
She was overjoyed to be overloaded.
“I have never received so much support in my whole life, and I am so grateful for it,” said Nemitz, who had a drug addiction and has been sober for two years. “They took a girl from the streets and helped me make something of myself. They showed me that anything is truly possible.”
On Thursday, May 14, Nemitz was one of 19 students to receive IET completion certificates at the MATC Education Center at Walker’s Square. In IET, students take college courses while simultaneously completing their alternative high school credential, like a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) or General Education Development (GED) certificate.
The students earned certificates in Healthcare Customer Service and Office Technology. At Thursday’s ceremony, Nemitz served as the student speaker.
“Some of us had to work twice as hard to stand where we are today,” she told her classmates. “Today, we keep proving that we are capable of more than anyone ever expected.”
Lisett Roman, coordinator of the IET program, praised Nemitz’s persistence and resilience. “She always kept going, always kept moving forward,” Roman said. “Being a mom and going to school is never easy. We are so proud of what she has been able to accomplish.”
As a youngster, Nemitz became a ward of the state and lived in various foster homes. She dropped out of high school during her freshman year and never returned.
“I didn’t have anyone giving any guidance at all,” she said.
Without direction, she became mixed up in alcohol, drugs and crime. Eventually she sought help and entered a recovery program. She found out about MATC, the high school completion programs and the IET program.
“I wanted to better my life; I wanted to get my high school diploma,” she said. “I wanted to break the bad cycle I was in.”
At first, stepping into a classroom at age 42 was daunting, she admitted. “It was scary. It was intimidating,” she said. “But with the help I received from my advisors and my instructors, I pushed through any fears and doubts that I had. They really helped me believe in myself.”
Nemitz will receive her HSED on May 21. She plans to return to MATC and enroll in the Phlebotomy technical diploma program. Eventually she wants to get an associate degree in nursing and work as a traveling nurse.
The IET program aims to be the start of an educational journey, said Dr. Josephine Gomez, dean of community education and strategic engagement.
“We really admire what you have done,” she told the students at the event. “You did two programs at the same time. That takes courage and bravery. And while life is long, life moves fast. Look how fast you finished this program. Now you can come back and get a technical diploma with five or six classes.”
Earning a technical diploma in phlebotomy takes eight classes and 17 credits, said Dr. Eric Gass, dean of the Healthcare Academic and Career Pathway.
Nemitz already has seven credits toward that, he said.
“We want you to use this program as a springboard for the rest of your future,” Dr. Gass said at Thursday’s event. “We want you to become lifelong learners.”
Learn about MATC’s Integrated Education and Training (IET) 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.