Sometimes life can be very stressful. But luckily MATC has counselors and on-campus therapists who can help guide us when we need it most. The advisors and counselors are always willing to help and make time for us students.
As a student in Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Electronic Engineering Technology program, Abel Espino gets amped up about going to class.
“My instructors make me feel that the hard work is all worth it,” Espino said.
Along with receiving exceptional instruction, he’s getting academic and career support from the Northwestern Mutual Foundation that is making his educational journey even more meaningful.
Espino is one of 45 MATC students receiving financial assistance and dedicated support services from a $400,000 grant that Northwestern Mutual awarded to the MATC Foundation, the college’s philanthropic partner, in 2025.
The grant helps students pay for tuition, fees and required supplies during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years, said Naomi Pollek, who leads corporate and employer relations for the MATC Foundation.
This funding is part of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation’s Education efforts, designed to invest in talent from diverse backgrounds in Milwaukee by supporting students from early childhood education through their transition into college and the workforce. Education remains one of the company’s top priorities as it lays the foundation for a strong community and workforce.
“The impact extends across a wide range of in-demand career pathways, including Automotive Maintenance Technician, Business Management, Culinary Arts, IT, Registered Nursing and Welding,” Pollek said.
Beyond this scholarship, Northwestern Mutual partners with more than 25 local public, charter, and choice K-12 “pipeline” schools to foster academic success for all through scholarships, mentorships, and hands-on professional experiences.
The schools include St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, Carmen Schools of Science and Technology, Cristo Rey High School, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, Golda Meir High School, Hmong American Peace Academy, Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School, Milwaukee Academy of Science, Reagan High School, and Rufus King High School.
At MATC, the Northwestern Mutual scholars receive a dedicated advisor, Pollek said. College advisor Wyllyam Holloway meets with as many students as he can each semester, helping them with academic resources, career prep and internships.
“Wyll has been very helpful over the school year with possible job opportunities,” Espino said. “I feel supported at MATC.”
So does Kamardeen Usman, a Northwestern Mutual scholar in the college’s Associate of Science degree program.
“Sometimes life can be very stressful,” Usman said. “But luckily MATC has counselors and on-campus therapists who can help guide us when we need it most. The advisors and counselors are always willing to help and make time for us students.”
And with support outside the classroom, success can follow inside the classroom. Radiography student and Northwestern Mutual scholar Keishlyanne Beauchamp said she had an educational epiphany during anatomy class this spring.
“I was feeling more confident in identifying structures and understanding how anatomy connects to radiology,” Beauchamp recalled. “I was able to understand everything and how it all made sense. That felt like such an achievement.”
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 35,000 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 45 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: For more than forty years the MATC Foundation has been the philanthropic partner of Milwaukee Area Technical College, supporting student success through scholarships, emergency grants, and college initiatives. With a vision of a prosperous region built on expansive access to education and economic opportunities, the MATC Foundation’s mission is to build donor relationships to facilitate private investments, removing barriers to education to accelerate careers and deliver skilled talent to the Milwaukee area. To learn more and explore how to partner with the Foundation, visit matc.edu/foundation.