Metallica is fueling Milwaukee Area Technical College students for a fifth straight year.
MATC is one of 93 schools participating in the Metallica Scholars Initiative, a workforce education program managed by the band’s nonprofit foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH). This year’s program renewal includes a $3.3 million grant, the largest donation since the 2019 launch.
The initiative supports students in heavy metal trades such as HVAC, automotive/diesel, computer numerical control machining, welding, trucking, plumbing and electricity. More programs, including nursing, firefighting and emergency medical technician, were added to that list this year.
For the 2026-27 school year, the MATC Foundation, the college’s philanthropic partner, will receive $15,000 from AWHM to assist students financially.
“We are fully committed and laser focused in connecting students to careers that provide family-sustaining wages and alleviate generational poverty,” MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz said. “The funding from AWMH helps get students into high quality, in-demand programs that meet local employer and community needs, and improves the economic mobility of our graduates.”
MATC has received funding from AWMH each school year since 2022. With this new award, the college has received a total of $200,000 to date, said Naomi Pollek, who leads corporate and employer relations for the MATC Foundation.
“We are extremely happy to continue our partnership with AWMH and Metallica,” Pollek said. “We are looking forward to supporting more students with this new donation, and we are so proud of our past Metallica scholars who have used this resource and have found success.”
So far, MATC has assisted 110 students through this scholarship program, Pollek said.
One of those graduates was Manuel Correa-Coria, a 34-year-old Milwaukee resident who was drowning in credit card debt and overdue bills a few years ago. He enrolled in MATC’s Truck Driving program in January 2026, received a Metallica scholarship and graduated in March 2026. Today, he has a full-time job driving quad-axle dump trucks at a data center project in Port Washington.
“Metallica was there when I needed it most,” Correa-Coria said. “I had about $40 in my savings when I came to MATC. Not knowing how I was going to pay for school was stressful. Getting the scholarship made a huge difference.”
Since the initiative began, more than 13,000 community college students have been supported across the country, earning the skills needed for in-demand careers with family-sustaining pay, according to the American Association of Community Colleges, a longtime partner of AWMH.
“The continued growth of the Metallica Scholars Initiative is a powerful testament to what’s possible when visionary philanthropy and community colleges come together around a shared mission,” said Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard, AACC’s president and CEO.
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. Nearly 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; and 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 40 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 MATC Foundation, visit matc.edu/foundation.
About All Within My Hands (AWMH): Established by the members and management of Metallica in 2017 as a means to invest in the people and places that have supported the band, AWMH is focused on supporting sustainable communities through workforce education, the fight against hunger and other critical local services. All expenses of the AWMH are covered by the band, the board and a few special friends so that 100% of donations go to the organizations it supports. AWMH is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.