When this campus opened five decades ago, it represented a promise to the community: a promise of accessible, high-quality education that would adapt to the times and serve the people. Today, we celebrate the fulfillment of that promise.
On Tuesday, October 13, Dorothy Coretto laid eyes on Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Mequon Campus for the first time in nearly two decades.
She couldn’t believe what she saw.
“It certainly wasn’t this big when I was here,” said Coretto, who began working as an administrative assistant at the campus the day it opened in 1976. “It has become something pretty impressive.”
Coretto, who worked at the college for 27 years, was one of nearly 100 MATC District residents, civic leaders, community advocates, business partners and college retirees who gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mequon Campus.
MATC opened regional campuses in Mequon and Oak Creek in the fall of 1976. The college celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Oak Creek Campus last week.
On Tuesday, it was Mequon’s turn to bask in its golden anniversary.
“For five decades, this campus has stood as a cornerstone of opportunity, innovation and community strength here in Mequon and across the greater Milwaukee area,” said Jonathan Mies, the college’s associate vice president of regional campuses. “Looking back, we have 50 years of incredible history to be proud of. Looking forward, our future has never been brighter.”
The Mequon Campus boasts some of the most unique programs in the college, MATC President Anthony Cruz said.
“When this campus opened five decades ago, it represented a promise to the community: a promise of accessible, high-quality education that would adapt to the times and serve the people,” President Cruz said. “Today, we celebrate the fulfillment of that promise.”
The scenic 160-acre campus is well maintained by students in MATC’s Horticulture programs. It also has the only full-service spa, Skyn, operated by the college, and the specialized Electrical Power Distribution lineman program, President Cruz said.
“These incredible programs are the direct result of our unwavering commitment to our civic duty,” President Cruz said. “By working hand-in-hand with industry leaders and local businesses, we ensure that our curriculum stays ahead of the curve. We listen to employers so that we can equip our students with the exact skills the modern workforce demands.”
Andrew Weins learned the business of business at the Mequon Campus. He earned an associate degree in the Supervisory Management accelerated program in 2011, attained a bachelor’s degree from Cardinal Stritch University and opened Camo Crew, a junk removal business in Butler, Wisconsin, in 2022.
“I learned how to make business presentations at MATC. I still have the textbook I used in my first public speaking class,” said Weins, who attended Tuesday’s celebration and toured the campus. “The Army provided me with structure, and MATC gave me lessons in business that I use to this day.”
In the campus cafeteria, visitors viewed design drawings and photographs of the facility from the late 1970s. Guests also toured the campus’s automotive, welding and nursing classrooms, and they got to see the greenhouse, built in 2016; the electrical power distribution training poles; and a historic barn that remains from the farm that existed when MATC purchased the land for the campus in the 1970s.
Students at the campus got free food and t-shirts on Wedmesday, October 14.
President Cruz extended special thanks to MATC retirees, like Coretto, who participated in the celebration. “You helped build the legacy we are celebrating this morning, and we are so grateful to have you back on campus,” he said.
Coretto, who now lives in Hubertus, was working as a secretary at Homestead High School when she took the job at the Mequon Campus. She handled administrative tasks for what was then called the Technical and Industrial programs, then later worked for the Nursing program and finally the Horticulture program.
“I haven’t been back here since I retired,” Coretto said. “It was always such a beautiful campus and I always had a wonderful time working here. I’m so glad I came back.”
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.