Employees share how they feel right at home at MATC
Maiyer Thao (left), Dr. Sadique Isahaku (center) and Karen Feliciano thrive in MATC’s welcoming and caring culture.
Sadique Isahaku, Ph.D., arrived at MATC more than 10 years ago and has never thought about leaving for one second. The work is challenging, the pay rewarding, and the culture welcoming and belonging, according to Dr. Isahaku."MATC has accomplished many great things, and this is an excellent place to work," said Dr. Isahaku, the vice provost of learning. "Many people believe there are greener spaces elsewhere, but I like to remind them that there is fertile ground right here."
"Seeing themselves represented in the diversity of faculty and staff is important to our students," said Laquitha "Elle" Bonds-Jones, vice president of human resources. MATC has a diverse team of employees — 39% identify as people of color — serving the students who make the college one of the most diverse two-year institutions of higher education in the Midwest.
"MATC prides itself on being a premier place to work in the region, with a culture of commitment, caring, character and continuous improvement," Bonds-Jones said. "Our ultimate goal is that all employees feel a sense of belonging, our team members treat each other with respect and kindness, interact openly and with empathy, and value different perspectives," she added.
The college also offers competitive salaries and good benefits like paid time off, flexible work opportunities, tuition remission and reimbursement, and plentiful professional development opportunities, Bonds-Jones said.
To find candidates, the talent acquisition team attends job fairs, uses recruitment platforms that specifically reach candidates who reflect the student population, and networks with professional groups, Bonds-Jones said.
"A healthy culture is vital to the success of any organization, especially one as diverse as ours, where inclusion and social mobility are at the forefront of our work," said MATC President Anthony Cruz, Ed.D. "Embracing inclusivity and shared goals promotes unity, stronger relationships and a more effective approach to problem-solving and community building. My commitment is a caring culture centered on excellence and endless opportunities."
Here are stories from three members of MATC’S workforce:
MAIYER THAO Student Services Specialist
Maiyer Thao sees herself in many of the students she serves.
Thao has worked at MATC for one year, first as a student employment assistant at the college’s CareerHub and currently as a student services specialist, a position that is supported with funding from Employ Milwaukee’s U.S. Department of Labor Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program.
The youngest of seven children of Hmong parents who emigrated from Asia in 1976, Thao was taught to work hard and to value education, but often she had to seek out the right resources to succeed.
"Many of the students I work with are non-traditional, first-generation college students, often from marginalized groups," Thao said. "As a young girl, I loved education, and I’ve always dreamed of making an impact on my community by ensuring students succeed in their academic journey. At MATC, I get to do that every day."
In 2017, Thao graduated from Hamilton High School in Sussex. She earned a bachelor’s degree in December 2020 and a master’s degree in May 2022 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is the first in her family to get a master’s degree.
Thao is active in Milwaukee’s Hmong community. She is involved with the college’s Asian Student Association, is part of the national Southeast Asian Youth Education Committee and participates in Our Scholarship Inc., a nonprofit group based in Milwaukee that raises scholarship funds for Southeast Asian high school and college students.
"I believe it is valuable to celebrate everyone and to take the time to learn about other cultures," she said.
Thao was attracted to MATC by its commitment to helping every student succeed, and she has flourished in the college’s supportive environment.
"We are persistent and focused on our mission," she said. "My supervisors have been very supportive of my advancing, prospering and seeking out opportunities that utilize my skills to the fullest. There is a lot of space to grow here."
"I have recommended MATC to others as a place to work and will continue to recommend it," Thao added. "This is a great place to be. The college appreciates you, values you and celebrates you."
SADIQUE ISAHAKU, Ph.D. Vice Provost, Learning
Dr. Sadique Isahaku candidly concedes he came to MATC for personal, professional and pecuniary reasons.
"We transform lives here and that aligns with what I wanted to do," he said. "When I looked at the job description, I knew I could do everything in this job, and I could make more than where I was."
Dr. Isahaku, who received his early education in Ghana and Nigeria, came to MATC in 2014 and has loved every minute of it.
"I’m grateful and happy to work here every day. I feel valued and I feel respected," he said. "No place is perfect, but I feel we have a responsibility to be the best we can be in our professions."
Before coming to MATC, Dr. Isahaku worked for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, coordinating the education programs and overseeing the career and technical education programs in all of the state’s adult correctional facilities. Previously, he was an assistant professor of education at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, for eight years.
He came to the United States from Norway, where he earned a degree in welfare and development economics, and taught for several years.
At MATC, Dr. Isahaku leads through trust, transparency and innovation.
"I’m not infallible, and I want those who work with me to know I am approachable," he said. "I’m not afraid to try new things. I can be a risk-taker, but I receive support from colleagues and leaders to explore new ways of doing things."
As a student support specialist, Maiyer Thao (above) gives students the same spirit of support she receives from her supervisors at MATC. Dr. Sadique Isahaku (right) leads by example as the vice provost of learning. Karen Feliciano (far right) moved to Milwaukee when she was 15, speaking very little English. Because of her own experiences as a bilingual student, she started a bilingual welding program.
KAREN FELICIANO. Welding Instructor and Program Chair
Karen Feliciano knows that every obstacle can be overcome.
Feliciano, who has served as a welding instructor at MATC since 2021, moved to Milwaukee from Puerto Rico at age 15. She spoke little English. In high school, she got help from English as a second language teachers. But in college, she was on her own. She spent hours translating her homework into Spanish so she could understand the concepts, then translating it back to English to communicate her ideas to her instructors.
She persevered and earned a degree in welding from Waukesha County Technical College. She worked as a welder, assembler and plant supervisor at various firms before turning to teaching. Her own experience as a student motivated her to develop a bilingual (English/Spanish) welding program at MATC, modeled on one she started at WCTC.
She started the program in June 2022 with 15 bilingual students. The first cohort graduated in the spring of 2023, and another 32 students signed up for the second cohort, receiving their technical diplomas in May 2024.
"My students inspire me," Feliciano said. "I see the challenges I faced when I moved to Wisconsin. I know how much I struggled when I was first starting out in this career. But I see myself in their successes, too."
Today, Feliciano is the program chair of MATC’s welding department, and she has gained the respect of her peers and college administrators for her strong leadership. She is a role model for her team and provides a large department with the organization and resources needed for student success. And, she manages a welding grant funded by Congress.
In July 2024, she was honored as the Women in Construction Educator of the Year by the Daily Reporter, a newspaper that covers the construction industry across the state.
"I realized that I not only had a passion for metal fabrication and welding, I also had a passion for education," she said. "You could say I found my calling in life. At MATC, I get to incorporate my love for metal fabrication, welding and teaching all at once. And I have the privilege of watching my students learn and improve their skills."
"I have no words to describe how grateful I am to this college and to the Manufacturing, Construction and Transportation Pathway for the opportunity and for believing in me from day one," Feliciano added.