MATC helps Automotive Maintenance Technician graduate and young father set an example for his son
Martin Kennedy and his son
The power of a father Martin succeeds in his goals
Martin Kennedy’s world completely changed May 17, 2024. That’s the day his son, Markell, was born. Suddenly the then 22-year-old MATC student and his girlfriend had a lot more to think about than Kennedy doing well in his automotive maintenance classes and getting to his job at Taco Bell on time. “I have learned that nothing is about either of us anymore; it’s all about him,” Kennedy said. “I have become a lot more selfless. This has taught me a whole lot about myself.” Kennedy, his girlfriend and baby boy also received help and support from his girlfriend’s family, from Catholic Charities and from Dr. Reggie Parks, a retention coach in the MATC Drive program, a unique, public-private partnership that offers students support and resources to stay in school and on track to graduate. “At the college, we know that when you have a child, just getting to class or having time to drop them off at child care can be a real challenge,” Dr. Parks said. “We want to have these fathers involved in their children’s lives, and we’re helping as best we can. These students are receiving guidance on parenting and how to be loving, strong, capable and involved fathers.” Dr. Parks connected Kennedy and other automotive students with Milwaukee County’s Fatherhood FIRE (family-focused, interconnected, resilient and essential), a program designed to help young parents become more engaged with their children and more prepared for employment. Fatherhood FIRE serves biological fathers, expectant and adoptive fathers, stepfathers, or persons serving as a father figure for a dependent child or young adult. The program aims to strengthen the bond between fathers and their children by stressing the value of healthy relationships, responsible parenting and economic stability, said Steve Thomas, manager of the Fatherhood FIRE program. In 2024, Dr. Parks invited Thomas to tell automotive students about the Fatherhood FIRE program. Thomas spoke at the Al Hurvis/PEAK Transportation Center at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, and Dr. Josie Veal, MATC’s public health officer, shared medical resources available for infants and toddlers. She also gave students who were young parents books to read to their children. Kennedy was born and raised in Milwaukee. He attended Messmer High School, then in June 2021 he graduated from Milwaukee Public Schools’ Transition High School, which serves students experiencing educational failure, truancy, expulsion, teen pregnancy and other extreme life circumstances. Growing up, he became interested in cars for an unfortunate reason: His family never seemed to have any dependable transportation. “We were always having car problems,” he said. “Something was always breaking down. So I wanted to find a way to help the family out.” Also, before Kennedy’s mother passed away in May 2023, she encouraged him to attend college. He started classes at MATC in January 2024 and graduated with a technical diploma in December 2024. He is currently working as a tire and battery technician at Sam’s Club. “The skills I have now thanks to MATC can follow me anywhere,” Kennedy said. “I want to be able to support my family as much as I can and try to be there for my son. Hopefully he sees me going to work every day. I want to be a good example for him.”
Learn more about MATC Drive at matc.edu.
