MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

The College Council recently finalized the 2007-2008 strategic goals for the college and is anxious to share them with you at Convocation, August 21 and 22. Learner Success will also be sharing the newly drafted Academic Plan and soliciting your input. These exciting plans for the college will keep us focused on how we can best serve our students and continue taking MATC from a good school to a great school.

We just received some promising news regarding the Fort Atkinson Campus fundraising project. Our efforts are working! Stay tuned for the exciting details on my next letter.

MATC Marvels
The first annual Tech College for Kids at the Portage Campus was a huge success. Fifteen enthusiastic students participated in the event. Three MATC instructors - Theresa Valencia, Brian Schmoldt and Lynn Scharf - conducted workshops. John Kinsler, academic advisor, and Linda Fehd, administrative assistant, served as the co-coordinators of the event. As you know, these kinds of events do not take place without a team effort, so the entire Portage staff should be recognized: Sue Nania, Theresa Smith, Kathy Frost, Betty Rockett, Greg Klinkner and Mike Reid. The event was funded by a grant from the MATC Foundation.

On July 29 Janet Sperstad, meeting and event management instructor, received the International Planner of the Year award from Meeting Professionals International (MPI) at their annual meeting in Montreal. A 20-year MPI member, Janet was recognized for helping create and develop MATC’s associates degree program for Meeting and Event Management, the only one of its kind in the nation. Janet’s award from MPI, an organization with 20,000 members in 68 chapters and clubs across the United States, Canada, Europe and other countries throughout the world is a shining example of how our faculty personify “real world smart.â€?

Nancy Reinhardt, my administrative assistant, has been appointed to the Wisconsin Association for Career and Technical Education (WACTE) board of directors. This state-wide organization unites individuals involved in career and technical education, provides professional development, encourages leadership in the political arena, and promotes innovative change to enhance lifelong learning. Nancy joins David Shonkwiler, newly-elected WACTE president, in representing MATC within the organization leadership.

It is a pleasure for me to be out in the community each week representing MATC and spreading the word about all the great things we are achieving. Recently I took part in these events:

• Met with the new president of ITAWI (Information Technology Association of Wisconsin), John Gee.
• Attended Concert on the Square with Deb Archer, president and CEO of the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, Secretary of Agriculture Rod Nilsestuen and Associate Secretary of Tourism Mark Richardson.
• Met with Edgewood College President Dan Carey and representatives of US Bank.
• Co-hosted a group of individuals from Madison Rotary Club for a boat ride around the lake.
• Participated in the Urban League of Greater Madison Board meeting.
• Attended Rotary Club of Madison where author Ben Logan talked about his book, The Land Remembers. Debbie Derr, Vice President for Learner Success, was inducted as a new member.
• Visited with MATC Foundation donor Spike Ehlers.
• Recognized our student intern at the UW-Madison PEOPLE (Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence) Program recognition banquet, where I sat with First Lady Jessica Doyle and UW-Madison Dean of Education Julie Underwood.

In closing, here is a quote from Peter Lynch, author of the number one national bestseller Beating the Street and of the bestselling One Up on Wall Street:

“You can’t see the future through a rearview mirror.â€?

Thanks for all you do for our students!

Bettsey