MATC Matters

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Only two more weeks until graduation! I’m looking forward to congratulating our December graduates at Commencement on December 20. With the holidays, graduation and end-of-the-semester preparations, December is a busy month for us all!

Don’t forget to stop by the Brink Lounge (701 E. Washington Ave.) tomorrow for the Graphic Design and Illustration Winter Portfolio show from 4 to 8 p.m. This is a great opportunity to see some of the work of these very talented students as they share their portfolios with potential employers.

On Wednesday, MATC will host the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce “Chamber Caféâ€? at the Downtown Education Center from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in D240. Learn firsthand about the “Ins and Outs of Franchisingâ€? from Tim Lightner, Two Men and a Truck’s 2005 International Franchisee of the Year and president of the Madison franchise. The event is free for GMCC members and $10 for non-members. Registration is required; please contact GMCC’s program and event coordinator, Amy Torgeson at 443-1954.

Top off the week with a musical treat courtesy of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. It’s MATC’s Night at the Symphony on Friday. MATC employees are invited to take advantage of discount tickets to the orchestra’s Christmas Spectacular (PDF: 56KB).

On Saturday, the student-organized Breakfast With Santa event is a great reason to “bring your kids to work” and have a little fun with Santa and his elves.

Reminder: Holiday Celebrations
As I mentioned last week, a variety of holiday celebrations are planned for later this month. I think the list bears repeating. I hope you will be able to attend one of these events and help us kick off the season!

To show my thanks for all you do, I invite you to the President’s Holiday Breakfast, Brunch or Lunch held at your work location:

• Fort Atkinson Holiday Brunch, Monday, Dec. 17, 10:30 a.m.-noon (please RSVP with Cindy Bowen at (920) 568-7217.

• Watertown Holiday Lunch, Monday, Dec. 17, 12:30-2 p.m. (please RSVP with Susan Kotur at (920) 206-8003.)

• Portage Holiday Brunch, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Room 102 (please RSVP with Linda Fehd at (608) 745-3103. )

• Reedsburg Holiday Lunch, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 1-2:30 p.m., Room 113 (please RSVP with Patti Fuhrman at (608) 524-7764.)

• Downtown Education Center Holiday Lunch, Thursday, Dec. 20, 12-1:30 p.m., Room D240

• Truax and Commercial Avenue Holiday Breakfast, Friday, Dec. 21, 8-9:30 a.m., Truax Gourmet Dining Room

Mark your calendar for Friday, Dec. 21, for the MATC Holiday Party at the Crowne Plaza Hotel starting at 5 p.m. This year features live entertainment, door prizes and a special guest.

MATC Marvels
Here are this week’s “favorite teachers” as mentioned to me by students:
Peter Vlisides, travel/recreation
Bernardo Hoes, English
Bradley McDowell, psychology

Other MATC Marvels
The Wisconsin Restaurant Association recently named MATC hospitality instructor John “Jack” Hart WRA’s “College Educator of the Year.” The award is part of the organization’s Celebration of Excellence awards program and recognizes individuals who have made contributions to the future of the restaurant industry through their commitment to education.

Thank you to Geoffrey Bradshaw, committee chair of the Wisconsin Technical College System’s International Education Committee, for coordinating the International Business Education Symposium held at MATC last week.

Shawna Carter, service learning coordinator, and Terry Webb, associate vice president for Learner Success, participated at the recent Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) conference. Shawna presented two sessions on the impact of service learning and Terry was part of a panel presentation discussing liberal education.

The Wisconsin Veterinary Technician Association Executive Board has selected MATC science instructor Dr. Janet Romich as “Veterinarian of the Year.” The award recognizes and honors a veterinarian who demonstrates support for veterinary technicians or the advancement of the veterinary technician field.

Congratulations are also in order for Anne Schacherl and all faculty, staff and students involved in our Paralegal Associate Degree and Post Baccalaureate Certificate programs. Through their work, MATC is becoming known for the high caliber of students entering the profession after receiving excellent training at MATC. The Paralegal Program and the State Bar of Wisconsin recently signed and approved a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in providing continuing education opportunities to paralegals in Wisconsin.

Highlights of my week:

• visited College Preparedness & Academic Advancement with Keith Cornille, dean of Learner Development, to hear more about his programs and priorities;
• participated in an AQIP Steering Team meeting
• met with Ken Starkman, dean of Construction, Manufacturing, Apprenticeship and Transportation and visited some of those areas
• met with L. Pendleton Armistead, president of the Clements Group, along with Bob Dinndorf, foundation director, and then joined the MATC Foundation Board where Pend gave a presentation regarding the Foundation’s future plans
• visited the Columbus School Board with MATC District Board member Jerry McGowan to talk about enhancing our services and partnerships with the district. This is one of a series of board-to-board outreach visits that we are making to every one of our 40 school districts
• welcomed participants to the International Business Education Symposium that we hosted
• dropped in at the Student Senate’s teleseminar, “Education for a Sustainable Future;”
• met with Mayor Thomas Clauder, Fitchburg, along with Roger Price, vice president for infrastructure services, to learn more about the City of Fitchburg’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan
• visited with Allie Berenyi and John Stephany’s construction class at the Commercial Avenue Campus. (After I saw the cabin the class is building, I wished I had land in northern Wisconsin so I could purchase one)
• heard about Madison in the 1920s at the Rotary Club of Madison
• attended the MATC Community Show Choir and Jazz Band Seasonal Concert in Mitby Theater
• hosted Marilyn Larson, wife for former English instructor Lloyd Larson; Laurie Mullen, founder and president of Turn Around Teen Educational Counseling Services; David Phaneuf, vice president of operations for Wisco Hotels Group; Dick and Noel Pearson of Pearson Engineering and Brian Basken, Pearson Engineering project manager, at the president’s table in the Gourmet Dining Room
• attended Girl Scouts of Black Hawk Council’s 80th Anniversary Gala
• met the finalists for the position of associate dean for Human and Protective Services
• met with MATC Foundation Board members Peter Foy and Holly Cremer Berkenstadt
• discussed the MATC Foundation’s future plans with Joe Lowndes
• met with representatives of the United Way of Dane County.

I would like to share a quote with you by Leonard Pitts Jr. from today’s Wisconsin State Journal cited in his column, “What works: hire good teachers, get out of the way:”

“No one becomes a teacher to get rich. You become a teacher because you want to give back, you want to shape future generations, you want to change the world.”

Thanks for everything you do for our students!

Bettsey