MATC alumnus Chucky Humphrey (left) and MATC automotive instructor Scott Fisler at Oak Creek Campus
‘Don’t Give Up’
Alumnus who is deaf won’t let anything stand in the way of his dreams A car might make all sorts of noises that indicate there is something wrong with its machinery. Automotive technicians listen for those sounds to efficiently diagnose the problem. SCREECH. CLANK. SCRAPE. GRIND.
A DJ incorporates all kinds of sound effects into a set. Playing music, mixing songs — a DJ’s entire focus is to create a stimulating auditory environment. THUMP. SCRATCH. DROP. REVERB.
MATC alumnus Chucky Humphrey, deaf since he was a toddler, shares the communication barriers he overcame to earn technical diplomas in both automotive maintenance and audio engineering. BUT WHAT IF YOU CANNOT HEAR?
when he was a kid. “There’s this mentality among the deaf community that deaf people can do everything that hearing people can do. But growing up, I did not feel that way. I attended a traditional public school and for the first several years, I did not have a sign language interpreter. I was left to my own devices and read the teacher’s lips as best I could. I just mimicked what the other kids did. I definitely felt left out.” HE DIDN’T DREAM BIG
got an interpreter in middle school. He described it as a culture shock. Suddenly, he could communicate much more easily with his teachers and peers. HUMPHREY FINALLY
he participated in a future work program that exposed him to careers in a variety of environments, IN HIGH SCHOOL,
“Chuck’s confidence on the first day of class stood out to me. I explained that I didn’t have a lot of experience working with students who are deaf and I needed him to coach me and be honest with me. He assured me that he would and then asked, ‘Will I be getting paid to teach you like you’re teaching us?’ Right then, I knew we would have a great semester.”
—KELLY MULVENNA, MATC COMMUNITY EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR
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Milwaukee Area Technical College | Transformations Fall 2021
