0 5 MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE | CELEBRATING ALUMNI 2026
TRANSFORMATIONS
MEQUON AND OAK CREEK
Regional campuses look back at 50 years of transforming lives
CHECOTAS CREATE SECOND STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
EXPERIENCE WISCONSIN’S ONLY TIKI BARBERSHOP
ALUMNUS HELPS VETERANS RECOVER FROM TRAUMA
Fall 2026 1
TRANSFORMATIONS Transformations magazine is a semiannual publication of Milwaukee Area Technical College. It is produced by MATC Marketing and Communications, 700 West State Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233-1443.
PUBLIC GRANTS
EDITOR
“Going the Distance” The High School Equivalency Diploma program at MATC is supported through the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Comprehensive Grant. Page 20
Marija Andric DESIGNER/ART DIRECTOR
Sarah Koch WRITER
Mark Feldmann PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER
Timothy Evans EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Sarah Eslyn DIRECTOR, CONTENT AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Darryll Fortune CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Sharon Grace
Much of the excellent work taking place at MATC is supported by public grants. To see the impact this funding has, check out these stories:
“Another Call of Duty” Veterans outreach is supported by Perkins Student Success. Page 28 “Mission Statement” MATC’s welding programs are supported by a Welding Earmark grant under the direction of lead instructor Karen Feliciano. Page 30 “Climbing to New Heights” MATC’s horticulture programs receive support from the Wisconsin Technical College System Arborist Grant. Page 32
MATC PRESIDENT Anthony Cruz, Ed.D.
MATC DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2026-27 CHAIRPERSON
Erica L. Case Head of Human Resources, LiveWire
MATC FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2026-27 Many of the stories in this issue were made possible by the MATC Foundation, the college’s philanthropic partner. For a complete listing of the MATC Foundation Board of Directors, visit matc.edu/foundation.
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Citlali Mendieta-Ramos Owner/Director of Special Events, Antigua Latin Restaurant LLC TREASURER
Charlotte Hayslett Chairperson, Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee Board of Commissioners SECRETARY
Dr. Waleed Najeeb Medical Director and CEO of the Medpoint Clinics and Vice President of Medical Affairs of the Independent Physicians Network DIRECTORS
Lauren Baker Retired Dr. Katrice M. Cotton District Administrator, School District of Brown Deer Mark F. Foley Attorney, von Briesen & Roper s.c. State Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde Wisconsin State Representative for District 17, Wisconsin State Assembly James M. “Buddy” Robinson IV President, Fabricated Metal Products Inc. and Finnco Fabricating LLC; Founder, Newel Capital LLC
10% Post Consumer Recycled
2 Milwaukee Area Technical College
CONTACT US Get the latest MATC news at matc.edu/news. Email your feedback to communications@matc.edu. FOLLOW US @matcmilwaukee Milwaukee Area Technical College @matcmilwaukee @matcmke
MATC MOMENT
Pride, joy and excitement ruled the day at the 2026 Spring Commencement, when 1,831 MATC students graduated.
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FALL 2026
22 On the Cover The Mequon and Oak Creek campuses celebrate 50 years
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20 GOING THE DISTANCE
From immigrant to college graduate, Paul Sum achieved his dreams at MATC
26 A STERLING EFFORT
Volunteer curator Shelly Culea polishes and preserves MATC’s silver collection
32 12 THE CHECOTA EFFECT
Ellen and Joe Checota launch another scholarship to support MATC students
18 PARADISE FOUND
Meet the MATC alumnus giving cool cuts in Wisconsin’s only tiki-themed barbershop
4 Milwaukee Area Technical College
34 WRITING A NEW CHAPTER
Entrepreneur Miracle Martin turns her love of books into an app
35 REAL-LIFE PROBLEM SOLVER
PepsiCo scholar Malachi Moore takes his virtual survival skills into the financial world
28 28 ANOTHER CALL OF DUTY
Alumnus Richard Clark Jr. gives a lifeline to fellow veterans recovering from trauma
30 MISSION STATEMENT
Instructor Darrel Iwanski takes MATC’s caring culture to the Dominican Republic
32 CLIMBING TO NEW HEIGHTS
Alumna and instructor Johanna O’Boyle gears up for her fifth international tree climbing competition
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IN EVERY ISSUE
02 MATC DISTRICT BOARD 07 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 08 HIGHLIGHTS 36 ALUMNI NEWS 38 IN MEMORIAM
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FINISHING WHAT I START, WHERE I WANT.
HERE’S HOW YOU GET THERE. 6 Milwaukee Area Technical College
Letter From the President I always look forward to the renewed energy that Fall semester brings to our campuses. It is a moment to honor MATC’s rich history while looking forward to a bright future — a legacy rooted in opportunity, resilience and growth. I am continually amazed at the ingenuity of our community, alumni and faculty, and I think you will be too. Decades of excellence This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Mequon and Oak Creek campuses. I invite you to take a nostalgic look back at the early days of these campuses and see their continued growth into vibrant hubs of learning. Investing in the future Generosity continues to shape our students’ success. We are deeply grateful to Ellen and Joe Checota, who have created their second scholarship to provide critical financial support and open doors of opportunity for our students. In this issue, you’ll meet Zoe Salem, Sean Brkich and Larelle Jackson: students who are in the workforce now thanks to the Checota scholarship.
Alumni and faculty spotlights MATC graduates and instructors continue to make waves locally WE WANT TO and globally. HEAR FROM YOU Alumnus and veteran Richard Clark Jr. is using his personal Telling the stories of our experiences with mental health alumni and students is and counseling to assist area something we take great veterans as an outreach program pride in. Help us make specialist with the Milwaukee improvements to the Vet Center. magazine by taking Paul Sum started his MATC a brief survey. See journey alongside his wife in a page 39 for details. high school completion program. After graduating, Paul continued his education to earn an associate degree in Audio Production. Darrel Iwanski, one of our talented welding instructors, travels to the Dominican Republic every year to volunteer with the nonprofit Hands for Hope. He teaches welding classes and helps build essential structures for the local community. Horticulture instructor and MATC alumna Johanna O’Boyle is a five-time Wisconsin Arborist Association female state champion. She is about to compete in her fifth international tree climbing competition. Innovation and entrepreneurship Our community’s creativity extends far beyond the classroom. Alumna Miracle Martin developed BookBlend, an innovative app designed to connect book lovers worldwide. She describes it as “Spotify Blend, but for books.” Barber alumnus Zach Marsh shares the story behind Southpaw Barbershop, possibly the only tiki-themed barbershop in the state. Here’s to honoring our past and building what’s next together. Enjoy the issue!
Anthony Cruz, Ed.D. MATC President CONNECT WITH DR. CRUZ
@dr.anthony_cruz Anthony Cruz, Ed.D.
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Highlights WTCS Student Ambassador chosen for 2026-27
Daniela Reyes
Milwaukee’s future creatives showcase their work THE CREATIVE ARTS, DESIGN AND MEDIA Academic and Career Pathway presented “Serious Play,” a portfolio showcase featuring student work at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. The May 14 event began earlier in the day when students in the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts programs hosted a three-course meal for about 40 employers from local restaurants at MATC’s Cuisine restaurant. Later in the day, the Pathway hosted an open house for employers and community members. Employers toured the college’s state-of-the-art facilities and interacted with students from 12 programs: Animation, Audio Production, Baking and Pastry Arts, Computer Simulation and Gaming, Culinary Arts, Digital Content Creation, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Music Occupations, Photography, Television and Video Production, and Web & Digital Media Design.
Students carved chocolate creations, and chatted with the public about their portfolios at “Serious Play.”
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DANIELA REYES, a student in the Nutrition and Dietetic Technician program, was named MATC’s student ambassador to the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). Each of the 16 technical colleges in the WTCS chooses an ambassador based on academic excellence, professionalism and leadership qualities. The ambassadors represent the WTCS at each campus for one year, working with fellow students and highlighting systemwide programs. Reyes was formally recognized during an annual honors awards ceremony in May. Reyes, who already holds a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro in Querétaro, Mexico, came to MATC in July 2025 to further her career in nutrition. “I’m really looking forward to being the ambassador for MATC,” Reyes said. “As ambassador, I think I can help students, but I want to especially help the Latino community. I feel I have a voice that is being heard, and I know how they feel because I have been in their position.”
News anchor shares life advice with MATC students DIANA GUTIÉRREZ, a news anchor with WISN Channel 12, shared her personal story of perseverance and professional achievement with MATC students and staff on March 11 as part of the President’s Student Leadership Series. Dr. Anthony Cruz, MATC’s president, talked to Gutiérrez about her background, her educational experience, her career and her community work. She also dispensed life advice and answered questions from the audience. She told the students to do something they love, even if it means doing something else to earn money in the meantime. “If you have a passion for something, you’ll always find a way to make it part of your life,” she said. “If you love something, never let it go. One day, an opportunity may come.” Held once a semester and sponsored by the college’s division of Student Engagement and Community Impact, the President’s Student Leadership Series gives MATC students a unique opportunity to hear the educational and professional experiences of leaders in various careers.
Diana Gutiérrez
Athletic facility ground breaking THE COUNTDOWN to a new athletic and training facility, a leisurely,
three-minute stroll from the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, started April 9, when college administrators, developers and local officials (below) broke ground on the $110 million, seven-story, mixed-use project called Fieldhouse Flats. “With this new athletic and training facility, the sky’s the limit for our athletics programs,” Dr. Cruz said at the event.
Located at West Juneau and North Vel R. Phillips avenues in Deer District, MATC’s athletic facility will be on the first floor and will include a double-court gymnasium that seats up to 1,000 spectators, a fitness center, locker rooms, concessions, meeting rooms and training spaces. The facility is expected to be ready in the fall of 2027. Fieldhouse Flats will include 269 market-rate apartments and a 28,500-square-foot parking structure with 278 parking spaces.
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Highlights An oasis of calm for future first responders PROTECTIVE SERVICES STUDENTS received a dedicated relaxationstudy area in May. The space, called Responder Commons, is on the lower level of MATC’s Oak Creek Campus. It includes desks, comfortable chairs, televisions and an area where students can exercise, do yoga, pray, meditate or simply think good thoughts. Studies have shown that students in these programs, which include Criminal Justice, Fire Protection Technician and Emergency Medical Services, can experience high stress levels due to academic pressure, fear of failure and the emotional toll of exposure to crime scene photos and victim stories. Transforming two classrooms into the new space was made possible by grants, according to instructor Doug Braun.
MATC instructor named respiratory therapist of the year INSTRUCTOR DWAYNE SCHLUND was named the Wisconsin Respiratory Therapist of the
Year by the Wisconsin Society for Respiratory Care. Schlund was praised for developing learning agreements with other institutions, refreshing MATC’s curriculum and expanding the Respiratory Therapy program at the Downtown Milwaukee and Mequon campuses. He also was recognized for working to get more respiratory therapists into the workforce. “Everyone needs respiratory therapists,” Schlund said. “This is a career where you can come in and save lives. You can make a direct impact on people in the most critical situations.” Respiratory therapists work in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, rehabilitation facilities, clinics and home care. They make a median salary of $40 per hour (about $83,000 per year), according to federal labor statistics.
College Connections saves students $3.7 million IN THE 2025-26 school year, College Connections students earned 2,112 college
College Connections students visit MATC.
10 Milwaukee Area Technical College
credits and collectively saved $633,600. Since the dual enrollment program began in 2019, more than 900 students have participated, saving more than $3.7 million in college tuition costs. Through College Connections, eligible students from Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) can earn up to 21 free college credits from MATC and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) while completing high school graduation requirements — at no expense to students. “This has been a great program for learning how to talk to new people, how to network and just getting great connections with students and teachers,” said Kaliel Godinez, a Milwaukee School of Languages High School student who graduated in June. She was one of nearly 100 MPS students who completed the College Connections program. College Connections is part of M-Cubed, a partnership between MPS, MATC and UWM working to transform education in the Milwaukee area.
MATC helps Southeast Wisconsin’s economy thrive ABOUT 100 REGIONAL employer partners, community leaders, elected officials and education administrators got a firsthand look at how MATC is boosting the region’s economic power. “At MATC, we serve more than 35,000 students each year across our 180 academic programs,” Dr. Cruz told the audience gathered at the Oak Creek Campus for the March 2 event. “Our students are the undisputed backbone of our region’s workforce.” Dr. Cruz highlighted the successes of MATC and urged guests to continue to support the college as it expands educational opportunities throughout the region. MATC trains graduates for family-sustaining careers, helps employers fill critically needed positions and can quickly adapt its curriculum to meet business needs, Dr. Cruz said. He added that the average graduate earns about $50,000 and 96% of graduates stay in Wisconsin to work, generating about $1.4 billion in economic activity each year. MATC’s impact is possible thanks to partnerships with business and support from local, state and federal governments, Dr. Cruz said, and that support, especially financial assistance through federal grants and aid, must continue. “When our students succeed, employers fill critical roles, families achieve upward mobility and our entire region prospers,” he said.
President and alumni make annual ‘Power Players’ list FOUR PEOPLE with MATC ties made the Milwaukee Business
Journal’s 2026 “Power Players in Southeastern Wisconsin” list, which was released in February. Those recognized were Dr. Cruz and three MATC alumni: Danielle Bergner, an attorney and vice president of the MATC Foundation Board of Directors; Michael Emem, CEO and president of Emem Group; and Jackie Q. Carter, director of employee relations for the City of Milwaukee.
Dr. Anthony Cruz
Danielle Bergner
Milwaukee Business Journal staff chose the list, which spotlights residents who shape development, champion philanthropic activities, and lend their voices and connections when they are needed most. “These are individuals who are getting things done in Southeast Wisconsin — connecting people, winning deals, defining the conversation and generally moving and shaking,” the periodical said.
Michael Emem
Jackie Q. Carter
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THE CHECOTA EFFECT In 2022, Ellen and Joe Checota’s $5 million matching challenge helped hundreds of MATC students graduate and enter the workforce. Now the Checotas have taken their support to the next level.
12 Milwaukee Area Technical College
Ellen and Joe Checota are big fans of Milwaukee. And they are even bigger fans of Milwaukee Area Technical College. “Ellen and I have lived in Milwaukee most of our lives, and we raised and educated our children in Milwaukee,” said Joe Checota, a developer of medical facilities. “We have long recognized that MATC has established the gold standard for first-rate trade and technical education in greater Milwaukee.”
In 2022, Joe and his wife backed up those words by creating the Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program, a matching challenge that raised $8.5 million to provide comprehensive support to MATC students enrolled in trade and technical programs. Those Checota scholarships, which funded the cost of tuition, books, supplies, meals, transportation and child care, have helped hundreds of MATC students graduate and move into the workforce. In March 2026, the Checotas and MATC announced the Second Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program to help even more students, especially those in manufacturing and construction programs. “Ellen and I established our two MATC scholarship programs to provide financial support to our fellow Milwaukee citizens who need a leg up to improve their lives and the lives of their
families,” Joe Checota said. “We believe the Second Checota MATC Scholarship Program will help change the lives of an additional 2,500 greater Milwaukee residents and their families.” Here’s how the second matching challenge works: For every $500,000 raised by the MATC Foundation, the Checotas and MATC will match that amount, up to $5 million each. This twofor-one match could potentially create a $15 million scholarship fund that would be the largest in MATC history. MATC students enrolled in eligible programs must maintain a C average and earn nine credits each semester to qualify for the continuation of financial support from the Second Checota MATC Scholarship Program. “As we look to the future of MATC, the Second Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program is about honoring a legacy while investing in possibility,” said Dr. Anthony Cruz, MATC’s president. “This scholarship opens doors for students who have the talent and determination to succeed but need financial support to stay on their path. When we sustain opportunities like this, we change lives, strengthen families and build a more vibrant Milwaukee for generations to come.” Here is a closer look at how the Checota scholarship has changed the lives of several MATC graduates.
1,674
Checota scholars served as of Fall 2025
Samantha Albert (left), an original Checota scholar, graduated in 2024 thanks to the scholarship created by Ellen and Joe Checota (above).
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THE CHECOTA EFFECT
ZOE SALEM
Practical Nursing Growing up on Milwaukee’s North Side, Zoe Salem knew all about MATC. “The college always seemed convenient and affordable,” she said. Salem graduated from Wauwatosa East High School in 2016. She considered a career in the music industry but shifted gears and became interested in healthcare. In 2022, she enrolled in the college’s Practical Nursing program. She took a job in the college’s CareerHub, and in the fall of 2023, received the Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship. She received her technical diploma in Practical Nursing in 2025 and today works as a nursing assistant at Aurora Health Care in Waukesha. “At MATC, I found out that I didn’t have to go through college alone,” Salem said. “Because of Checota, I am one of many students who were able to achieve their degree and graduate successfully. I’m proud of myself for pushing through, growing and becoming the nurse I always hoped I would be. “I’m excited to continue making a difference, keep learning and provide compassionate, patient-centered care,” she said.
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THE CHECOTA EFFECT
SEAN BRKICH
Welding Sean Brkich never received a single scholarship in high school. “Not even a small one, for like $20,” said Brkich, who graduated from West Allis Central High School in 2017. He finally got one at MATC, and it made all the difference in his life. He graduated with a CNC Setup and Operations certificate. After a few years, he returned to MATC and enrolled in the Welding program. “I wanted to broaden my range of education. I love going to school and love learning new things,” he said. After Brkich enrolled in MATC’s Welding program in the fall of 2024, he applied for and received the Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship. “I can’t tell you how helpful the Checota scholarship was,” Brkich said. “All the time I have spent at MATC has brought me to this great place and the Checota scholarship absolutely helped me get there.” The Checota MATC Scholarship Program made college easier. “With the food plan I could eat before or after class. The support I received was just tremendous. When I needed a new welding shirt, I got one,” he said. “I got very prompt responses for anything I needed or questions I had.” Brkich graduated in 2025 and soon found a job at a machine shop in Menomonee Falls. “They contacted me and made me an offer I really couldn’t refuse,” he said. “I work the CNC machines and do some welding. Places like it when you are versatile and can do a lot of things. It has worked out great.” With a technical diploma, in-demand skills and a full-time job, Brkich is looking at a bright future. “A few years ago, I didn’t feel like I was in a very good spot,” he said. “Today, I have skills that I can take anywhere in the world and find a job. I recommend MATC to anyone who will listen. It’s an education you can’t get anywhere else.”
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THE CHECOTA EFFECT
LARELLE JACKSON
Electrical Power Distribution When Larelle Jackson graduated from high school in May 2026, the 18-year-old had a technical diploma from MATC and a full-time job as a line mechanic at We Energies’ Metro North facility. That job pays $30 to $54 per hour, depending on experience, according to Lightcast Data. “I will say that I’m really stoked to start working,” Jackson said with a smile. “I think I’m in a great spot. I feel extremely accomplished.” And he should, said Dr. Cruz, who noted that Jackson is “entering the middle class before many of his peers are finishing their first year in college. This is a life changer for Larelle and for his family.” While attending Rufus King International High School in Milwaukee, Jackson participated in We Energies’ youth summer internship program, learning about the city’s electrical infrastructure and working beside We Energies line mechanics. Participating in the program gave Jackson real insight into what linemen do. He enrolled at MATC in the fall of 2025. He also applied for and received the Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship. “Any time I needed anything, the Checota people were on it,” Jackson said. “I’m so thankful for how the program helped me.” Jackson trained in MATC’s Electrical Power Distribution/Line Mechanic program at the college’s Metcalfe Park facility, learning the basics in electrical power distribution, rescue and safety, and general workplace communication. EPD instructor Eddie Nash said that Jackson showed aptitude and initiative at Metcalfe Park. He added: “Larelle will be both a successful line mechanic and a valuable asset to his community. I look forward to witnessing his future success.”
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THE CHECOTA EFFECT
Ready to be part of the Checota Effect? Support students like Zoe, Sean and Larelle by helping the MATC Foundation and MATC reach a historic $15 million fundraising goal through a 2-for-1 matching challenge with the Second Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program. Ellen and Joe Checota have committed up to $5 million to fasttrack students in technical and trade programs into the workforce. They have challenged the community and the college to match their generosity. Join us and be part of transforming lives. 2-FOR-1 MATCHING CHALLENGE
DONATE TODAY
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Zach Marsh, owner of Southpaw Barbershop
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Paradise Found MATC alumnus Zach Marsh runs a tiki-themed barbershop in Wisconsin The tropics of Tonga, the sparkling teal ocean of Tahiti and the tasty surf waves of Waikiki Beach are thousands of miles away from the thoroughly four-season Wisconsin city of St. Francis. For Zach Marsh, a balmy tropical paradise is close — it’s on East Layton Avenue and he visits there almost every day. Nestled inside Serendipity Hair Salon, owned by his sister, Whitney Snow, is a world in epic contrast to the long suburban strip mall, paved streets and oak trees: an enchanting sanctuary of bamboo, carved tiki statues and fanciful bac bac mattings; where painted skulls dangle from the ceiling and wooden arrows puncture the walls; where tiki mugs and exotic swizzle sticks are proudly displayed; where surf music and brandy-scented aftershave fill the air. Aloha and welcome to Southpaw Barbershop, believed to be the only tiki-themed barbershop in Wisconsin. Marsh, a 2016 graduate of MATC’s Barber program, has owned the shop since 2018 and went with the tiki theme in 2022. “It’s about the vibe,” said Marsh, a 47-year-old with a coiffed head of dark hair and a neatly-trimmed beard. He sports Clark Kent eyeglasses and a brash Hawaiian shirt. Sometimes he wears a hep cat fedora. Tattoos cover both arms. “I want to transport customers to Tahiti, to Polynesia, to a place that doesn’t have snow and cold, to any place where they would want to relax.” And relaxing is what his clients do when they visit Southpaw. Marsh takes his time, spending at least 45 minutes with each customer, chatting, cracking jokes, asking questions and connecting. “I never wanted to do 15- or 20-minute haircuts,” he said. “I want to give customers a longer experience, a better experience.” So far, it’s working. Marsh is booked for weeks at a time. He was recently featured in an article on the website OnMilwaukee. In a recent issue of Exotica Moderne magazine, he got a two-page spread. He has become a fixture at tiki culture events around the country. While he’s not big into social media, his few Instagram posts have attracted customers from Austria, the United Kingdom, New York City and Los Angeles. “I have customers from all walks of life,” he said. “Everyone is welcome. All I ask is that you are positive and happy.”
A youth adrift
It took a while for Marsh to become the barber he is today. After graduating from South Milwaukee High School in 1997, he headed to MATC, where his mother, Rae Lynn Marsh, worked as a psychology instructor, for the first of three stints at the college. But he was more interested in skateboarding than studying. “I was a lost young man,” he said. “The last thing I wanted to do was work hard.” He tried various careers. He returned to MATC for a second time and enrolled in the Emergency Medical Technician program. At 23, he married Jennifer, a Registered Nursing graduate. A year later they had a son, then a second son in 2005. With a family to support, Marsh took a job at an auto dealership, repairing cars and working as a service advisor. On that job he learned the fine points of customer service. “Everybody wants to be treated well,” he said. “Greeting people. Using first names. Smiling. Being knowledgeable about what you’re doing. That’s all huge and I think it’s lacking these days.”
After 11 years, Marsh was ready for a change. He craved an outlet for his interest in style, fashion and creativity. He landed on barbering. “I always had great haircuts when I was a kid,” he said. “I was the guy in sixth grade who had frosted tips.” In January 2016, he enrolled in MATC’s Barber program and graduated the following October. “I took to it pretty well,” he said. “I was testing out what I was learning with my family and friends in my basement. I discovered I had a passion for barbering.” His MATC instructors emphasized the power of personal connection, and Marsh learned his lessons well, said Victor Zarate, lead faculty of the MATC Barber program. “Zach is passionate about the profession and demonstrates this through his creativity,” Zarate said. “Imparting high-quality customer service and a welcoming environment speak to what he is all about.”
Island of tranquility
After working in a South Milwaukee salon for two years, he went out on his own in 2018. His business survived the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered nearly half of the nation’s barber shops and beauty salons, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, an independent federal agency that helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Marsh’s style of taking his time and being personable bore fruit. His regular client list grew. So did his love of all things tiki. He started to frequent Foundation, a tiki bar in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood, and others across the country. Marsh began collecting mugs, postcards, matchbooks, ashtrays, artwork, vintage masks and woodcrafts. In 2022, he merged his two loves into a tiki-themed shop, a place where clients would be immersed in the sights and sounds of the tropics and get personalized service. He did some research and couldn’t find any tiki barbershops in the country. “I was nervous when I first opened,” Marsh said. “This is an extremely competitive business. But I thought I had something unique to offer.” Marsh’s customer Brett certainly thinks so. He’s been coming to Southpaw practically since it opened. On a sunny, frosty February morning, he arrived for an appointment. He needed his hair cut and his long, thick beard trimmed for his brother’s wedding. While chatting with Brett, Marsh worked slowly, expertly clipping and razoring away hair. He lathered up soap in a ceramic tiki cup, dabbed it on Brett’s neck and sharpened a bright silver straight razor. “Zach is such a cool guy and this is such a cool place,” Brett said. “He’s a great guy to talk to. I’ve always left here happy.” Brett took one last look in the mirror and smiled. Every hair was neatly in place. His neck was shaved smooth; his beard snipped to the perfect length. A few splashes of brandy-scented aftershave were the perfect finishing touch to his relaxing 45-minute session. “Bingo,” Brett said. “You got it.” “That’s the goal,” said Marsh, as he whisked away hair from the 100-year-old chair that clients use. “I want people to leave with exactly what they asked for.” ■
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Going the Distance From High School Equivalency Diploma student to college graduate, Paul Sum achieved his MATC dream
Whenever Paul Sum wanted to move forward, MATC was there for him. Sum and his wife, Lian Nu, came to the United States from Malaysia in June 2014, and they struggled to find work and to get around Milwaukee. “We had no car. We didn’t speak much English,” Sum recalled. “It was a very difficult life.” The couple read online about MATC and in 2017 enrolled in English as a Second Language classes. They took courses while they worked and slowly improved their proficiency. In December 2023, they both received their High School Equivalency Diplomas (HSED) from the college. Sum didn’t stop there. He enrolled in MATC’s Audio Production program, attending classes full time, working part time at night
20 Milwaukee Area Technical College
and delivering packages for Amazon and food for Uber Eats. He completed his homework in the early morning hours and on the weekends. “Sometimes I was working on my assignments until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.,” he said. “Some days I slept about four hours.” His dedication and hard work has paid off. He made the honor roll in four straight semesters and earned his associate degree at MATC’s 2025 Winter Commencement at Fiserv Forum. “It has been worth it,” Lian said. “He is so proud of himself. He really likes to learn, and he loves the Audio Production program. I know there were times he wanted to give up, but he kept going.” The Audio Production program combines creative and practical aspects of sound and music, and prepares students to work as broadcast technicians, sound engineering technicians and media
collections specialists — careers that can pay up to $30 or more per hour based on experience, according to Lightcast Data. “For me, the program was very difficult, but I loved the practical part of it,” Sum said. “All of my instructors were great. They all helped me and supported me when I needed it.” Theodore King-Smith, an instructor who taught Sum in several courses, said that Sum was an excellent student. “Having finished the ESL program beforehand, Paul was able to keep up with ease,” King-Smith said. “He also has a good ear for music and sound, which helped him understand the concepts in classes quickly, even if there were some new terms he hadn’t heard before. “Paul was also quite humble in class, eventually sharing his musical talents on guitar, bass and drums for several recording sessions,” King-Smith added. “I am proud of the trajectory he has had at MATC and will continue to have in his career.” Throughout his time at MATC, the college created a supportive environment for Sum as he adapted to life in the United States. “MATC has been great for us,” Sum said. “I love the college. They have been very supportive. All of the teachers and instructors we have had have been great, and they really help immigrant people. They have helped my entire family move forward.” Today, Sum is working as an on-call sound engineer, managing and operating audio equipment for live events and corporate meetings. He sets up microphones, adjusts audio levels, resolves technical issues, and ensures performers and presenters can clearly hear themselves. Sum hopes his journey will motivate and inspire his three children, now 15, 14 and 10 years old. “As immigrant parents, we are the example for our children,” Sum said. “We want to encourage them and show them our efforts.” ■
MATC SPOTLIGHT
Meet the master mixers Behind the sounds that make a live concert unforgettable, a podcast dramatic or a video game realistic, you’ll find audio engineers and other sound technicians. These master mixers use art and science to tell stories with sounds, and MATC has a program for that: Audio Production. This associate degree program prepares students for the creative and practical aspects of working with live and recorded sound. Course topics include live sound, studio engineering, field recording, sound for film and sound for interactive applications. Graduates of the program go on to work as audio and visual technicians, broadcast technicians, or sound engineers, to name a few occupations. Freelance artists also have opportunities in social media and other online platforms.
Learn more about Audio Production and related programs at matc.edu (search Audio Production).
Paul Sum (opposite) went on to earn an associate degree in Audio Production after he and his wife, Lian Nu, (above) got their High School Equivalency Diplomas at the college.
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0 5 Golden Anniversary
The Mequon and Oak Creek campuses celebrate 50 years of transforming lives
IN 1976 Summerfest tickets cost $2.50, the Great Ice Storm put Wisconsin in a deep freeze, and the Mequon and Oak
Creek campuses opened their doors to students. To celebrate this milestone
birthday, Transformations designer Sarah Koch worked with librarian and archivist
Jeff Beder to create this look back at the early days of both MATC campuses.
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A TECHNICAL COLLEGE EDUCATION is in demand in the 1970s, and MATC quickly recognizes the need to expand. Local vocational schools in Cudahy, South Milwaukee and Port Washington are consolidated and absorbed by MATC. The college chooses two sites for its new regional campuses: one on South Howell Avenue in Oak Creek and another on Highland Road in Mequon. Channel 4 covers the 1974 ground breaking of Oak Creek Campus, then known as the South Campus (top and right). The ground breaking for the Mequon Campus, then known as North Campus, follows in 1975 (above).
50 Mequon Campus From the moment MATC President George A. Parkinson (right, in glasses) put a shovel in the ground, construction of the Mequon Campus took off. Mequon quickly became known for an automotive program that worked with local car dealers and horticulture programs that cultivated the next generation of arborists and landscapers. Horticulture students got hands-on experience tending plants in the greenhouses (bottom right) and getting behind the wheel of a tractor (bottom left). The plant sale (below) remains a community favorite. Today, Mequon Campus offers programs in healthcare, electrical power distribution, health and wellness, and aesthetics.
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Oak Creek Campus The campus becomes a center for internships, aviation, industrial programs and protective services. These archival photos show steamfitting students learning theory in the classroom (bottom right), while students in diesel engines repair a motor (left). The campus’s setting makes it an ideal home for the college’s baseball team (bottom left). Below: The community celebrates the ground breaking.
FLASH BACK TO 1976
• Jimmy Carter defeats Gerald Ford in the presidential election.
• The U.S. celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
• “Rocky” and “Carrie” open in movie theaters; “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” wins the Oscar for best picture.
• Apple Computer Company opens for business April 1.
• The Eagles release “Hotel California.”
• The theme song of “Welcome Back, Kotter” goes to No. 1. • Sirloin steak costs $1.69 per pound. • Gallon of gas costs 61 cents. • 600,000 Wisconsinites go without power during the Great Ice Storm of 1976.
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A Sterling Effort For nearly 20 years, Shelly Culea has cared for and preserved MATC’s silver collection
There was a time when people served meals on exquisitely crafted china, drank from finely cut crystal glasses and ate with handwrought, gleaming silverware. “We used to find in our hearts and in our souls a love of fine art,” said Shelly Culea, a Mequon resident, silversmith, jewelry maker and artist. “Life moves fast today. I understand that we cannot live in the past. The best we can do is protect its treasures.” For nearly 20 years, Culea has been doing just that, polishing, promoting and protecting as volunteer curator of MATC’s silver collection. Housed at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, the collection contains 65 pieces and includes handmade sterling silver tea cups, chalices, flatware, candy bowls, candle holders, candle snuffers, vases, spoons, pitchers and jewelry.
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The pieces, some of which are more than a century old, were crafted by Emil F. Kronquist, an original faculty member of the Milwaukee Continuation School, which eventually became MATC, and world-renowned Danish silversmith Georg Jensen. Also in the collection are several instructional panels that Kronquist made to demonstrate how to craft items. Kronquist retired in 1951 and donated his collection of silver pieces and instructional panels to the college in 1959. The story of the collection forever entwines Kronquist, MATC and Culea. And like all good stories about priceless historical artifacts, it includes traces of mystery and intrigue. It’s a tale of gifts made and treasure buried, rediscovered, lost again and then gloriously restored.
Culea was especially taken with Kronquist’s instructional panels. For two decades the collection was “They are beautiful,” she said. “The displayed in a classroom at the Downtown effort Emil went through to teach students Milwaukee Campus where the public could his craft was exquisite. You don’t see work freely come and admire it. like this anymore.” That all changed in the late 1970s, In 2014, the college had the collection when brothers Nelson and William Hunt, appraised by Drucker Antiques, a New billionaires from Texas, attempted to corner York firm that specialized in Georg Jensen the global silver market and sent the price silver. Drucker catalogued and valued the of the metal to what was then an all-time collection at about $160,000. high of nearly $50 per ounce. Today, with the price of silver reaching On high alert that someone might snatch nearly $80 per ounce, it’s worth probably the Kronquist collection and turn it into cash, MATC shuttered the gallery and 10 times that, Culea estimated. stored the collection. No one would lay Since 2009, Culea has polished all the eyes on it for almost two decades. relics once every two years. She carefully The Kronquist collection reappeared in uses Goddard’s Silver Foam to wash the 1997 when put on display at Villa Terrace, pieces and a 100% cotton cloth to dry a decorative arts museum in Milwaukee. them. The process takes about four hours, Culea attended the show and was awed. she said. “That show made quite an impact on me,” Culea polished the collection for the she said. “It last time in was simply April 2026. magnificent.” Now, at 76 After three years old, months at she is ready Villa Terrace, to hand over “Some things are worth saving the collection those duties once again to someone and this collection is one of disappeared. who More than them. It’s priceless.” shares her a decade enthusiasm went by. One for the SHELLY CULEA, day in 2009, collection’s silversmith, jewelry maker and artist Culea found unique herself in the combination president’s of artistry office at and history. “I have been thinking about the Downtown Milwaukee Campus. On leaving for a few years,” she said. “This a whim, she asked the assistant if she represents a lost art, and I’m trying to keep had ever heard about the college’s silver it as front and center as I can,” she said. collection. “It has been an honor for me to work with The assistant led Culea into the darkened these treasures.” office of the president. Without switching Elizabeth Schultz, senior executive on any lights, she led her into the private assistant to the president and the MATC bathroom attached to the office. There, she District Board, has worked with Culea for opened a wooden closet and began to move the past decade and also wants to see the folded towels and other linens. Behind the collection remain relevant. stacks of cloth shone almost every piece of “I believe we should care about our the Kronquist collection. cultural artifacts,” Schultz said. “I was completely stunned,” Culea said The Museum of Danish America in of the discovery. Elk Horn, Iowa, has expressed an interest in adding the pieces to its collection of Preserving the collection 35,000 artifacts. Ideally, Culea would love Culea quickly offered to become the to see the college donate the collection to curator of the collection. Without formal the Milwaukee County Historical Society museum training, she created the displays Center, where it could be permanently on seen today in the MATC board room. display and appreciated every day. “It’s a beautiful collection of artifacts by “Some things are worth saving and this supremely talented artisans,” wrote Hazel collection is one of them,” Culea said. L. Wheaton in an article published in Art “It’s priceless.” ■ Jewelry magazine in March 2011.
Hidden treasure
Volunteer curator Shelly Culea (opposite) keeps MATC’s silver collection shining. Continuing clockwise: A chalice crafted by silversmith and metal arts instructor Emil Kronquist; Kronquist shows one of the collection’s instructional panels to district board members; Culea polishes the silver every two years to maintain the shine.
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Another Call of Duty MATC alumnus Richard Clark Jr. is a lifeline for fellow veterans recovering from trauma When Richard Clark Jr. enters a room, he’s looking for an exit. He immediately assesses the perimeter, seeks out weaknesses and determines the best place to retreat. “I always need to know the way out,” he said. It’s an instinct drilled into him by three decades serving in the United States Army, the Wisconsin National Guard and the Army Reserves. For many, serving in the armed forces means learning survival skills, growing stronger, becoming part of a team and committing your body, mind and spirit to your country. But for some, serving has caused stress, anxiety and depression. It has led to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social isolation, marital discord and, in severe instances, homelessness or suicide. Clark has been on both sides, fulfilling his duty to his country and also experiencing depression and undergoing counseling for PTSD. Since 2009, Clark, an MATC alumnus, has used his own experiences to assist area veterans as an outreach program specialist at the Milwaukee Vet Center. The center, operated by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, provides eligible veterans, service members and their families with counseling and mental health services: services that Clark himself used.
“I loved MATC,” Clark said. “I learned so much from my instructors. MATC truly changed me. For me, the military was always so structured. MATC made me look at the world differently. It broadened things out for me.” While finishing his associate degree, Clark interned at the Vet Center in Milwaukee. A few months after he graduated, he became the office manager. “I was the first person that the clients saw when they came in,” he said. Today, Clark assists veterans from nine counties in the state. He makes presentations at businesses, distributes information and spreads the word about the center’s services. He’ll stop men and women in uniform and ask them how they are doing. For veterans having a difficult time, communication is key, Clark said. He also knows all too well that deciding to talk to someone is usually the hardest step. When he started to struggle, he attended group sessions at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Milwaukee. “I felt I could blend in with a group,” Clark said. “But I didn’t like what I saw when I looked at myself and how I acted with others. That’s when I started individual counseling.”
The path to peace
At the Vet Center, veterans can openly and freely speak about what they are going through, Clark said. “No one “MATC made me look at the Being Superman wants to add PTSD to their career,” “I always need to be mindful of my world differently. It broadened he said. “But there’s absolutely no triggers. If I see it’s getting dark judgment here.” things out for me.” outside, I think rain is coming and Once a veteran comes in for help, the I prepare for it,” Clark said. “I think Vet Center can bring in family to assist RICHARD CLARK JR., that everyone at some point goes counselors. “We work hard to build or outreach program specialist through something.” restore connections,” he said. “We do Clark’s “something” came while he at the Milwaukee Vet Center what we can to improve the quality of was in the Army Reserve. In 2010, he life for those who need help.” went to Haiti to help the island nation Critically, the counseling is recover from an earthquake. In 2012, he confidential, Clark said. The center was part of a humanitarian mission in Honduras. doesn’t share information about clients and the services they receive “I was supposed to be Superman-tough during all of that. That’s the without permission, except in a life-threatening situation. The center’s image I was supposed to display. But it messed me up,” Clark said. records cannot be accessed by the government, military or community He found himself in a dilemma that has confronted many soldiers: providers, he added. How do I deal with all the confusion and pain? Clark also visits area colleges to support veterans furthering their “Twenty years ago they would say suck it up and drive on. You’re education. In September 2025, he came to MATC and spoke at a young and you hear that and you believe that,” he added. “Counseling suicide prevention program for military-affiliated students. The was always there but frowned upon. It meant you were weak. If you event was sponsored by the college’s Veterans Resource Center and did that, no one wanted you on their team. I’m coming to another man Counseling and Psychological Services. for help. What kind of man does that make me?” “Richard is the definition of a client-centered professional and a dedicated team player,” said Carlos Aranda, a counselor at MATC The hardest step who has known Clark since 2021. “His powerful motivation is clear Clark, who was born and raised in Milwaukee, joined the Army a few in his consistent work to better the lives of everyone he encounters.” weeks after turning 19. He originally thought about attending college Many of the people he meets at the center have found peace. in 1997, when he finished his stint in the Army. He finally got to “For some, things happen faster than others. Some have been MATC in 2007 and earned his associate degree two years later in the coming in since I started in 2009,” he said. “I’ve seen vets start here Human Service Associate program. not sharing anything at all, staying very tight-lipped. Then you see “I was trying to go to college, but the military kept pulling them start to share. Then you see them become comfortable talking me back,” he said. “MATC was very flexible. They were always and talking. It’s a transformation and I have seen it myself.” ■ understanding about my drills and duties.
28 Milwaukee Area Technical College
Richard Clark Jr. assists veterans on college campuses via the Mobile Vet Center.
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Mission Statement Since 2015, welding instructor Darrel Iwanski has made a dozen trips to help a small village in the Dominican Republic “By partnering directly with the school, we help improve Darrel Iwanski’s Dominican Republic isn’t about luxury seaside learning environments and offer practical aid that empowers resorts with sugar-white sand beaches serving endless cocktails. students and staff,” according to the organization’s website. “This For Iwanski, an MATC welding instructor, the Caribbean nation hands-on approach strengthens the community and reflects our is humid and rocky. Roads are unpaved and electrical power unpredictable. The people are incredibly poor. commitment to being active participants in positive change.” “The people there really have nothing,” the soft-spoken Iwanski Iwanski, along with other American volunteers, teaches welding said. “For kids, classes, pours concrete, pushing an old bike erects walls, builds wheel down the road structures and does just is entertainment. If about anything Centro something breaks, they Evangelico needs. try to fix everything “His example reinforces the strength of the The volunteers and keep using it. come from numerous MATC Welding program, not just as a place Hammers are ductchurches in southeastern taped together. Here, Wisconsin, including that teaches skills but as a program that builds we would just buy Elmbrook Church in character, community and global awareness.” a new one. Seeing Brookfield, where that makes you think Iwanski attends. differently. That KAREN FELICIANO, welding instructional chair “I went the first experience year because I wasn’t humbles you.” teaching any classes The people there are during the summer,” also exceedingly grateful for any assistance, said Iwanski, who has Iwanski said. “Then I went the next year and then it became a extended a helping hand to them a dozen times since 2015. yearly thing. I thought it might be a good way to help.” That’s when he began traveling to El Prado, a village in Night and day southwestern Dominican Republic, to help Centro Evangelico, Getting to the Dominican Republic from Milwaukee takes almost a small Christian church that also operates a school in the town. a full day. Travelers fly from Milwaukee to either Atlanta or The mission trips are sponsored by Hands for Hope, a nonprofit Miami, then on to Santa Domingo, the capital city. A bus takes organization that has supported the church since 2009.
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Photos courtesy of Darrel Iwanski
the volunteers the rest of the way to El Prado, near Azua, slowly pushing away from the posh coastline dotted with highclass hotels and into the rough interior of the country. “Houses are the size of one-car garages,” Iwanski said. “It can take four or five years to build them. Some are made block by block. One guy split 55-gallon drums, hammered them flat and constructed an entire house. It was amazing.” In the past decade, Iwanski and the other volunteers have transformed the church and surrounding neighborhood. “It’s night and day between how it looked when I first saw it to today,” he said. The volunteers built a 50-foot-by-85-foot basketball court, a project that required 900 wheelbarrows of concrete poured by hand. They replaced a leaking roof on one of the school’s buildings and installed a new water chlorination and filtration system. With equipment from the nonprofit Kids Around the World, they assembled a new playground. They converted a shipping container full of donated supplies into a storage facility and workshop. On a remote stretch of land, they constructed an outreach center to help more residents. They also built a trade center where students learn welding, sewing and cooking. The center includes a workshop, a multipurpose area and a kitchen. The volunteers work and live side by side with the local residents, Iwanski said. Locals help the volunteers with their projects, learning trade skills and how to use tools. The young residents are keenly interested in welding, Iwanski said. They intently watch the volunteers at work, then use sticks to pretend they are welding. Hands for Hope donated some protective equipment so the youngsters could safely learn the trade.
“No one has any welding helmets or goggles to wear while welding. Kids would use their hands to shield their eyes,” Iwanski said. “By the time they’re old enough to make welding their job, they can’t see.”
‘A servant’s heart’
At night, the volunteers slept in small dorm buildings. Church members cooked meals for them. During some trips, electricity was a gamble, Iwanski remembered. The power was shut off every day between midnight and 6 a.m., then again from noon to 4 p.m. In the past decade, Iwanski and the other volunteers have seen some of the youngsters become men and women. “You see them grow up,” he said. “To watch them and hopefully help them is why I keep coming back. I don’t hunt or fish. This is what I do.” While Iwanski almost always felt safe on his trips, the missions weren’t without risk. On this year’s journey he came down with COVID-19. As a result, his wife banned him from taking trips during flu season. Iwanski is scheduled to return in April 2027. He’s always looking for fellow instructors and students to come along. Iwanski’s mission trips exemplify what it means to be a welder and an educator, said Karen Feliciano, instructional chair of MATC’s Welding department. “He is skillfully blending technical expertise with compassion,” Feliciano said. “His willingness to share his craft with communities that have so little reflects a servant’s heart and a deep belief in the transformative power of education. “His example reinforces the strength of the MATC Welding program, not just as a place that teaches skills but as a program that builds character, community and global awareness. His work abroad reflects the hands-on, people-centered values we
champion here every day,” she added. “Whether he’s in the welding lab at MATC or building projects in the Dominican Republic, Darrel’s work is driven by respect — for people, for craft and for community,” she said. “He represents the kind of instructor who makes students and colleagues proud.” ■
Interested in volunteering for mission trips? Contact Darrel Iwanski at iwanskid@matc.edu.
Teaching the village’s children the skills to build a career inspires Darrel Iwanski to volunteer. Clockwise from the top: A child wearing donated protective equipment watches Iwanski work; one of several construction projects; volunteers test the new playground’s equipment.
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Climbing to New Heights Horticulture alumna and MATC instructor Johanna O’Boyle gears up for her fifth international tree climbing competition
Out on a limb, Johanna O’Boyle feels no fear. As a certified arborist and owner of a tree care service, she routinely ascends more than 60 feet up into the air. Secured only by a safety harness, a belt and a weighted rope, O’Boyle navigates a labyrinth of branches, twigs and leaves. “Many trees have been around for hundreds of years. Me moving around in them probably doesn’t affect them that much,” said O’Boyle, who has been lead faculty of the college’s horticulture programs since 2025. “If you trust the tree, it will trust you,” she said. And O’Boyle definitely has earned that trust. For the past four years, she has competed at the International Tree Climbing Championship, sponsored by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). The competition has allowed O’Boyle to travel the globe: Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2022; Albuquerque,
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New Mexico, in 2023; Savannah, Georgia, in 2024; and Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2025. O’Boyle plans on competing at the 2026 international competition, scheduled to be held in October in St. Louis. The city hosted the first international event in 1976. “Johanna’s participation in this prestigious event highlights her expertise and dedication to the field,” said Cassie Panaro, former horticulture lead faculty member. In 2025, O’Boyle placed 37th in the field, and in 2024 she finished 24th among the 35 female competitors at the Georgia event. But winning an international title has never been her goal, she said. She likes traveling to the events and has formed a camaraderie with her fellow competitors from around the world. “Some of these ladies are phenomenal, and they are all willing to share their expertise,” O’Boyle said. “I set my own goals, and
if I can hit them, I’m happy. Every time I go out there, I am hoping to improve.” She has qualified for the international competition by winning the Wisconsin Arborist Association female state championship in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. At the international and state competitions, the events simulate working conditions of arborists in the field and test agility, speed and precision in tree climbing. Competitors are judged on skill, safety, their command of the tree and how well they use their gear. “These are skills that we have to demonstrate every day in tree care,” O’Boyle said. “You have to trust your gear. I also have a lot of mental checklists that I When Johanna O’Boyle isn’t caring go through. I’m pretty for trees (opposite) she is teaching MATC horticulture students (above). cautious about what I do because I have a family. If self-preservation is not an instinct you possess, this might not be a job for you.”
Her passion becomes her career
O’Boyle has trusted and respected trees since she was a child, climbing them while growing up in the Fond du Lac area. But she gained a new level of appreciation for trees after earning a Landscape Horticulture degree from MATC in 2017, starting her own tree care business in 2021, and competing in state, national and international tree climbing competitions since 2019. O’Boyle didn’t realize tree care would be a job for her until she moved to Milwaukee when she was 19 years old. She worked several office jobs but yearned for a different work environment.
“I’m an outdoors person,” she said. “I discovered that MATC had the Landscape Horticulture program, and I made a career change. Being in the MATC program really got me started. I had some wonderful instructors who got me even more excited about trees.” After earning her associate degree, she worked at a private tree care company for four years before starting her own company, Ursa Minor Tree Care, in 2021. She also became a part-time instructor at MATC that year. “I benefited so much from the program at MATC,” she said. “I knew if a spot ever opened up to teach there that I would want to do it.”
Going to the next level
In March 2024, O’Boyle became a full-time instructor, teaching several classes in the associate degree program and almost all the courses in the college’s arborist apprenticeship program. A year later she became lead faculty for the program. “I enjoy what I do at the college,” she said. “I remember how I learned to love this work when I was a student and now I get to share that with today’s students.” She actively works to get more women in the program. “This is still viewed as a pretty masculine career,” she said. “Of all the people working in the field right now, I believe only 13% are women.” As an instructor and business owner, she stays current on the latest tree sustainability research. Trees help keep heating and cooling costs down, allow wildlife to thrive, and may even lower crime rates in neighborhoods, according to some research, she said. “Wisconsin has very few tree removal regulations and unnecessary tree removal is very concerning,” O’Boyle said. “I think there needs to be more of a process. In my business, I won’t remove a tree unless they contain an invasive species or they present an imminent hazard.” O’Boyle also is working to become an ISA board-certified master arborist. “It’s a higher level of professionalism,” she said. “It’s a place where I’d like to be.” ■
MATC SPOTLIGHT
Photo courtesy of Emma Ray
Horticulture students compete nationally Twelve MATC students training to be arborists, horticulturists, landscape designers and landscapers in the college’s Landscape Horticulture programs competed in the 50th annual National Collegiate Landscape Competition. MATC students placed in the top 10 in three events: Charlie Miller placed 10th in irrigation design, Bacardi Arnold placed seventh in interior plant identification, and the team of Amanda Koehn, Briana Laska and Meadow Nakatsuji finished eighth in landscape plant installation.
“This annual competition is an excellent opportunity for our students to step outside their comfort zone through both professional and personal development,” said Emma Ray, an educational assistant in the Horticulture department.
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“I want to help readers expand their knowledge and read books of different styles,” she said. “There’s a lot of great books by Black authors.” In the journals, readers can jot down their progress, review each chapter of the book and add drawings or stickers. Then readers can use the accompanying app to track their progress, see new book suggestions and swipe to like them, engage with other readers, and someday link with the authors, Martin said. Eventually, readers could create their own digital discussions groups around the country that lead to in-person events, Martin said. The app also can be used to collect data from readers so authors know where their books are having a real impact, she said. The concept, which Martin developed after other digital book clubs left her unmoved, was on her mind when she started at Miracle Martin MATC in the Audio Engineer program. She changed her focus to the Entrepreneurship program after meeting its lead faculty member, Armen Hadjinian, and sharing her concept with him. Alumna Miracle Martin creates BookBlend, an app that “I had the idea ... of what I wanted to do but had no idea connects readers and spotlights underrepresented authors where to begin,” Martin said. In November 2024, she pitched her idea at an entrepreneur Miracle Martin wants to make you a better reader — and she has competition for students held at Marquette University. BookBlend won second place, and she earned $5,000 toward the project. an app for that. Using artificial intelligence and what she learned in class, Martin Martin, who earned a technical diploma in Entrepreneurship shaped and refined the concept, designed and developed the app, in May, has created BookBlend, a unique book community that and built a website. combines reading physical books, digital journaling, interacting “Miracle is very persistent, she’s a self-learner and she’s not with authors and collecting data. BookBlend also emphasizes afraid to try new things,” Hadjinian said. “She used AI to build an works by diverse content creators and underrepresented authors. app and a website. This is something that would have cost $50,000 “It’s like Spotify Blend, but for books,” said Martin, describing or $60,000 10 years ago. Now you can do it for almost nothing.” a feature of Spotify, the world’s largest audio streaming service, The BookBlend app is nearly ready, said Martin, who is that creates shared, automatically updated playlists for users and performing last-minute testing to ensure there are no bumps. up to 10 friends. Martin graduated in May and began selling her BookBlend “It blends the reading experience of Kindle with the social packages at city parks. She also promotes and markets her products connection of Instagram and the discovery style of Tinder,” she on social media. added. “I see BookBlend as a space for both underrepresented “I want to keep moving forward,” she said. “I don’t want to wait authors and readers; a community where readers can connect, find or stop. I feel like I have some great momentum.” ■ like-minded people, and build real relationships; a space where readers can relax and enjoy the experience.” Here’s how BookBlend works: Subscribers who opt for the full experience get a clear plastic tote bag that typically includes one of 20 books in a number of Miracle Martin genres that they can choose, a spiral-bound journal, and a handful shares her favorite of stickers and bookmarks. Nearly all the books are written by fall reads. Black authors and other people of color — books that get lost in the shuffle or overlooked, according to Martin.
Writing a New Chapter
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Real-Life Problem Solver Thanks to support from PepsiCo, IT Web and Software Developer graduate Malachi Moore is taking his virtual survival skills into the financial world
At a young age, Malachi Moore acquired an impressive set of skills: He learned how to craft his own tools, gather his own firewood and find his own food. They came in handy when he battled hardships, but fear not: He never faced any real danger, didn’t break a sweat and hardly left his couch. He did all that in a virtual reality — the world of Minecraft, one of the most popular video games ever created. “I absolutely loved Minecraft. I played it all the time. I loved games where you could build stuff,” Moore said. “Everything I love about computers started with that.” Now he has turned that passion into a professional path in the real world. In May 2026, Moore earned an associate degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College’s IT Web and Software Developer program, thanks to a scholarship from the PepsiCo Foundation. Established in 1962, the PepsiCo Foundation is the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo. The PepsiCo Foundation Uplift Scholars program offers financial assistance, support, professional development and employer networking opportunities to students pursuing associate degrees, technical diplomas and professional certificates. Since 2021, the scholarship program has provided financial support to more than 4,000 students across the country. “Higher education is the single most important tool we have for addressing economic mobility,” said Dr. Anthony Cruz, MATC’s president. “The funds from the PepsiCo Foundation will help eliminate a financial barrier and enable students to enroll, stay and graduate from MATC. Our students get the skills to secure high-paying, family-supporting jobs, and our employer partners in the region can alleviate their workforce shortages.” A mere 10 days after graduating from MATC, Moore started a yearlong
internship as a business process engineer at Baird, an international financial services firm based in Milwaukee. “The PepsiCo scholarship came at the exact right time,” Moore said. “It came at a time when I was unsure how I was going to pay for school, so it helped a lot.” Moore fell in love with technology after he and a friend took a computer class at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee. He graduated in 2022 and attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for a year. He liked the school, but financial constraints forced him back to Milwaukee. He started working at the Apple Store in Glendale, Wisconsin, in December
Malachi Moore
2023. After five months, he was promoted to technical specialist, assessing and diagnosing problems with iPhones, iPads and Apple watches. “I love working at the store,” he said. “I love troubleshooting and solving problems. I have really developed my people skills and my team skills by working with customers.”
In the fall of 2024, he decided to return to school and enrolled at MATC. Moore admitted he didn’t enjoy his first year at MATC. “I had a rough time transitioning from Whitewater. I was a little bit discouraged. But with support from family, friends, and the staff and advisors at MATC, I was able to get back on track.” With that help, Moore made the honor roll twice and spent the summer of 2025 as an intern at Northwestern Mutual Insurance. He received an email about the PepsiCo scholarship and applied. In September 2022, MATC became the only technical college in Wisconsin to receive money for the PepsiCo Uplift Scholars program. During the next two years, more than 150 students each received a $2,000 scholarship to complete their degrees. In the summer of 2025, the PepsiCo Foundation gave the MATC Foundation, the college’s philanthropic partner, an additional $180,500 for the 2025-26 school year. MATC was one of 15 schools across the country that PepsiCo renewed its relationship with, said Naomi Pollek, who leads corporate and employer relations for the MATC Foundation. Moore is looking forward to starting at Baird. “Working there is a great step towards my longterm career goals in software engineering,” he said. “I’ll be gaining hands-on experience building real solutions in the financial services space.” This fall, by using MATC’s seamless transfer program, he started classes at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science and then attend graduate school. Eventually, he wants to research how technology, especially AI systems and machine learning, intersects with other fields such as business, finance and healthcare. “My MATC instructors were great about keeping us current about how AI worked and how we can use it,” Moore said. “I don’t think we need to fear AI. I see AI as a tool that can be used. But we also need to be aware of how much water we’re using to develop it. We need to figure out how to move forward while not harming the environment.” ■
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ALUMNI NEWS If you wish to share an MATC Alumni News update or start a scholarship in honor of an MATC alum, email foundation@matc.edu.
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT Jackie Q. Carter, Accounting, was named a 2026 TEMPO Mentor Awardee, which recognizes individuals in the community who are dedicated to mentoring others. Carter, who is the first woman and the first person of color to serve as director of Port Milwaukee, is currently the employee relations director for the City of Milwaukee. Sarah Mercado, Accounting, was promoted to executive administrative assistant in the Office of the President at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Andy Weins, Supervisory Management, was named a BizTimes Class of 2025 Notable Alumni. Weins, founder and owner of Butler-based Camo Crew Responsible Junk Removal, was named to the Wisconsin Titan 100 list in 2024 and 2026. Learn more about Weins at camocrewjunkremoval.com.
COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES Thania Peralta, Nail Technician, took top honors in Shepherd Express’ 2025 Best of Milwaukee Services Rendered annual list. Peralta’s salon, Luxe Nails Milwaukee, was named the winner in the Nails category. Readers vote on their favorites in the annual survey. Check out Peralta’s salon at luxenailsmke.com.
Clayborn Benson
36 Milwaukee Area Technical College
Kurt Zellmann, Fire Protection Technician, was sworn in as the fire chief of the Village of Sussex. His first day on the job was August 3. He manages a department of 34 full- and part-time firefighters. Zellmann was a coordinator in MATC’s Fire Technology department. He said “It has always been a goal of mine to become a fire chief and use my experience to move an organization forward and mentor the next generation of first responders. I had many excellent role models during my time as a student at MATC. It was an honor to return to MATC to lead the program I graduated from. Returning to the front lines again with Sussex Fire will definitely round out what has been an amazing experience and journey in the fire service.”
CREATIVE ARTS, DESIGN AND MEDIA Kimberly Adams, Baking and Pastry Arts, won a special Valentine’s edition of Netflix’s “Is It Cake?” alongside her husband, Taurus. On the show, contestants bake cakes resembling everyday items to fool the judges. Their drum-shaped cake won the $5,000 prize. Adams is the owner of Signature Sweets in Milwaukee. See her work at signaturesweetsbakery.info. Clayborn Benson, Photography, served as the commencement speaker for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Spring 2026 graduation ceremonies on May 17. Benson, who is a photographer, historian, military veteran and founder of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/ Museum, received an honorary degree during the ceremony. Benson regularly returns to MATC to present during Black History Month and other events. Learn more at wbhsm.org.
GENERAL EDUCATION Héctor Colón, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, was the keynote speaker at MATC’s 2026 Spring Commencement ceremony. He recounted his experience as an MATC student, stating, “My foundation was built right here at MATC, in classrooms where I learned discipline, humility and persistence. You are not defined by where you started. You are defined by your willingness to continue.” HEALTHCARE Stephanie Castillo, Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, appeared on TMJ4 News to promote her business, VitaJug Smoothies & Wellness. Inspired by her own recovery journey, Castillo helps others through nutrition, fitness and faith. Learn more about Castillo at vitajugsmoothies.com.
Adam Gruszcynski
STEM Adam Gruszcynski, Microcomputer Specialist, was named to the MATC Foundation Board of Directors. Gruszcynski is the director of information technology at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee. John Kolodzinski, Architectural Technology, joined MSA Professional Services Inc. as an engineering project manager. Kolodzinski has more than 25 years of experience in the planning and management of engineering projects throughout Wisconsin. After earning an associate degree at MATC, Kolodzinski went on to the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering.
MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION Gale Pence, Industrial Engineering, was named to the MATC Foundation Board of Directors. Pence previously served as treasurer of the MATC District Board of Directors. Pence is the founder and CEO of Global Precision Industries Inc.
Aleksandra Samardzic, Information Technology, started a new job as a network infrastructure technician at Global Power Components, a machinery manufacturer in Milwaukee.
Cordel Zaja, Welding Technology and HVAC, was promoted to project manager at BREDAN Mechanical Systems LLC, where he was a sheet metal worker.
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Fall 2026 37
In Memoriam We honor and celebrate the lives of the following alumni who passed away in the last year, as reported in obituaries in local newspapers. If you’d like to start a scholarship in memory of an MATC alum or honor an alum in the In Memoriam section, please contact the MATC Foundation at foundation@matc.edu.
A
H
P
Sandra Jean Andrews, 68, February 28, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis.
Daniel David Hahn, 74, July 17, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis.
Gerald Perkovich, 64, June 8, 2026, Minneapolis, Minn.
B
Jeffrey John Holland, 71, November 1, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis.
Norbert Peschong, 72, May 2, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis.
Daniel Holtz, 74, December 19, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis.
Barbara Phyllis, 72, December 16, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis.
J
Robert E. Pierce Jr., 82, January 24, 2026, Gary, Ind.
Jennifer Renee Burkee, 50, September 20, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis. C Joan Campbell, 73, May 20, 2026, Menomonee Falls, Wis. Jeffrey Cibrario, 62, April 20, 2026, Boscobel, Wis. Audrey Clausing, 87, December 28, 2025, Green Bay, Wis. D Chala Davis-Bell, 37, July 15, 2025, Racine, Wis.
Jim “J.T.” Jacobs, 80, December 2, 2025, Cleveland, Ohio Virginia “Ginny” Jenkins, 74, July 13, 2025, Glendale, Wis.
David Russ, 77, July 12, 2025, Rhinelander, Wis.
K
S
James Kroll, 82, February 9, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis.
Ken Scheuerman, 84, May 19, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis.
L
Ron Sommer, 78, August 9, 2025, Port Washington, Wis.
Betty J. Dumas, 78, October 20, 2025, Pine Hill, Ala.
David Allen LaFrenier, 75, February 15, 2026, McFarland, Wis.
E
Joseph Lopez Jr., 60, April 29, 2026, Port Washington, Wis.
Earl Wallace Equitz, 70, November 18, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis. James Errol, 88, April 1, 2026, Bessemer Township, Mich. F Steven Ferk, 75, August 5, 2025, Plymouth, Wis. Travis Lee Fernandez, 47, June 5, 2026, Shawano, Wis. Francis Ford, 80, December 14, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis.
Francis Lubinski, 78, May 23, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis M Randall Martin, 66, May 31, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis. Patrick McKeating, 57, December 3, 2025, Buffalo, N.Y. Russell Merrill, 77, December 11, 2025, Pine Lake, Wis. N
Ronald Formella, 91, November 4, 2025, Town of Sharon, Wis.
Janice Nyland, 79, October 10, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis.
G
O
David Gregorski, 70, January 16, 2026, Kenosha, Wis.
Dennis Olson, 73, August 23, 2025, Milwaukee, Wis.
38 Milwaukee Area Technical College
R
Carol Jean Stoehr, 80, June 20, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis. Scott Sweningson, 73, December 26, 2025, Marinette, Wis. W David Charles Wynn, 76, July 16, 2025, Madison, Wis. Karen Wszola, 81, January 31, 2026, Milwaukee, Wis.
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Fall 2026 39
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SOME LOVE LETTERS LEAVE A LEGACY The MATC Foundation makes it easy for you to write a love letter of lasting care to future generations by providing you with complimentary, confidential access to a secure estate planning tool called FreeWill. In just 20 minutes, you can take the steps to make or update your will — protecting your loved ones and, if you wish, providing for the next generation of MATC students.
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MATC.EDU | 414-297-MATC | WISCONSIN RELAY SYSTEM 711 DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE | MEQUON | OAK CREEK | WALKER’S SQUARE | WEST ALLIS MATC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution and complies with all requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act. MATC is accredited by the Higher Learning
40 Milwaukee Area College | Transformations Fallstandard 2021 in accrediting colleges and schools for distinction in academics and student services. Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, the national 40 Commission, Milwaukee AreaTechnical Technical College