Mayor Barrett Salutes students, AFT 212
and MATC at December Commencement

Mayor Barrett Congratulates an MATC Graduate

Dr. Cole, MATC Board Members, Faculty, Staff, and a special greeting to my friends in AFT Local 212.

We are here today to recognize and honor the accomplishments of these graduates before their friends and families.

I want to begin by congratulating the graduates for your hard work and thanking your families for being supportive of you while you’ve been in school.

I am honored to be a part in this celebration with you today for many reasons:

1st, MATC plays a vital role in the City of Milwaukee and our partnership is the key to the future of jobs and economic growth here.

The timing of today’s address is significant as it coincides to my recent trip to China and the eye-opening experience I witnessed there.

Finally, there’s a special occasion for me to be here because a member of my staff has a sister graduating today and I’m honored to be part of her celebration. In many ways her story is why MATC is the future of Milwaukee. Terri Ellzey came to MATC to gain her high school equivalence degree. It should be noted that she was motivated to graduate before her younger brother, and a member of my staff, Richard. I’m proud to tell you, sibling rivalry paid off and she beat him by 3 weeks in 1991. She returned recently to MATC to earn her Associate Degree in Human Services which she is here to accept tonight.

Congratulations Terri, you are the inspiration I want every youth in Milwaukee to here about. They need to know that no matter what struggles you face, they can succeed like you are doing tonight.

I want to recognize several other MATC graduating students. Judy Nenno, Bradley Burrows, and Stephanie Carrig who are participating in this ceremony tonight. These honored students deserve our praise for their achievements and academic success. Please join me won’t you.

The Milwaukee Area Technical College is an invaluable partner and resource to our city, the region, and the state.

Many people are aware that MATC, Founded in 1912, is the largest 2 year technical college in the Midwest. With enrollment of nearly 57,000 students, and offering 199 different degrees, diplomas, certificates, and apprentice programs, it can be proud to boast that 90% of its graduates are employed or pursuing further education within 6 months.

I think its success can be summed up this way.

MATC in many ways is forging its future like the City is forging its new path. First, it does so by educating – in classrooms, in labs, in the community. But it also does so by inspiring. By inclusion. By sparking something small and allowing it to blossom. By being a committed community partner, aware of its surroundings, and using its blend of academic excellence and exciting urban environment to the best of its ability.

And I’m proud to have MATC as a partner in Milwaukee because of its commitment to closing the achievement gap among students of color. MATC’s commitment to diversifying the racial and ethnic composition of its student population and then helping them succeed must be a priority to all of us.

The truth and reality is that we cannot succeed as a city unless we embrace, celebrate, and unite around our diversity. We cannot be a 1st class city if we remain divided and do not welcome all members of society.

MATC recognizes this and does a better job of inclusion than any other institution of higher education in this state. Think about this for a second: The Milwaukee Area Technical College enrolls more minority students than the entire University of Wisconsin System. MATC has accomplished more than 13- 4 year campuses, 13 – 2 year campuses, plus the UW Extension system.

As I mentioned earlier, I recently traveled to China with a city delegation. It was exciting, educational, and sobering. It was exciting to see in person the expansion and growth that you so often hear and read about. It was educational to absorb their culture. To witness their historical tie to communism yet now their transformation into a more aggressive capitalistic economy. It was sobering to understand their sheer determination to educate, train, and transfer our jobs to their economy.

Your challenge as you lead the next generation, enter the workforce, and eventually raise the next generation is to keep your eyes on the dragon.

Our workforce must keep advancing technology, staying ahead on production innovations,
and inventing the next world wonder to stay the economic power of the world.

Milwaukee needs Institutions of Higher Learning like MATC to keep attracting and retaining the bright minds and future leaders in this room today.

The reason I feel so proud to be here tonight is the people graduating here are the very ones who allow us to compete in a world economy.

Thank you for your hard work and for believing in yourselves.

As Mayor I look forward to working for all of you as future Milwaukee homeowners and property taxpayers.

Yes graduates… now come the taxes.

MATC is a model in working with employers of the future and partnering with them to deliver the trained workers for tomorrow’s jobs. You in this room have made the right choice. Vocational training is an important part of our future.

You are the healthcare professionals who serve us when we are sick.

You are the heating and air conditioning experts that keep our buildings operable.

You are the machinists and welders who create exportable products.

You are the first responders…. police, fire, and emergency personnel who protect us.

Maybe most important, you are the auto technicians I personally need to keep my car running.

College is something you complete. Life is something you experience.

Today your emotions are probably running from excitement, anticipation, and exhaustion. Take a breath. Look toward your future with no limits. You leave here today with a foundation of skills and knowledge that you can build the rest of your life with.

I have been fortunate to not only work hard, but to enjoy every day of it. Here’s my advice: get a job you like. Seek balance. Seek new experiences. Most of all seek fulfillment.

Today’s world is connected by communication technologies that allow us to talk to Beijing to Sydney to Paris to Mexico City and on on on…

Yet there are those who want to keep us divided, unconnected and not seeing us in a world economy together and dependent on all our successes. Worse yet, they want to create barriers in our own community so that you don’t trust you or you do not trust you.

Please don’t let that happen. We are a community and there is far more that unites us than divides us.

These are exciting and challenging times. Be a part of it. Seek to contribute to our community. We are relying on you to get involved not stand by and watch. We all must work toward making our economy stronger, our neighborhoods safer, and communities healthier. Our schools need your support. Community groups need your involvement. Society needs your leadership.

And YOU, …need this speech to end.

Congratulations. Go forward, and God speed.