The Milwaukee Post

Post Staff MILWAUKEE — The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has announced it is partnering with Milwaukee Area Technical College to increase opportunities for low-income stu- dents to complete their education and enter a higher-wage profession. As a prelude to its centennial celebration in 2015, the foundation is making a signature $500,000 investment in scholarships for stu- dents participating in MATC's integrated career pathways program. These need-based scholarships covering the cost of tuition, books and supplies have the potential to help 350 to 400 students over three years, the GMF said in a news release. "For more than 100 years, MATC has helped students advance their education, preparing them for jobs that drive our local economy, from manufacturing to information technology to the culinary arts," said Ellen Gilligan, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, who announced the grant last week at the foundation's annual meeting. "We are committed to helping elimi- nate the barriers to success for these students. We believe that providing scholarships to promising MATC students with the greatest need will improve program completion rates, reduce student debt and lead to better jobs for more of our community's young people." According to a release, more than half of the students attending MATC in 2013 were economically disadvantaged, affecting their ability to enter and complete their studies. Additionally, the release said as many as 70 percent of students nationwide who enter the two-year college system are academically underprepared to perform in a higher educa- tion setting. For others, the lack of a high school diploma or GED precludes their full participation. To address significant barriers to educa- tion and employment, MATC became one of the first technical colleges in the state to offer career pathways, which define coursework and the credentials students must earn to be a qualified candidate in the industry of their choice. The initiative enables students to address gaps in their basic skills while simul- taneously progressing toward their career goals. Progress is made through "stackable" credentials, meaning students can build a portfolio of industry-based credentials, lead- ing to greater employment opportunities and quicker entry into the workforce. MATC offers career pathways students 360-degree support services, such as study skills training, career counseling and finan- cial literacy training, to increase retention rates and improve academic performance. "This commitment has the potential to be transformative for an entire generation," said Michael Burke, president of MATC. "Providing scholarship support for students who demonstrate the greatest need will enable them to pursue their career goals. As a result, the Milwaukee community will be strengthened, one of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation's core goals." The importance of higher education is on the rise nationally. On average, those who complete an associate degree will earn $10,700 more per year than someone with a high school diploma alone. By 2018, two-thirds of Americans will need a postsecondary degree or credential to obtain employment, accord- ing to the American Association of Community Colleges. June 27, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 13 By Arthur Thomas Conley News Service WAUKESHA — In a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell last week, U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner questioned how the agency was handling the recent influx of unac- companied immigrant children entering the United States. The Menomonee Falls Republican laid the blame for a predicted 60,000 minors arriving at the border without adults on President Barack Obama's decision to stop the deportation of certain young immi- grants. "As with grants of amnesty in the past, the President's executive action produced a predictable surge in children risking their lives to cross the border," Sensenbrenner wrote. Reports have indicated as many as 4,500 minors arrived in just the month of April, Sensenbrenner said. The responsibility for the children falls to HHS and Sensenbrenner said he was concerned about a lack of transparency after reports the agency had planned to house some at a recently closed college in Virginia until locals objected. He asked Burwell for answers to a series of questions including where and for how long the agency is housing immigrant chil- dren, whether any other sites are planned, if any leases had been signed, how many immigrants the agency planned to accom- modate, what family planning services were being provided and at what cost, if the agency was prepared for the influx of immigrants and whether the agency planned to inform federal, state and local leaders about future housing locations. "This humanitarian crisis is deeply unsettling, and is likely to get worse unless federal agencies' capabilities and resources are coordinated effectively to address this issue," Sensenbrenner said, adding that he would like a response by July 3. Contact Arthur Thomas athomas@conleynet.com Greater Milwaukee Foundation invests in success of MATC students through scholarship initiative Sensenbrenner questions HHS over immigrants 3627 S. 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