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MATC FACULTY
MEMBERS RECEIVE DISTINGUISHED TEACHING AWARDS
The Madison Area Technical College (MATC) Foundation honored three faculty
members during the college’s spring commencement ceremony in May.
English instructor Mike Irwin, automotive instructor James Miller
and biology/microbiology instructor Janet Romich each received
the Distinguished Teacher Award for 2004.
“Doing
so much of my work at MATC in applied arts, it’s been natural for
me and fruitful for my students to be, as teacher, always balancing concepts
and theories with loads of live, professional, job-getting practice,”
says English instructor and journalist Mike Irwin. Putting this
philosophy into practice, he has been involved with students on the college’s
newspaper, theater and other student activities programs and has been
very active in a variety of interdisciplinary teaching and student learning
experiences.
A resident
of Lodi, Irwin, who joined the faculty in 1970, has a bachelor’s
degree from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and a masters
degree in specialized reporting in journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
He has written two nonfiction books, two plays and more than 200 magazine
and newspaper articles.
“I
strive to provide a balance between classroom, shop experience and homework
... to give students with different learning styles a much better chance
to succeed,” says automotive technology instructor James Miller.
In addition to teaching technical skills, Miller explains that he strives
to stress nontechnical qualities such as attitude, effort, respect and
responsibility in his courses.
Miller,
who lives in Jefferson, joined the MATC faculty in 1972. He received a
degree from the MATC Automotive Technology Program and later earned a
bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Stout.
He is certified in all eight areas of ASE, the standards set by the National
Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
Science
instructor Janet Romich says she is constantly amazed by students’
curiosity and desire to know and by how much they share with their teachers.
“I try to treat students as adults and how I would like to be treated,
challenge them to do well by providing them with information and sources
for them to seek out information and provide a positive and non-threatening
environment with which to learn and ask questions,” she says.
Romich
joined the MATC faculty in 1992 and has a doctor of veterinary medicine
degree and a masters degree in veterinary science from the University
of Wisconsin–Madison and a bachelor’s degree from the University
of Wisconsin–River Falls. A New Glarus resident, she is a Wisconsin
state licensed veterinarian.
MATC
is one of the largest of the Wisconsin Technical College System’s
16 colleges and serves approximately 50,000 individuals annually. It provides
a comprehensive curriculum of technical, liberal arts and science, adult
basic education and life enrichment studies and activities, as well as
customized employee training. MATC provides training in more than 100
career programs. It awards associate degrees, vocational diplomas and
certificates, and offers non-degree courses. The college serves all or
parts of 12 counties located in south-central Wisconsin and offers instruction
through five campuses and various other locations throughout the district.
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Last
Modified:
July 7, 2004
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