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MATC Honors More Than 100 at
High School Equivalency
Completion Ceremony
Madison Area Technical College will hold its 13th
Annual High School Completion Recognition Ceremony on Thursday,
June 9, at 7 p.m.
in the Mitby Theater at MATC–Truax, 3550 Anderson Street.
The cap and gown ceremony honors students who have completed requirements
for a high school option, including the High School Equivalency
Diploma (HSED), the General Educational Development (GED) certificate,
the External Diploma Program (EDP) and the High School Equivalency
Program (HEP). A reception in the cafeteria will follow the ceremony.
The keynote speaker is University of Wisconsin Assistant
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Senior Advisor to the President
for Academic
Diversity Andrea-Teresa “Tess” Arenas, Ph.D., who will
congratulate the students on their achievement. Arenas is a community
leader and has extensive experience working on diversity issues
through the University of Wisconsin-System President’s Office
of Multicultural Affairs and as former director of the University
of Wisconsin–Madison Race Awareness Training Institute.
New MATC President Dr. Bettsey Barhorst and MATC
Board Chair John Ashley will welcome and congratulate the participants
and their
guests. About 700 people are expected to attend the ceremony that
marks a great accomplishment for the many people who, for a variety
of reasons, haven’t followed the traditional educational
process.
Among those who will earn high school equivalency
credentials this year are three student speakers: Veronica Lopez,
Gabriel Ramirez
and Randy Bartus. Lopez and Ramirez have completed the High School
Equivalency Program (HEP). HEP is designed specifically for migrant
and seasonal farm workers and their adult children age 18 1/2
or older. Federally funded through the Department of Education
Migrant
Education Department, the MATC program began in 2001 and is one
of only two such programs offered in the state (the other is
offered in Milwaukee).
Because of the nature of migrant and seasonal work,
many of the workers cannot complete a traditional high school education
because
they are unable to complete
a full school year. Many speak Spanish as their first or only language. HEP offers
these workers flexible scheduling and an opportunity to complete a diploma in
Spanish or English. With classes offered in Spanish and English through MATC,
almost 90 percent of the college’s HEP students take the General Education
Development (GED) exam in Spanish. For more information on this program, call
(608) 259-2977.
Also speaking will be Randy Bartus who has earned
his GED high school equivalency. Bartus returned to school after
his job was outsourced and after two other attempts
to earn his high school degree. “I tell people that no matter what keep
trying,” he says. “It finally clicked for me, and it will for them.
I tell them never to be afraid to come back, to try again. I’ve really
enjoyed school this time.”
Bartus earned an A average in his GED coursework
and is enrolled in the college’s
two-year associate degree Supervisory Management program. The day is particularly
special for Bartus because his son also will graduate from a Madison alternative
high school program June 9.
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:
June 4, 2005
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