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MATC HONORS MORE THAN 100 AT
HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY COMPLETION CEREMONY
Madison Area Technical
College will hold its 14th Annual High School Completion Recognition
Ceremony on Tuesday, June 6, 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–Madison Associate
Athletic Director for Student Services David W. Harris, who will
congratulate the students on their achievement. Harris is the chief
academic officer responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating
the overall academic services offered to student athletes at UW–Madison.
He has been a leader in promoting academic achievement among student
athletes both at UW–Madison and in his previous career at
the University of Mississippi.
He serves on UW–Madison’s Multicultural Student Center
Advisory Board and has been team leader of both the NCAA Regional
Leadership Conference and the CHAMPS Continuing Education Conference.
Among his achievements are the establishment in 2003 of Wisconsin’s
first chapter of the
Chi Alpha Sigma national student-athlete honor society and marked
increases in the university’s student-athlete graduation
rate.
MATC President Bettsey L. Barhorst, MATC Board
Vice Chair James A. Cavanaugh and Wisconsin Senator Mark Miller
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 two student
speakers: Miguel Solache and Jenifer Lippitt.
Solache has completed MATC’s High School Equivalency Program
(HEP). HEP is designed specifically for migrant and seasonal farm
workers and their adult children aged 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. Solache, who is 34, says he is happy to have had
the opportunity to get his diploma so that he can pursue additional
educational opportunities. “The HEP program
allowed me to complete my high school education while working two jobs,” says
Solache. “It took me awhile to get here but I am very happy to have the
chance to continue my education and increase my pay. I think a lot of people
don’t realize that they need a high school diploma to be able to move up.
I encourage people to do this for themselves.”
Solache is currently taking courses in MATC’s one-year Microsoft Bilingual
Certificate program and is planning to go into a small engine repair, electronics
or maintenance program. More information on the HEP program is available by calling
(608) 259-2977. Also speaking will be Jenifer Lippitt, graduating
from the Compulsory Law High School Equivalency Program. This program
is designed to help students between
the ages of 16 and 18-years of age who are considered at-risk of not graduating
from high school on time by allowing them to obtain an HSED through MATC.
MATC is one of the largest of the Wisconsin Technical
College System’s
16 colleges. 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 offers associate degrees, vocational
diplomas and certificates, and non-degree courses in more than 140 programs of
study. The college serves all or parts of 12 counties located in southcentral
Wisconsin and offers instruction through five campuses and numerous community
locations throughout the district.
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Last
Modified:
June 1, 2006
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