MATC TO BUILD HEALTH COMPLEX ADDITION AT FORT ATKINSON CAMPUS
Madison Area Technical College (MATC) announced plans this week to expand its Fort Atkinson campus to help meet increased demand for health care, business and college transfer programs as well as other specialized training. The multipurpose facility, located at the corner of Madison Avenue and Banker Road in Fort Atkinson, will provide increased classroom and laboratory space. The project is scheduled to begin next April with completion in September 2008 if the college and community are able to complete financing for the project.
“Access to high quality education and excellent health care are essential to maintaining this thriving community,” states Dr. Bettsey Barhorst, MATC president. “Our expansion will provide the space and facilities essential to our ability to train highly skilled workers ready to meet Fort Atkinson’s current and future health care needs. Health care employment is projected to increase more than 30% by 2012. That means 10,000 health care jobs will be added each year in Wisconsin. Fort Atkinson will continue to compete with the Madison and Milwaukee metro areas for skilled health care, business, protective services and other employees.”
She went on to point out that MATC Fort Atkinson is the fastest growing regional campus in the MATC district and has outgrown its current facility. Enrollment has increased by 50% over the last six years and the demand continues for degree credit courses for college transfer and business as well as health-related programs. Dr. Barhorst said, “We must grow to meet the educational needs of our students.”
The new space at MATC–Fort Atkinson will include a bed skills lab, a nursing skills practice lab and learning center, chemistry and biology labs that will support health care but also a variety of other professions including law enforcement, fire departments and the food processing industry to name a few. A key feature of the new facility will be construction of flexible space that can accommodate up to 100 persons. This lecture and meeting hall will be divisible into two classrooms each seating up to 40 students. This multi-purpose design will provide comfortable space for CPR and other emergency medical training, as well as community meetings.
“MATC’s facilities provide important economic benefits to our community," says Sheldon Mielke, president of the Fort Atkinson Industrial Development Corporation, “The Fort Atkinson hospital is our largest employer, and we will all benefit from MATC’s expanded nursing program because it will help meet our increased need for nursing care professionals.”
Overall, the new facility will include just under 10,000 square feet of space. In addition, about 5,000 square feet of space in the current facility will be remodeled to facilitate improved customer service as well as student/staff interaction and to better accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities.
The project is budgeted at $2.35 million and 80% of the funding has been committed by MATC. The $1.85 million allocated by the college is the limit of its new and remodeling budgets allowed under state of Wisconsin law. Thus, MATC seeks the remaining $500,000 in private support from the community to accomplish the project as envisioned. Individuals and organizations interested in a presentation about the project or information about how to make a gift should contact Bob Dinndorf, executive director of the MATC Foundation, at (608) 246-6440 or email him at rdinndorf@matcmadison.edu.
A long-term master plan to address facility needs throughout MATC’s twelve-county district is under development, and any benefits are several years away. However, Dr. Barhorst emphasizes that “this project at Fort Atkinson is needed now to address the skilled workforce shortage already upon us.”
MATC is one of the largest of the Wisconsin Technical College System’s 16 colleges. It provides “real world smart” education through 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 south-central Wisconsin and offers instruction through five campuses and numerous community locations throughout the district.
Additional contacts:
President: Dr. Bettsey Barhorst • (608) 246-6678 • bbarhorst@matcmadison.edu
Academic programs: Terry Webb, associate vice president • (608) 246-6270 • tswebb@matcmadison.edu
Gifts: Bob Dinndorf, executive director, MATC Foundation • (608) 246-6440 • rdinndorf@matcmadison.edu
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Modified:
June 13, 2007
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