Ginny Gnadt                                  Kathleen Hohl
Senior Public Relations Specialist     Director of Public Relations
(414) 297-6770, gnadtv@matc.edu   (414) 297-6208, hohlk@matc.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for West Allis Campus Addition

WEST ALLIS, Wis.  (June 12, 2008) – A groundbreaking ceremony for a three-story, 3,200- square-foot addition to Milwaukee Area Technical College’s West Allis Campus is scheduled for noon, Tuesday, June 17, at the campus, 1200 S. 71st St. The $950,000 project will include a science classroom, a computer lab and a large general classroom. It will be built in space currently used as a courtyard in the northeast section of the main building.
 
“The West Allis Campus is very compact by nature of its location in a residential neighborhood,” said Pablo Cardona, vice president, West Allis Campus. “We are in great need of more classroom space, but are also trying to be sensitive to the concerns of the neighbors. For that reason, we designed the addition to stay within the campus’s existing boundaries.

“We hope the addition will allow more students to attend our conveniently located campus. In these times of high gasoline prices and increased sensitivity to environmental concerns, we want to be able to offer as many classes as possible for area students,” Cardona added.

The West Allis Campus serves nearly 10,000 students annually and offers 37 degree, diploma and certificate programs, as well as comprehensive student services. The expansion will increase opportunities for study in health occupations, electronics, information technology and other MATC programs.

West Allis officials, neighbors and college officials will attend the event. Among the distinguished guests will be Jeannette Bell, former mayor of West Allis, and departing vice chairperson of the MATC Board of Directors.“Former Mayor Bell has been a tremendous champion for the welfare of both the City of West Allis and for MATC,” said MATC President Darnell E. Cole. “We are very grateful for all she’s done for the college in her nine years of service on the board. We greatly appreciate her work in assuring that this campus expansion will come to fruition. We also want to salute recently retired West Allis Campus vice president Rick Kettner, whose commitment to the project was instrumental.”

For more information, contact Alberta Witherspoon at (414) 456-5301.