Check out some stories about how the Foundation and donations from alumni like you have helped student scholarship recipients plan for a SMART FUTURE:- Read about how Madison College helped Jacob rebound after losing his job.
- Learn how former migrant worker Juan was able to stay in school.
- See how Ka's four-year journey at Madison College taught him everything from speaking English to becoming a licensed barber.
- Hear the story of Melissa, a single mother returning to school to pursue her interest in science.
- Tutoring helped firefighter Tiffany make it through her program at Madison College. Read her story to learn how!
- Single mother Tonya tells how her scholarship not only helps her but also the people she will help at the hospital after completing her Associate Degree Nursing program.
Students — and the Economy — Need Your Help
Since 1912, Madison Area Technical College’s roots in the "real world” of area businesses have shaped the economic development of the Madison region, even in challenging times. Donations from friends of the College helped it succeed. In turn, our graduates have fueled the Madison area’s economy, one of the most stable economies even during downturns.
SMART FUTURE Campaign
The SMART FUTURE campaign ensures the continuing success of this great tradition by increasing access to the College and enhancing success for students already enrolled.
Today the College offers training for almost 42,000 students in five communities: Madison, Watertown, Portage, Reedsburg and Fort Atkinson.Yet, the cost of attending the College increasingly restricts access for individual students, slowing the pace for newly trained workers to buoy the region’s changing economy.
The College produces more than 3,000 graduates each year in degree-granting or certificate programs, such as Culinary Arts or Certified Nursing Assistant, and sends 1,200 students to four-year colleges. It teaches prerequisite courses to math-savvy students preparing to enter UW-Madison’s College of Engineering. The College prepares more than 600 students each year for enrollment at the UW-Madison and another 600 who enroll at other UW campuses.
Increasingly, UW-Madison graduates enroll at Madison College to get training to help them rebuild our region with training in healthcare, biotechnology, information technology and services linked to quality of life, including sustainable energy.
The College’s most recent information tells the story:
- 89% of Madison College graduates are employed.
- 96% are working in Wisconsin; 81% in the Madison College District.
- 98% of employers are satisfied or very satisfied with Madison College graduates’ technical education.
- UW-Madison accepts more transfer students from Madison College than from any other institution.
- Wisconsin technical college students with occupational/vocational degrees earn more than $3 more per hour than high school graduates, according to a 2008 report from the Center on Wisconsin Strategy.
- Every $1 invested in a technical college returns $3.62 to the community, a recent study by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance found.
In recent years, state and federal aid to technical colleges has decreased significantly. At the same time tuition, fees and living expenses have increased. Tuition and fees for a full-time degree student at Madison College cost about $4,000 per year, about half that of area four-year colleges.Add the cost of books and living expenses, and a student at Madison College will spend an average of $15,000 per year.
‘Real world’ smart, the College’s brand statement, needs ‘real world’ support from citizens and business leaders who see the benefit of engaged, taxpaying workers who begin successful lives at Madison College. This is why we call our fundraising effort SMART FUTURE.
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