Tonya Sosinsky found joy in her job as a surgical technician but needed to boost her income as a single mom. "I was living paycheck to paycheck,” said Tonya, in photograph at left. "I really liked the medical field and wanted to stay.” She found her answer in the Associate Degree Nursing program at Madison Area Technical College.

Donors who fund scholarships at Madison College ensure the success of students, such as Tonya, who are balancing family needs and coursework.

And as Tonya points out, the scholarships also benefit "the people I will help in the hospital.”

Today’s sputtering economy makes an investment in Tonya and the rest of the College’s students all the more urgent. The growth of our state and region relies on the success of these new workers in a variety of industries, such as health, skilled trades, protective services and culinary arts. They join graduates from more than 140 programs at the College.

The Madison College Foundation Board recently began an effort to help Tonya and her classmates. Called the SMART FUTURE campaign, the effort has received donations from more than 60 percent of College faculty and staff. That’s almost triple the national average of staff donations at community colleges. Every member of the Foundation Board and the District Board also contributed.

Gifts for this community campaign will finance efforts to prepare our students for the future. We welcome alumni, parents, business leaders, higher education fans and friends of our region and state. We need those who are grateful for their good fortune to help us plot a successful future for these deserving scholars and for Wisconsin.

Invest in students like Tonya. Make your dollars count in our effort to rebuild the region’s economy. Enhance the College’s goals for access with a gift to our scholarship funds and boost students’ ability to stay in school with your support of our Student Success programs.

As Tonya’s story demonstrates, the College transforms lives one at a time. You can help by joining the Smart Future campaign.