MATC receives $50,000 grant to help veterans succeed in college

 

 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Veterans who want to go to college have some new help. MATC's innovative Credit for Prior Learning and Experience program already helps students gain college credits for skills they have, but a new specialist will focus on the skills of veterans. 

A $50,000 grant is from Wisconsin's Department of Safety & Professional Services. It will help MATC hire a veteran's student service specialist.

"They don't know that they can get credit for the certificates they received while they were there [in the military], or training that they received while they were there," said Tameka Allen a current student services specialist. 

The new job title will focus on veteran outreach, so they veterans know the program is even available. Based on their training in the military, they can get credits for basic college courses. 

"A lot of our general study courses, so psychology, English courses," said Allen. 

Gregory Hicks is a veteran who just graduated MATC this year. 

"I never felt that I was qualified for college. I never felt that I could do it," said Hicks. 

He graduated with a degree in Human Services. He says he could've benefited from the credits for prior learning-- if he knew about it. 

"You know, the military is its own world, college is its own world," said Hicks. "It was an adjustment, but it requires some of the same discipline, same focus and some of the same attitude." 

 About 600 Veterans enter MATC and could benefit from the program every year.