Saturday, October 9, 2021

M.A.T.C. ABE Director Arturo Martinez, PhD From Milwaukee Accepts Cabinet Position With The College Of Southern Nevada

Dr. Martinez is scheduled to leave his Adult Basic Education Director position at the Milwaukee Area Technical College by November.

By H. Nelson Goodson 
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 9, 2021

Milwaukee, WI - On Saturday, Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) learned that Arturo Martinez, 68, PhD, who has worked at the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) for nearly 30 years and is the current Adult Basic Education (ABE) Director at MATC decided to accepted a cabinet level position with the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) and will report directly to Federico Zaragoza, PhD, the President of the CSN. Dr. Zaragoza is also formerly from Milwaukee and was the former Dean of Continuing Education at MATC and was instrumental in creating job opportunities for Latinos at the Technical College.

Dr. Martinez will leave MATC on November 6, 2021.

Dr. Martinez will now head the Division of Workforce and Economic Development for the College of Southern Nevada. This Division includes the Department of Adult Basic Education, the Department of Apprenticeship, and the Department of Continuing Education. Martinez will also have direct oversight for the College of Southern Nevada's two community education centers (Sahara West and Westside Ed and Training Center). 

Dr. Martinez is well known in the Latino community for his life long dedication of creating educational opportunities for Latinos in the Milwaukee Metro area and Wisconsin. He has also volunteered for the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (Mexican Fiesta) as an entertainment coordinator for the three-day annual Mexican/Tejano music venue at the Summerfest grounds.

While at MATC, according to his daughter Alexis Marie Martinez who announced his upcoming departure in social media from the technical college this November, Dr. Martinez created the Spanish Dental Assistant program, helped create the Office of Bilingual Education, developed linkages with Milwaukee's Workforce Agencies, and has led the college Adult Basic Education program which serves students seeking their GED or HSED. These are just a few of the programs he has initiated at MATC, during his time at MATC, he has received several outstanding national and local recognitions such as the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) 2015 Hispanic Man of the Year, the National LULAC 2015 State Director of the Year award, and the TransCenter for Youth 2018 "Bridges to Opportunities Award." His community involvement includes serving on the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Board, the Milwaukee Co-Op Center, and board member of Forward Latino. He was instrumental in forming the LULAC Brewers' Scholarship Award in collaboration with the Hispanic team players to provide scholarships to Hispanic students to attend MATC. Dr. Martinez has made both national and state presentations at state and national conferences on MATC's Integrated Education Programs and co-requisite models for underprepared ABE students, and has served on various state and national panels as an expert on IET and bilingual programs. He has been instrumental in the expansion of the Walker's Square Education Center and has linked two workforce agencies, Maximus and Milwaukee Job Centers, to be housed at Walker's Square. 

In addition, his efforts have helped increase Hispanic enrollment of Walker's Square classes. Dr. Martinez has also developed strong linkages with the Mexican Consulate to bring new programs to MATC, including La Plaza Comunitaria, according to Alexis M. Martinez.

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