MATC’s first presidential investiture ceremony officially recognized Dr. Anthony Cruz as the college’s new leader
On the occasion of his presidential investiture, Dr. Anthony Cruz spoke about his parents’ sacrifices and their faith in the power of education.
The New Leader
On September 19, 2025, Layla Merrifield, the president of the Wisconsin Technical College System, walked to the podium on the Robert L. Cooley Auditorium stage. As a bank of spotlights bathed her in bright light, she gazed out at hundreds of guests sitting in the wooden seats of the 110-year-old theater, the largest space at MATC. “We are all part of history today,” she said. Indeed they were. On that day, more than 200 MATC students, faculty, staff and district board directors, along with business leaders, community partners and elected officials, attended the Investiture of MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz. A formal academic ceremony, the investiture — the first of its kind in MATC’s 113-year history — officially installed Dr. Cruz as the college’s new leader. The event marked a professional and personal pinnacle for Dr. Cruz, the son of Cuban immigrants, the first person in his family to attend college and someone who at times struggled to continue this educational journey. In his investiture address, Dr. Cruz conceded he constantly wondered if he belonged at college, if he mattered to anyone, if he could ever succeed.
“There were moments when I felt like giving up. Moments of doubt. Moments when the road was unclear,” he recalled at the ceremony. “But what kept me moving forward was the sacrifice and resilience of my parents. They came to this country with nothing but hope. They didn’t speak the language. They didn’t have wealth. But they did have faith in the power of education and faith that their children could go further than they ever dreamed.” Cruz persevered, earned three college degrees and began a three- decade career in higher education. He served as dean of enrollment and student development at Cincinnati State from 2009 to 2012; as vice president of enrollment management and student affairs at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, from 2012 to 2016; and as vice chancellor of student affairs at St. Louis Community College from 2016 to 2019. From St. Louis, he went to Miami Dade College, a nationally recognized community college valued for its diversity, affordability, accessible campuses, modern facilities, wide range of programs and extensive support services. In July 2024, he came to MATC, where he became the college’s first Latino president — another milestone. The historical investiture last September began with speakers and guests processing into the auditorium to the melody of a Mozart divertimento. The U.S. and Wisconsin flags were presented by a color guard from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, and the MATC Music Faculty Student Alumni Vocal Ensemble sang the national anthem.
Students listening to Dr. Cruz speech
Guests then heard remarks from speakers representing the MATC District Board; the college’s faculty, staff, students and alumni; the region’s business community; and the City of Milwaukee. In his address, Dr. Cruz thanked his family, including his parents, Caridad and Antonio, who attended the event; his colleagues; and his friends for their support. He also pledged to support MATC students, vowing they will always come first. “To the students of MATC: You are the reason I am here,” he said. “Every decision I make, every initiative we launch, every conversation we have at the executive table, it’s all for you.” He added, “I never want a student to feel like they don’t belong here. I don’t want anyone to walk through our doors and feel that sense of uncertainty, that feeling I had as a first-generation college student, wondering, ‘Do I really deserve to be here?’ Yes, you do. You belong here. You matter. And your success is our mission.” To accomplish that mission, MATC recently developed a new strategic plan called Ascend Together. The plan focuses on three priorities: building community trust, fostering a caring culture at the college and ensuring student success.
To be successful, MATC must innovate in the classroom, partner with businesses and community leaders to ensure courses reflect the real working world, and provide needed student services, Dr. Cruz said. “We’ll do it all while remembering that technical education is no longer blue-collar — it’s gold-collar,” he said. “These are high-skill, high-wage, high-demand careers, and MATC is the launchpad for that future.” And everyone is more than welcome to attend MATC and find out what they can accomplish, he added. “We are the hope for the students who didn’t think college was for them. We are the bridge for the adult learner changing careers. We are the future for Milwaukee’s communities and industries,” Dr. Cruz said. “And under my leadership, we will continue to rise, not just for the students we have today, but for the ones who haven’t even walked through our doors yet.” After making his remarks, Dr. Cruz stood and faced Erica Case, chairperson of the MATC District Board. He bowed slightly from the waist. Case draped the Chain of Office, a medallion with the MATC seal on a chain with links representing the college’s four campuses, the Education Center at Walker’s Square and Milwaukee PBS, around his neck. The ceremony ended, a new milestone reached in the long history of MATC.
