On Friday, April 26, students and faculty at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) gathered to celebrate the release of the “Sharing Our World” book. The book contains stories from over 200 MATC students from the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, focusing on the personal journeys of students through poetry, essays, and more.
Erin Helland, an ESL instructor at MATC, spoke about the significance of the book’s release. “I think students feel a very strong sense of pride like wow, my work is published, look at this, and not only that, I can read my story in English, in front of people,” she said.
The fifth edition of the book was developed by MATC’s community education pathway in just five years. Forty-seven countries were represented in this year’s edition alone. The diversity and representation in the book highlight the importance of fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.