MILWAUKEE—Earning the chance to address hundreds of her peers, MATC Outstanding Degree Student Hasnah Hussin’s journey to the commencement stage Sunday has been anything but ordinary.
Before earning her degree in Human Services, Hussin worked in her home country of Malaysia as a researcher, case worker, and medical interpreter—putting the seven languages she speaks to good use.
“I was born refugee. I know the struggle of people in need are having,” Hussin said. “I have been in field of Human Services since before I knew about it.”
Hussin said when she learned she would be giving a speech at MATC’s 2023 Winter Commencement, her heart was racing, even though it wouldn’t be her first time on stage.
Before coming to Milwaukee, building of off personal experience, the single mom had become an expert on issues affecting Rohingya and other refugees, delivering a TEDx talk in 2020 about the crisis.
Saturday’s graduation was punctuated a long list of accomplishments that Hussin said were made possible only through her mother’s sacrifices.
“Mama,” Hussin said, speaking directly to her mother during her speech. “I could never adequately express how grateful I am to you. You have supported me through the worst of time and delighted me through the best of the time.”
Hussin is just one of about 740 graduates who celebrated their accomplishments at Fiserv Forum Sunday with supporters cheering them on.
Milwaukee native Chardaye Hartz said she, like Hussin, was pushed by her own personal struggle. After a series of seizures and brain surgeries put her in the hospital for two months, she wanted to begin a career helping others.
“I watched the doctors. I watched the nurses take care of me. Every time I was given a medication I asked what was the side effects,” she recalled “I wanted to learn more and more.”
On graduation day, earning a Pharmacy Technican technical diploma, Hartz said she too has her mother to thank because it her mother who pushed to pursue higher education.
That in turn lead her to earn the schools title of Oustanding Technical Diploma Student.
“It feels amazing. It feels unreal a little bit,” she said. “I just feel like everyone should try something, you never know what you could do.”
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