Looking back, Johnny Craig, new vice president of student services and enrollment management at MATC, knew he wanted to be involved in higher education. He credits his parents for putting him in programs like Upward Bound and Trio that exposed him to college.

Craig grew up in Tallahassee, Fla. His father was a welder and his mother was a sales associate. Craig was a first-generation college student. He attended Florida A&M University, earning a Bachelor of Science in economics and business.

From there, Craig took a job with Mead Paper as a regional sales manager and moved from Florida to Chicago. His territory with Mead included North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. This was Craig’s first introduction to Wisconsin.

After a few years in sales, Craig moved to a position in consulting for Deloitte in Atlanta. While working in consulting, he decided to go to graduate school. He received a master’s in education at Florida State University and a juris doctorate. While at FSU, Craig started tutoring and working at a center for academic retention and enhancement, the CARE center. “Our goal was to help students be retained, make sure they graduate, help them to ease their transition into college. Part of that, as a tutor, I realized I had the same opportunity when I was in undergrad,” Craig explained.

“While at Florida State, working with CARE, I realized you know what, someone helped me,” Craig said. That’s when Craig decided he really liked higher education.

Craig spent a short time in Atlanta at his brother’s law firm and did volunteer work with students. He sent his résumé out on a whim and got two offers, one in Houston and one in Madison, Wis.

Never having been to Houston, Craig decided on working at Edgewood College in Madison. Craig was the director of learning support services. “I always say that really started my professional career in higher education,” said Craig. While at Edgewood College, he taught developing education classes, supervised tutors, wrote grants to get free college programming, created curriculum for college success courses, and overall focused on helping students become successful.

Craig left Edgewood College to take a job at Florida State University in athletics, tutoring students. While at FSU, “I realized early I like the community college. I like the students. They need that extra help,” he said.

So he left FSU and took a position at Tallahassee Community College as the director of career pathways. While at TCC, he focused on the GED program, and helping students be successful in college. He won a couple of awards including a best practice award for his work in the career pathways and GED program. He had strong, persistent retention results.

He moved from TCC to Florida State College at Jacksonville as achievement leader associate dean. His focus was once again on student achievement, how to make students successful and complete their degree. “I learned then that it’s important to meet students where they are. Wherever they are. Wherever they are arriving. Our goal is to expose them to the opportunity that education provides to help them be successful,” Craig explained.

Craig was looking for an opportunity to work with an organization that would allow him to really make an impact on the community, to really make a difference. He explained, “my model that I developed in law school is look back, reach back, give back. I say look back from where you came because you didn’t get there alone. My parents helped me get there. They put me in these programs. Reach back and bring someone else with you. Because you can’t do it alone. So it’s important that we reach back and help other students and people be successful. And then give back. Give back to the community which helped you to get where you are.”

With that, Craig joined the City Colleges of Chicago at Kennedy-King. He was the dean of student services. Reaching back to help others, Craig helped students complete their programs, increasing the completion rate by over 20 percent in less than three years, which won the school the Aspen Rising Star award.

“My team, what we did by meeting students where they were, made a difference. Our students, a lot of times, come with other factors that impact their educational pursuits because it’s not always academic. We called it high touch at Kennedy-King. We’re going to touch you. We’re going to help you. We’re going to realize where you are and help you get where you want to go even if you don’t know that. Because a lot of students don’t know where they want to go. They know, ‘I want to go to college. I want a better life for myself, but how do I get there,’” said Craig.

Back in Wisconsin, Craig feels at home. Craig said, “I am familiar with Wisconsinites and realized that when I got here it was a good fit because the Midwestern culture is very similar to Southern culture. So I felt comfortable. I felt at home really early here.”

Craig said what interested him in MATC was that it’s an organization that is moving in the direction to implement and make changes. “A lot of the work and resources at MATC are amazing,” Craig said. “I like the natural genuineness of the people we have here. The people made the difference for me and the longevity. I think the experience of the staff played a major role. I’m at a point now where I’m looking for an opportunity to be with an organization for a long term. I’m looking for an opportunity to be with an organization where we can really change the narrative in the community and make an impact. I want to be in a place where I can really make a difference, not just have accolades. I’m excited about the opportunity that we have here,” Craig explained.

“It’s not a job. It’s not a career. I would do this for little to nothing because I love it. My grandad would always give me this quote, ‘Do what you love and everything else will work out.’ His mom said, ‘Just help where you can and if you do that, you’ll be OK.’ I’m doing this because we make a difference,” said Craig.

“Every day is a new day. Every day is exciting,” he said about his time at MATC so far. 

He explained, “Our job as student services professionals is to help teach students. I say we’re uniquely positioned to impact every aspect of our students’ lives. That’s what we do. Every aspect. Whether it’s housing, whether it’s jobs. Whether it’s family. We have counselors. We have advisors. Opportunities like the newspaper. We have professional opportunities. We have internships. Financial aid. We have athletics. All those things that are in student services, it’s a microcosm society.” Craig added that he looks forward to attending graduation ceremonies. “To see people walk across the stage, and to see that they’re making that step to change their situation, is important.”

Craig’s goals are to increase visibility especially at the regional campuses and to help all MATC students. He said that he’s only as good as his team and he has great team members with a blend of experience. He thinks it’s a great fit for him and is excited to work collaboratively and to work with the students every day. He wants to focus on student success and meet students where they are. He wants to increase student completion and be a voice for the students. “Every decision we make, make it for the student. Ask the next question,” Craig said.

“Education changes lives. Nelson Mandela said, ‘Education is the best weapon you can use.’ It changes lives,” Craig noted. Craig is ready to make a difference at MATC.