Student Spotlight: Two leaders worth appreciating

by Warren Murphy, Features Editor

March 28, 2024

Two of MATC’s Student Leaders

The Student Spotlight is designed to introduce you to your fellow classmates, not just as students, but as people. This segment highlights students’ responses to two open-ended questions – “What is important to you?” and “What are you proud of?” In this edition of the Times, we focused the spotlight on two students who attended the college’s Student Org and Student Government Meet & Greet and Luncheon earlier this semester.

Kevin King, MATC Mothership President (Photo by Zanaia Joshua)

Name: Kevin King (President of Mothership)

Age: 26

Program: Computer Simulation and Gaming

From: Milwaukee

What is important to you?

What is most important to me is constantly growing and building a solid foundation. My main goal at MATC is to leave this place better than I found it. I like to think I have done that, and I will continue to try to do my part.

What are you proud of?

I am proud of Mothership (a student run organization, within MATC’s Computer Simulation and Gaming Program, focused on video game creation) and the fact that we built it from essentially only a name, to an organization that accomplished all of the things that we set out to do. When I started with Mothership, we created a timeline of everything we wanted to accomplish. Nobody believed we would be able to complete everything on the timeline but we ended up successfully achieving everything we set out to do. As I prepare to finish my time at MATC, looking back at all of the work we did feels celebratory.

Lavada Sykes, Peer Success Ambassador (Photo by Christopher D’Allen)

Name: Lavada Sykes (Peer Success Ambassador)

Age: 33

Program: Teachers Education

From: Chicago and Milwaukee (Chiwaukee)

What is important to you?

What is most important to me is making a difference, spreading the gospel, and serving the public. One of the ways I do this is as a student worker. I help coach students not only with academics, but also with problems outside of school.

What are you proud of?

I am proud of being a mother. My child teaches me more about myself all the time. I’m proud that both me and my child are always growing and always learning.

If you would like to nominate yourself or a classmate for the next Student Spotlight, please email us at [email protected] and use “Student Spotlight” for the subject line.

About the Contributors

Warren Murphy, Managing Editor

My name is Warren Murphy and I am Managing Editor of the MATC Times. I joined the staff last year, and after consistently contributing as a writer, I was named Features Editor. This year, with our new Editor-in-Chief, Zanaia Joshua, selecting me as Managing Editor, I plan to help curate a student paper that serves as a true mouthpiece for the voice of our students. I am in the Liberal Arts Transfer program and I plan on transferring to UW-Madison to complete my bachelors after this upcoming fall semester. For fun, I love to play basketball and go to stand-up comedy shows with my friends and family. I originally joined the Times because I was having a hard time finding a space for myself on campus. If you're struggling to find your place like I was, I strongly encourage you to reach out and see how you can get involved. MATC Times believes wholeheartedly in the power of collaboration and inclusivity, as baked into our foundation by our previous Editor-in-Chief Christopher D'Allen, and as student leaders, Zanaia and I are working constantly to ensure we provide a space that welcomes ALL students.

Zanaia Joshua, Editor-in-Chief

I joined the MATC Times in the 2023/24 academic year, due to my passion for journalism. I enjoy expressing myself through writing; I love a good synonym. It is exciting to bring stories to life with creativity. In my new role as Editor-in-Chief (2024/25), I get to experience the journey of creating a newspaper and all that entails. I help students share their stories through our website and print publication. We want to provide a voice for all students at MATC and the issues they care about.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, learning new things, studying quotes of wisdom, practicing fitness, dressing up, and having fun through new experiences.

Christopher D'Allen, Editor-in-Chief

My name is Christopher D'Allen and I am the Editor-in-Chief for the MATC Times, a student run paper dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in scholastic journalism. The MATC Times stands as the voice of our students and a bastion of free speech for the communiy we represent. I joined the staff in my first semester at MATC and obtained my current position at the start of Summer '23. Here I am a photography student and hold a BA in Political Science and Spanish & Latin American Studies with a minor in Democracy and Justice Studies. I have worked an Administrative Assistant, World Language Instructor, a Head Lifeguard and Resident Assistant, but have found that my passion lies in the arts. As a photographer, I challenge myself daily to find a new perspective, capture a fleeting scene and turn moments into memories. As we work to relaunch the MATC Times website and grow our staff, I want to make joining our team as positive a learning experience and beneficial a work experience as possible. I strongly believe in the power of collaboration and inclusivity. As an Editor, I actively encourage diverse perspectives. Each student's unique viewpoint enriches our storytelling and fosters a sense of unity within our community. I aim to bridge the gap between words and images, revealing the untold stories that shape our community.