Student Profile: Matthew Maka

A desire to keep his sister's car repair costs to a minimum sparked Matthew Maka's interest in studying to become an automotive technician. "I didn't want her to pay an arm and a leg after she crashed her car," he said. "My Dad and I helped fix her car and got her back on the road."

Maka, an Allegan High School graduate, ruled out an expensive automotive program at a college in Ohio before committing to Kalamazoo Valley. Receiving the Marshall Beachler Professional Trades Scholarship solidified his decision. "I'm very grateful for the support of this scholarship," he said. "It helps me pay for all of my classes and books. It has really helped me out tremendously this semester. It gives me peace of mind that I have support." He works fulltime at a Toyota dealership during the summer and parttime while he's taking classes.

Maka is in his second year at Kalamazoo Valley. He plans to return for a third year to complete the automotive drivability systems and automotive undercar systems associate degrees. Maka has always enjoyed school. He maintained a 4.0 gpa during his sophomore to senior years of high school. He's also earning high marks while taking 17 credit hours this semester at Kalamazoo Valley.

He credits his instructors with keeping him interested and motivated. "All of my auto instructors have been amazing," he said. "They're all different, but all are amazing." Maka loves working on cars and is confident that there will always be a demand for skilled auto technicians. "It's definitely a great investment," he said of his training. "You can definitely learn a lot and save yourself a lot of time and money. Everyone drives a car so techs are always going to be needed."

To apply for the Marshall Beachler Professional Trades Scholarship, Maka was required to submit an essay about his goals for the next five years. "I want to be a master technician for Toyota and to be able to fix anything on any kind of car," he said.

Because of all of the hands-on instruction he's receiving in the auto lab at Kalamazoo Valley, Maka is certain that his goals are within reach. "I'm certain that when I'm ready, my instructors can help me find a job by the end of the day," he said.