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Construction students among finalists in national ABC Competition

goersab — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:07:53 +0000

Construction students among finalists in national ABC Competitiongoersab May 20, 2026

Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City project gives glimpse into real world construction management

�� construction management students competed against the nation ��. top students during Associated Builders and Contractors’ hallmark annual event, the Construction Management Competition, held this spring in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The ABC competition gives students a glimpse into the real world of construction, testing their project management, estimating, safety, quality control and presentation skills. This year ��. project was the Salt Lake City Convention Center ��. Hyatt Regency Hotel – a nearly 700,000-square-foot venue located in the heart of downtown.

Senior Lecturer Jim Bunkelman, Riley Hibner, Megan Schatz, Ian Farrell, Anna Odisho, Rep. Clint Moses and Sen. Jesse James in �� . Construction Lab.

“The construction industry needs to bring in 349,000 new workers this year just to meet demand, and that includes experienced young construction management professionals like these because they can solve real-world problems so contractors can build quality infrastructure,” said ABC National Board of Directors Chair Thomas “Murph” Murphy.

Of the 31 national teams, �� was among the final nine invited to present in the third phase of the competition, which included a presentation and Q&A with a panel of 40 industry experts.

�� . ABC team members were:

Evan Ambourn, of Eau Claire
Rorie Boettcher, of Eau Claire
Ian Farrell, of Waukesha
Riley Hibner, of Portage
Kameron Konsela, of Minneapolis
Sarah Meyers, of Plover
Anna Odisho, of Roselle, Illinois
Megan Schatz, of Brookfield

“Acting like our own contracting company, the ABC competition gave us a real-life project, where we could work as a group to build a proposal that a true industry company would create – from breaking ground to completion,” said Schatz, the team lead.

“This team demonstrated exceptional dedication and skills from day one. They took a complex project and vision, executing it with precision and professionalism. I have no doubt that the skills they’ve honed during this project will serve them incredibly well in their upcoming professional careers,” said Senior Lecturer James Bunkelman.

Sarah Meyers, Rorie Boettcher, Kameron Konsela, Megan Schatz, Ian Farrell and Evan Ambourn at the ABC Student Competition / Megan Schatz

Recently, the team was presented with a proclamation on behalf of the Wisconsin State Legislature by Sen. Jesse James and Rep. Clint Moses, a �� psychology alum. They were joined by John Schulze, ABC Wisconsin Director of Legal and Government Affairs, and Bunkelman.

“We appreciate �� students’ engagement and their achievements. They were up against some very big schools, and they held their own,” Schulze said. Competing universities included Clemson, Purdue and Michigan State. Louisiana State University won first place.

A project to reimagine a city skyline

The Hyatt Regency Salt Lake is a 25-story hotel, with 517 guestrooms, more than 60,000 square feet of meeting space, a lobby and reception area, a fitness center, multiple restaurants, a market, an outdoor pool, an event terrace and underground parking. The glass façade helps shape the city ��. skyline.

The ABC student teams were provided access to the project by ABC member contractor Hensel Phelps, which has already completed the project.

�� "Stout Builders" ABC Competition Top Performers title slide / Megan Schatz

The first phase of the competition was to research and prepare a proposal. The process took two-and-a-half months, and �� . final proposal was 120 pages long. Logistics was the biggest challenge, with Odisho handling much of the research.

“Since our project was in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, there was not a lot of room for a project trailer, let alone a laydown of space for all the materials. The convention center also needed to be fully operational during the duration of the construction. So, safety was a large factor, as we’d be hoisting large pieces of steel and other material. It is also on the corner of two busy roads, so we had to time deliveries and plan what lanes of traffic we could change during construction,” said Schatz, who serves as vice president of the Student Construction Association, as well as director of public relations for Sigma Lambda Chi, the construction honors society.

For the project ��. second phase, the 31 teams convened at Salt Lake City Convention Center for a six-hour-long day, where they were given five addenda and changes they needed to incorporate into their proposals. The addenda reflected both fictional and actual events that happened during the construction of the hotel.

“Some of the addenda we were given were: a build-out of the restaurant on the sixth floor, the final build-out of the top five floors for the NBA All-Star Game, adding balancing water valves that were missed originally, and an earthquake that hit Salt Lake City,” Schatz said.

Ian Farrell, Evan Ambourn, Megan Schatz and Sarah Meyers present during phase three of the ABC Student Competition / Megan Schatz

Phase three was the final presentation, in which the �� ABC Team was one of nine finalists. “Presenting in front of the judges and audience was such an accomplishment. I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to complete this project with such a dedicated and committed team. We learned not only more about the industry but also grew as a team and had a fun time doing it,” Schatz said.

Graduates from �� . B.S. construction management program reported a 100% employment rate within six months of graduation and an average starting salary of $70,000, according to the latest university First Destination Report.

�� . School of Management offers 20 undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates that build students' leadership skills in operations and management, business, hospitality and technology innovation, and military science fields.

Construction Management

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May 20, 2026

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University among first in Midwest to integrate concrete printing into polytechnic programs

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Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City project gives glimpse into real world construction management ABC Construction competition team, 2026

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Hero Caption: This year ��. ABC Competition project was the Salt Lake City Convention Center ��. Hyatt Regency Hotel – a nearly 700,000-square-foot venue located in the heart of downtown.

James Bunkelman

Full Name: James Bunkelman

Job Title: Lecturer

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College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Operations & Management Department

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Curriculum Vitae: James Bunkelman CV (253.87 KB)

Education:

Degree: M.S. Construction Management

University: University of Wisconsin Stout

Degree: B.S. Construction Management

University: University of Wisconsin-Stout

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�� Outstanding Student Leaders empower others, bring people together, build relationships

goersab — Mon, 18 May 2026 16:43:39 +0000

�� Outstanding Student Leaders empower others, bring people together, build relationshipsgoersab May 18, 2026

Bender, Lueck also receive Wood Medallion, highest nonacademic honor

Abbey Goers

Alongside more than 100 of their peers, three �� students were honored as Outstanding Student Leaders of the Year at the annual Leadership Awards on May 6, for their commitment, involvement and service around campus and the Menomonie community:

Brett Bender, a computer networking and information technology major from Rio
Melody Lueck, a graphic design and interactive media major from Fort Atkinson
Gabe Cauwels, a business administration major from St. Paul.

Each outstanding student feels that their �� experiences and opportunities have prepared them to make an impact after graduation.

“�� has given me a starting point for how I can continue making an impact wherever I go,” Bender said. “The hands-on opportunities and empowerment I’ve been given to make change have allowed me the ability to start the long process of honing my leadership skills – something that will never be finished.”

2026 Outstanding Student Leaders of the Year recipients Brett Bender, Melody Lueck and Gabe Cauwels

Seniors Bender and Lueck, who will graduate this fall, also received the Samuel E. Wood Medallion, the university ��. highest nonacademic honor for students. Fourteen seniors were honored with the medallion this year.

“To be recognized among so many talented peers is humbling, but to me, these awards mean much more than an individual achievement. They are a testament to the growth I’ve experienced here at �� and the incredible community I’ve been surrounded by,” Bender said.

Lueck agreed, adding, “These recognitions reflect the impact I have been able to make within the �� campus and community throughout my four years here. As I begin my final semester this fall, I hope to continue making a meaningful difference and leave the same positive impact that has shaped my experience so far.”

Leadership is about opening doors for others

Bender is a student supervisor with the Event Technology Crew in the Student Centers and a resident advisor within HKMC Hall. When Bender came to ��, he knew he wanted to make an impact, but he wasn’t sure how.

“Through the support of my peers and the opportunities I’ve received, �� started to feel like home,” Bender said. “The opportunities I’ve been given are invaluable and irreplaceable. They’ve allowed me to grow not only as a leader in professional settings, but as an individual. Without the opportunities that I’ve been able to take advantage of, I do not believe that I would be as successful of a student as I am today. I will always hold the experiences I’ve had near and dear to my heart.”

Bender believes that “Leadership is about opening doors for others and creating a space where everyone feels empowered to contribute. For me, student leadership means a lot of things. It ranges from feeling empowered and enabled, to conflict resolution and compromise. Following graduation, I hope that wherever I go, I will be able to make those around me feel empowered, and that no matter how small the voice, everyone has a voice.”

Bringing people together in meaningful ways

Lueck is an executive producer with Blue Devil Productions, serves as president of the American Institute of Graphic Arts student organization, is the designer and secondary event coordinator of People ��. Organization of Network Gaming (PONG), a First-Year Orientation assistant and a Week One Orientation leader.

“I truly enjoy creating events and experiences that positively impact the �� community and bring people together in meaningful ways,” Lueck said. “These opportunities have meant so much to me throughout my time here. Without them, I may never have discovered this passion.”

Student leadership is extremely important to Lueck. “Making a positive impact, whether that be with my colleagues or the campus community as a whole, has given me the drive to succeed in college. I hope to continue having this passion, positively impacting others as I continue into my career,” she said.

Building relationships across all majors

Cauwels serves as the Service Club at Stout president and the vice president of finance for the American Marketing Association student chapter. He works as an involvement specialist in the Involvement Center.

“These opportunities on campus have helped me build relationships with people not just in my major but across all majors, as well as allow me to make a positive impact on the local and distant communities and develop my professional skills,” Cauwels said.

“Student leadership has truly made me more sure of myself and helped me balance responsibilities in a variety of settings. I plan on taking the problem-solving skills I have gained from these experiences and applying them to whatever I do outside of school,” he added.

Samuel E. Wood Medallion and Leadership Award recipients

Less than 1% of full-time students receive the Wood Medallion. It is presented to seniors who have contributed to student activities and have demonstrated leadership and scholastic ability. Winners are selected by a committee of faculty, staff and students.

2026 Wood Medallion recipients

Other Wood Medallion recipients were:

Emily Avila, interior design, Hudson
Alexis Bellotti, animation and digital media, Kaukauna
Sumnima Devkota, psychology, Kathmandu, Nepal
Bergen Haag, industrial and product design, St. Paul
Cara Jenquin, individualized studies, Menomonie
Madelyn King, hotel, restaurant and tourism management, real estate property management, Brownville
Madi Klaja, packaging, Hudson
Melissa Kosharek, computer science, Dickeyville
Kloie Potts, family and consumer sciences education, Elkhorn
Noah Rosenberger, hotel, restaurant and tourism management, Sauk Rapids
Kayne Whitney, cybersecurity, Waunakee
Maria Winkelman, professional communication and emerging media, St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Samuel E. Wood was a longtime assistant chancellor for Student Services/Dean of Students Office. He retired in 1991 and died in February 2013.

Additional awards presented were:

Student Employee of the Year, three winners: Drew Albert, Event Technology Crew; Maria Winkelman, Involvement Center; and Nolan Zachgo, Math Teaching and Learning Center.
Student Staff Team of the Year, three winners: Student Center ��. Event Technology Crew; Writing Center ��. peer writing consultants; and Math Teaching and Learning Center ��. teaching assistants.
Student Organization of the Year, three winners: Barbecue Eaters and Enthusiasts Federation, DND Club and Service Club at Stout.
Student Organization Event of the Year, three winners: Philosophy Club ��. “Does God Exist? A Student Debate”; Craft Club ��. “Make Your Own Keychains”; Service Club at Stout ��. “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat.”
Bill Siedlecki Advisor of the Year, two winners: Danielle Clarizio, International Club; and Fred Prassas, Institute of Real Estate Management.
Twenty-four students received the Outstanding Cooperative Education and Internship Program Student of the Year.

The Leadership Awards ceremony is sponsored by the Involvement Center, Stout Student Association and Career Services.

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Construction students among finalists in national ABC Competition

Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City project gives glimpse into real world construction management

May 20, 2026

�� Outstanding Student Leaders empower others, bring people together, build relationships

Bender, Lueck also receive Wood Medallion, highest nonacademic honor

May 18, 2026

�� game design programs named among best in Midwest, nation in new Animation Career Review rankings

Parallel B.F.A., B.S. programs produce career-ready grads who create award-winning games

May 14, 2026

Bender, Lueck also receive Wood Medallion, highest nonacademic honor 2026 Samuel E. Wood Medallion recipients

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�� game design programs named among best in Midwest, nation in new Animation Career Review rankings

giffeyt — Thu, 14 May 2026 14:13:23 +0000

�� game design programs named among best in Midwest, nation in new Animation Career Review rankingsgiffeyt May 14, 2026

Parallel B.F.A., B.S. programs produce career-ready grads who create award-winning games

Tom Giffey

�� . game design programs continue to climb in the rankings among their peers around the nation, rising to No. 6 in the Midwest and No. 17 among all public universities in the United States, according to the latest figures published by Animation Career Review.

�� held steady on another Animation Career Review leaderboard, but that ��. only because it couldn’t climb any higher: The game design programs were ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin for the eighth consecutive year. �� also placed No. 11 nationwide among universities offering game design-related B.F.A. degrees.

"Our program has matured beyond its ‘startup’ phase and is consistently producing industry-standard work, as evidenced by how many of our senior capstone games go on to be published on the Steam and Epic Games platforms,” said Associate Professor Kim Loken, program director for B.F.A. game design and development - art.

Loken said �� . multiple game-design related degree programs – which also include a B.S. computer science with a game design and development concentration and a B.S. game and media studies – set Wisconsin ��. �� apart from its peers.

“Because we offer game dev-focused B.F.A. and B.S. degrees in parallel, our students achieve depth in their roles to maximize effective collaborations in the five semesters in which they take courses in which they make games together in ever-larger team structures,” Loken said.

Stout Game Expo attendees play Gator Hucker, one of the student-designed games.

Students build award-winning games

Game design courses culminate in the senior capstone, which simulates an industry environment as students create games in teams. These games are on display each semester at the Stout Game Expo (SGX), western Wisconsin ��. largest game developer exhibition, which was held May 7.

Among the award-winning games at SGX was Gator Hucker, in which players brawl as alien alligators with wacky abilities. The game, which won the Audience Award, grew out of a running joke in class about a game in which gorillas threw alligators in space, explained senior Space Goettl. A game design and development - art major with a computer science minor, Goettl wore many hats during the game ��. development, including leading the character art team, serving as a technical animator and heading marketing efforts.

“One really important thing the program does is that all of the interdisciplinary game design classes put you on a team where you basically function as your own indie studio, so by the time you graduate you’ve already independently published three video games,” Goettl said. “Because you’re always doing group work (and group work with people outside your individual areas of expertise, no less), you develop really important soft skills through the process that can apply to any job, not just the games industry.”

Esquelito was one of the award-winning games on display at the Stout Game Expo on May 7.

The award for Best Production at SGX went to Esquelito, a colorful, musical game set in the Mexican underworld. Players become Esquelito, a little skeleton who spreads joy through music, moving through levels while staying on beat.

The game was inspired in part by Mexican Day of the Dead traditions as well as the Disney film “Coco,” said senior Alex Colmenares, a B.F.A. game design and development - art major who served as game designer, VFX artist and illustrator for Esquelito.

“A big challenge that the team faced was ensuring that the game was not disrespectful in the way it represented Mexican culture,” said Colmenares, whose own heritage includes Mexican roots. “Another challenge was proper game balance. We wanted to market our game to children, so to that end we wanted to design a game that would be easier for kids. But sometimes things would come out to be way too difficult or way too easy! It was a lot of work to properly tune the game ��. difficulty.”

Another big hit at SGX was Aeromancy, a virtual reality game in which players take the role of wizards who must land airplanes on the correct runway using magic gauntlets. At SGX, Aeromancy won the Audience Award for games created in the junior-level Exploratory Game Design course.

“The use of virtual reality enhances the chaotic, frantic nature of the game and allows the player to access that child-like headspace of playing with toy airplanes,” said Assistant Professor Michael Tetzlaff. Aeromancy is the third VR game exhibited at �� in recent years, and the first developed entirely by junior-level undergraduates.

One of the games at SGX, Driven to Madness, featured a game controller designed to look like an engine.

Junior-level students in the Exploratory Game Design course also showcased a two-player racing game called Driven to Madness, which featured a monstrous motorcycle engine as one of the game controllers. Professor Andrew Williams explained that one player drives a motorcycle on a racetrack while calling out to the other player, a mechanic, who must make adjustments to the engine to avoid obstacles.

“The game focuses on communication as each player has access to different types of information and needs to share it to play. This was an ambitious, high-risk project because it has very complex problems to solve and the team needed to learn a lot of skills independently,” said Williams, who added that the game won the Most Innovative Gameplay award at SGX.

A scene from the student-designed virtual reality game, Aeromancy.

Game design programs among top in nation

Overall, �� had a banner year in the Animation Career Review rankings, placing at No. 36 among all public and private universities in the United States. The rankings are driven by academic peer assessments, graduate employment outcomes, and metrics of program scale and institutional performance, including faculty size, retention rates, and graduation rates.

Games created by �� students have made an impression far beyond campus. Last November, a student-built submarine game called Dread Not was honored as best student entry at M+DEV, the largest game industry conference in the Midwest, which drew 1,500 attendees to Madison.

And the graduates who created these games are finding careers in their chosen field: According to �� . most recent survey, 97% of game design and development - art graduates were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduating. Recent game design alumni have landed jobs with the likes of Activision, Raven Software, Fantasy Flight Games, Pixel Farm and Trek Bikes.

The game design and development - art program is part of the School of Art and Design, one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest. The School of Art and Design also offers bachelor ��. degrees in animation and digital media; game and media studies; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design.

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Parallel B.F.A., B.S. programs produce career-ready grads who create award-winning games Two players at �� SGX spring 2026

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Search Keywords: game designStout Game ExpoSGX

Hero Caption: Audience members test student-designed games at the Stout Game Expo (SGX) on May 7, 2026.

Kim Loken

Kim Loken's industry experience spans civic, commercial, and residential projects. Her approach to each is further informed by a storytelling mindset cultivated in work for film and theater. In her prior architecture practice, she helmed a variety of adaptive reuse, historic preservation and new construction projects. More recent work focuses on the use of games as systems for analyzing complex problems, particularly those related to environmental issues. Teaching invigorates her practice and provides the opportunity to mentor young designers in a variety of disciplines.

Teaching Interests: Design thinking, interdisciplinary design, large-scale collaborative projects

Research Interests: Phenomenology, narrative-driven design

Professional Interests: Place-making, critical regionalism, cultural history and adaptive re-use

Full Name: Kim Loken

Job Title: Associate Professor / Program Director / Minor Advisor

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Area of Expertise: Architecture Systems Design

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Design Department

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Curriculum Vitae: Kimberly Loken CV (97.64 KB)

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Degree: M.Arch.

University: University of Texas at Austin

Degree: Licensed Architect

Degree: LEED-Accredited Professional

University: U.S. Green Building Council

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Seth Berrier

Seth earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2012 where he worked with Professor Meyer in the disciplines of computer graphics and visualization. He also holds a B.A. in Music from the Jordan College of Fine Arts at Butler University in Indianapolis. He is a classically trained tenor and an active participant in community theater in and around the Chippewa Valley.

Teaching Interests: Introductory programming courses, data structures and algorithms, software engineering, and computer graphics.

Research Interests: Seth is interested in using the visual power of graphics and visualization to bridge the pure technical disciplines of math and computer science with design and the arts. He has interests in design disciplines ranging from architecture to fashion and game design and seeks to develop new tools that enable the creative processes in these fields. He is also interested in advancing the primitive world of music visualization through the disciplines of formal music theory and form and analysis. In computer science, he is most interested in image based rendering and light field acquisition, photogrammetry and light fields for digital heritage, real-time photo-realistic rendering with graphics hardware and high-level shading languages.

Full Name: Dr. Seth F. Berrier

Job Title: Professor / Program Director

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Computer Graphics Real-time 3D Rendering Game Design Design Process Photogrammetry Light-field Rendering Web Programming Software Engineering

College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science Department

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B.S. Computer Science

Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Seth F. Berrier CV (259.43 KB)

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Computer Science

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Degree: M.S. Computer Science

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Degree: B.A. Music

University: Butler University

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Xcel Energy Cedar Falls Hydro project supports construction students’ industry experiences

goersab — Tue, 12 May 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Xcel Energy Cedar Falls Hydro project supports construction students’ industry experiencesgoersab May 12, 2026

Collaboration encourages students to consider impacts of infrastructure on greater community

Abbey Goers

Donning hard hats and safety vests, construction management and risk control students from �� recently stood at the base of the Cedar Falls Hydroelectric plant and peered up at the 60-foot-tall dam that creates the 1,800-acre Tainter Lake, north of Menomonie.

Cedar Falls Hydro is one of 19 hydroelectric facilities in Wisconsin operated by Xcel Energy, with a total generating capacity of about 272 megawatts of renewable and carbon-free electricity.

Xcel Energy is in the midst of a multi-year, $50 million+ project designed to improve the safety and increase spillway capacity of the Cedar Falls Hydro Dam. The phased upgrade first involves upgrades to the spillway, including tie-back anchors and mass concrete infill work. Future phases involve installing upstream cofferdams to install new spillway gates and constructing a downstream stilling basin to help reduce erosion of the riverbed at the dam.

Students in the Heavy Construction Methods & Equipment class, led by Assistant Professor Janelle Skoyen Hestekin and Lecturer John Beckfield, visited the site to see Xcel Energy ��. project in operation and witness real-world applications surrounding the major community asset and capital project.

“Xcel Energy supports investment in educating the next generation of construction professionals by providing exposure to real-world construction projects and practical work experiences with �� students interested in the field of engineering, design and construction,” said Xcel Energy Project Manager Anthony Witkowski.

Prior to their visit, students worked together as a mock construction company to develop a broad-based construction plan for a mass concrete infill project, inspired by the Cedar Falls Hydro project. They presented their plan, which included materials, equipment, scheduling, staffing, permits, environmental quality, safety and job hazard analysis, and cost estimates to Witkowski and other Xcel Energy staff at the Cedar Falls site.

“It is clear the students put a significant amount of thought and preparation into their presentations in the areas of construction planning, construction safety, project scheduling and project cost estimating. I appreciated the clear written and verbal communication presented by the students,” Witkowski said.

Xcel Energy is an active member of �� . Construction Industry Advisory Committee, from which the collaboration and learning opportunity arose. Hestekin adapted her course structure to incorporate the project and guided students throughout the process.

The class project kicked off with a visit from Witkowski and Dean Steines, chief dam safety engineer – hydro operations, who introduced the project background and design goals to the students from the owner ��. perspective. They also met with Shane McFadden, CEO of Engineering & Construction Innovations, Inc. (ECI), the project's prime contractor, and ECI project staff to compare their planned approach to how ECI is actively completing the work.

“The project exposed students to the heavy civil sector of construction work, where new talent is needed to grow the workforce. A sincere thank you to Xcel Energy for offering this opportunity to the students,” said Hestekin, who is looking forward to additional opportunities for students to collaborate at the Cedar Falls site and other nearby facilities.

Students from Associate Professors Calvin Chen ��. Building Electrical and Control Systems class and Assistant Professor Ashely Der ��. Construction Safety / Risk Control class also visited the site to see the operations of the power distribution network to the nearby cities, and safety management procedures, such as hot work – welding, cutting, soldering, and other tasks that produce heat, sparks or flame – and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), a safety procedure used to protect workers by preventing the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment.

Presenting a complete construction plan

The Cedar Falls dam, constructed in 1910, is one of a few remaining Ambursen dams – hollow dams with open sections between the buttresses on the downstream side of the dam. It is the hollow sections that will be filled with mass concrete, which was the focus of the students’ presentation.

Their broad-based construction plan and estimate for a mass concrete infill project, presented to Xcel Energy as the owner, included staff wages, material and machinery costs, transportation of material, equipment and personnel, and overhead costs.

The students’ simulated work would consist of four separate concrete pours in each of the dam ��. 18 bays, with work beginning on Aug. 10 and completion on Nov. 12, taking into account rainfall, river flow and potential temperature-related concrete issues.

Their safety plan listed OSHA safety training requirements; the inspection of equipment, causeway, the local road and dam; and more.

Allie Hubbard, of Forest Lake, Minnesota, Ben Larson, of West Salem, and Blake Bargender, of Abbotsford, think the project was the most beneficial experience in the course, allowing them to visualize their classroom learning in a real-world setting.

“What stood out most was experiencing the project as if we were part of an actual company. I gained a better understanding of how important communication is across all team roles. I also learned the importance of maintaining strong relationships with subcontractors, since the construction industry is highly interconnected,” said Hubbard, who is also majoring in interior design.

Being able to visit the site and talk to the people actually working on the project gave Larson a new perspective and helped him see what the student group did well on their project and what they could have done better, Larson said.

Bargender plans to one day serve as a project manager for a commercial construction company. “This research project, presentation, and site visit significantly helped me prepare for my future career because it simulated a very realistic situation of estimating and planning in the role of a project manager,” he said.

Students contributing to the greater community

Xcel Energy ��. long-standing partnership with �� continues to grow in meaningful ways, said Community Relations Manager Tim Bartels. “We are pleased to connect students directly with real-world infrastructure and community assets. We’re especially proud that these collaborations support broader commitment to sustainability, giving students the opportunity to engage with projects that advance clean energy and the communities we serve,” he said.

Hubbard thinks that with industry partners and collaborators, like Xcel, that encourage hands-on learning, “Stout students can continue to make lasting impacts on community and environmental projects by applying what we learn in class to real-world situations. Projects like the hydro facility show how we can contribute to the greater community. I am most interested in the opportunity to contribute to how our world is built in the future and to make a lasting impact on the places people use every day,” she said.

Larson and Bargender agreed and added that students can also make an impact on community or environmental projects by getting involved with student organizations, like the Student Construction Association, Women in Construction, and Sigma Lambda Chi, and by volunteering or joining a construction competition team to gain real experience.

“The more you put in, the more you get out of it,” Larson said. “What I like most about my construction management major is how many opportunities it opens up. In our program, we are exposed to a little bit of everything. So, when we graduate, there are so many directions within the industry. I like that flexibility and the fact that the possibilities are pretty much endless.”

As a construction management and interior design double major, Hubbard enjoys being a part of the entire process “from the very beginning, meeting with clients, understanding their needs and wants, and then bringing their vision to life. It ��. especially rewarding to guide clients through the process and ultimately hand over the keys to a finished structure they can be excited about,” she said.

Xcel Energy provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Its spillway modernization project was approved by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in 2021, with the multi-year project beginning in 2022. The project is part of Xcel Energy ��. investment in a cleaner electric system, as it drives toward 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050.

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�� breaks ground on transformative $32 million project to enhance athletics, fitness facilities

giffeyt — Fri, 01 May 2026 15:17:16 +0000

�� breaks ground on transformative $32 million project to enhance athletics, fitness facilitiesgiffeyt May 1, 2026

Renovation, addition funded in part by record-breaking alumni gift

Tom Giffey

A $31.7 million renovation of �� . Recreation Complex will transform the facility and provide more than 39,000 square feet of new and remodeled space for student health, fitness and wellbeing.

Campus leaders, alumni, legislators and students were among those who took part in the official groundbreaking for the project at the campus Sports & Fitness Center on Thursday, April 30.

Chancellor Katherine Frank speaks at the Recreation Complex groundbreaking on April 30.

Chancellor Katherine Frank said the project came about because of a combination of student initiative and donor generosity. Students voted to support this project in 2019 and again in 2022 through student fees, and Dallas and Edye Pankowski donated $5 million to support the project.

“We often talk about �� . Polytechnic Mission – and at the heart of that mission is student success,” Frank said. “This renovation will support student success by prioritizing student health and wellness through modern, accessible recreation and athletic spaces.”

The transformative project, which is already underway and is expected to be completed by early 2028, will add nearly 12,000 square feet of recreation space and renovate an additional 28,000 square feet at the facility, which was built in 1963. The renovation includes turning a decommissioned pool into a multipurpose gym, relocating the athletic weight room to the current fitness center and then converting the previous weight room into multi-use studios, expanding and upgrading locker rooms, creating a second-floor addition with multi-use courts, and creating a new entrance and atrium to attract and welcome visitors.

The future entrance to ��'s Sports & Fitness Center will be named in honor of donors Dallas and Edye Pankowski.

The latter space will be named in honor of the Pankowskis: Dallas, an alum, and Edye, a Menomonie native he met when she worked at ��. Their $5 million gift, the largest in the university ��. history, will help students and other community members develop and maintain active lives. The couple said their own dedication to physical activity has allowed them to pursue rigorous adventures around the world, from the glaciers of Greenland to the base camp of Mount Everest.

“We know that Stout has world-class laboratories to complement their ‘learn by doing’ philosophy,” Dallas Pankowski said. “This updated remodeling and addition to the gym facility will take a just adequate building and make it an outstanding facility. Stout is a school committed to progress.”

Dallas Pankowski, a �� alum who, with his wife, Edye, donated $5 million toward the project, speaks at the groundbreaking event.

�� Senior Facilities Officer Justin Utpadel said he is among the numerous �� alumni who benefited from using the Sports and Fitness Center for fitness, recreation, stress relief and to form connections with other students. However, over the years, it became clear that the building needed significant upgrades.

“Over time, the building ��. infrastructure, layout, and capacity have struggled to keep pace with student demand, modern standards, and evolving expectations for recreation and wellness,” Utpadel said. “This renovation directly addresses those challenges.”

State Rep. Clint Moses, a �� psychology alum who now represents the Menomonie area in the state Legislature, said the remodeled facility will enhance �� . reputation for the next generation of Blue Devils. “This is going to be state-of-the-art and on par with – if not better than – the other institutions in our UW system,” Moses said. “We need to attract these students here to create the jobs and fill the jobs Wisconsin needs.”

The project will benefit not only the thousands of community members who come through the facility ��. doors annually for sporting events and youth programs but also �� student athletes.

�� students Maraya Wiltrout, at podium, and Ian Bryant, left, spoke about the impact the project will have on the campus.

“From an athletics perspective, this project is incredibly exciting,” said junior Maraya Wiltrout, a member of both the Stout Student Association and the women ��. basketball team. “Our athletic facilities play a huge role in how we train, prepare, and come together as teams – and what we’re breaking ground on today is a major step forward for �� Athletics.”

Fellow �� junior Ian Bryant, who works as an orientation and first-year specialist as well as a campus tour guide, said the renovated facility will benefit all students’ physical and mental wellbeing.

“I often tell prospective students and their families that one of the best things you can see on a campus tour is construction – and luckily we have a lot of it,” Bryant said. “It shows that this institution is growing, it is visible proof that we are investing back into our students, and it means those students will soon have brand-new, state-of-the-art spaces to call their own. What we are seeing here at �� is exactly that kind of investment.”

Director of Athletics and Recreation Erin Sullivan credit student leaders, the campus planning team and retired Director of Athletics and Recreation Duey Naatz with creating the momentum that allowed the project to reach this point.

“This project has involved a long journey, and it is incredibly rewarding to finally gather here for the official groundbreaking,” she said. “This renovation will transform this space into something truly special for our campus community.”

This design rendering shows the interior of the addition to ��'s Sports & Fitness Center.

Wisconsin-based Miron Construction will serve as the project ��. general contractor. Andrew Daniels, senior vice president of the company ��. Eau Claire office, said the project is part of a long, meaningful partnership with ��: Miron is also general contractor for the ongoing renovation of Heritage Hall, which began last fall, and served the same role for the 2016 renovation of Harvey Hall. Such projects create applied learning opportunities for �� students who intern with Miron Construction.

“With our teams on campus every day supporting the Heritage Hall and Recreation Complex projects, we are proud to partner with �� to provide authentic, real-world experiences for students in construction management and safety and risk control,” Daniels said. “These active jobsites offer students firsthand exposure to jobsite conditions, safety coordination and the practical realities of project delivery.”

Just before 20 campus and community representatives donned hard hats and ceremonially turned over shovelfuls of soil, Chancellor Frank offered thanks for the collective effort that is bringing the project from drawing board to reality.

“The end result will be a renovated building that reflects a commitment to health and wellbeing in support of our campus and broader community,” she said.

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Hero Caption: �� and community officials, students, alumni and other dignitaries take part in an official groundbreaking for the Recreation Complex renovation on April 30.

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Wisconsin conservation departments have $44 million economic impact, �� students’ research finds

giffeyt — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Wisconsin conservation departments have $44 million economic impact, �� students’ research findsgiffeyt April 29, 2026

Undergraduate capstone explores hard-to-quantify impacts of conservation work on state ��. land and water

Tom Giffey

When the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association needed a partner to help quantify the economic impact of environmental efforts its members were making across the state ��. 72 counties, it found what it was looking for at ��.

The resulting research conducted by �� undergraduates last semester has now been presented at the state and national levels and could shape how county land and water conservation departments are funded in Wisconsin.

Through their research, �� seniors Helayna Brown and Ella Kemp determined that these departments have an impact on the state economy of at least $43.8 million annually.

Christina Anderson, associate director of the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, said county conservation departments work directly with farmers and other landowners to protect the farms, forests, shorelines and waters of the state. Their work is vital, but its value can be hard to quantify when it comes time to justify budget requests, Anderson said.

“The state pays for some of the positions in each county, and through the budget process we’re always looking for ways to show their value,” she said. “What ��. the return on investment that the state is making on these important staff in every county? We were hoping that the university could help us identify what that return on investment is locally and statewide.”

This led the organization to seek help from Professor Tina Lee, director of both �� . Center for Sustainable Communities and its B.S. applied social science program. They found Lee was already well-versed in how county-level land conservation efforts worked.

“It was very nice to work with somebody like her who can jump right in and within one semester have great a product and excellent foundation,” Anderson said.

State Sen. Jeff Smith, left, listens to �� students Ella Kemp, center, and Helayna Brown during Research in the Rotunda at the state Capitol in Madison on March 11. / Submitted photo

Multimillion-dollar economic impact tallied

After the project was proposed, Lee brought it to her applied social science capstone course, and she found two seniors willing to undertake the effort: Brown, of Menomonie, and Kemp, of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The students, both applied social science majors, worked for hundreds of hours over the course of the fall semester on the project. They began by focusing on a survey sent annually by the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to county conservation departments. The Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association, a Madison-based nonprofit that advocates for those offices and their work, knew the survey wasn’t fully capturing the value of county conservation departments' work, as it only focuses on outcomes directly related to state funding. The organization wanted to hear ideas for how to improve or expand the survey. While the survey tallied statistics such as the number of nutrient management plans and acres of cover crops, it didn’t account for the fact that reporting methods varied by county, that project outcomes often take years, nor that much conservation work is indirect.

“It ��. harder to quantify the relationship-building and the community impact that we have throughout the work we do,” explained Dunn County Conservationist Chase Cummings, who was among those interviewed by the student researchers. “The public is relying on us to do a lot of things, and it ��. hard to put numbers to that.”

The student researchers conducted their own focus group with county conservation workers from around the state, which they followed up with a survey to gather data on topics such as staff time, experience and community engagement. This information was then fed into modeling software to estimate economic impact.

While county conservation offices are typically small, their impact was found to be economically significant: The induced effects, or household spending, generated by conservation budgets totaled $21.6 million annually. In addition, there were direct expenditures of $14 million and indirect effects (such as impacts on supply chains) of $8.1 million. In total, the economic output was an estimated $43.8 million each year.

�� student Ella Kemp's capstone project focused on calculating the economic impact of county land and water conservation work in Wisconsin.

Students’ skills complement each other

Kemp said the project embodied the real-world impact she was seeking when she enrolled at ��, Wisconsin ��. ��.

“Instead of solely reading literature and working with previously published data, I was able to meet with people across the state and discuss issues directly impacting Wisconsin communities,” said Kemp, who after graduating in May will take a job as a research analyst with Expert Institute in Milwaukee.

Kemp said the capstone project was especially challenging – and rewarding – because it focused on both qualitative and quantitative questions. “It was definitely a tougher project, but really well worth it in the long run based on the impact that it can have for conservation departments,” she said.

Lee, who advised the capstone alongside Assistant Professor Courtney Juelich, said the two student researchers were able to apply their skills to different aspects of the project.

“Ella is really good at quantitative data analysis both from her background in economics and as a math minor,” Lee explained. She was able to quickly learn the skills needed to conduct the economic impact analysis, and she consulted with Professor Chris Ferguson to use specialized software to do so.

�� applied social science student Helayna Brown's capstone project focused on calculating the economic impact of county land and water conservation departments in Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, Lee added, “Helayna is passionate about the environment and has a background in environmental science. She is also more qualitatively oriented and took the lead in conducting and analyzing the focus group and interviews. It really did end up being a wonderful team.”

Brown said she was surprised by how much she and Kemp were able to learn through their research. “When we were first given the project opportunity, I was excited but somewhat skeptical about whether I could actually evaluate and improve a government survey,” she said. “As we got into the work, I was able to apply the methods I’ve learned throughout my academic career. It was great to use the skills I have learned in a project with real-life consequences.”

Brown and Kemp were able to identify that the existing state survey didn’t adequately account for many of the hours county conservation workers spent building relationships nor the work they do to preserve the state ��. forests. Some of the work falls outside the scope of DATCP funding, and therefore has not typically been captured in the survey. That gap, they said, could be addressed in future surveys.

Brown, who plans to pursue a graduate degree in environmental studies, said making the survey more comprehensive through the suggested additions can help it “fully reflect the hard work of department staff and the diversity of Wisconsin.”

�� Professor Tina Lee, center, poses with students Helayna Brown, left, and Ella Kemp at Research in the Rotunda. / Submitted photo

Research finds state, national audiences

While their research was only recently completed, Brown and Kemp have already had several opportunities to share it with wider audiences. They were among students from all 13 Universities of Wisconsin campuses to present their work at the state Capitol in Madison during the annual Research in the Rotunda event on March 11. They also were part of the �� contingent who attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, April 13-15, in Richmond, Virginia.

Lee is confident that the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association will be able to use the report, specifically by employing the students’ recommendations to make it easier to track the work being done on the county level.

“Helayna and Ella skillfully blended an analysis of existing data with a deeper dive into the day-to-day work of county land and water conservation departments through talking with them in an open-ended way about their work. They were really able to capture aspects of the work of county departments that aren’t currently measured and use that to make recommendations about how to improve reporting.”

The work is a prime example of how students at Wisconsin ��. �� extend their focus far beyond the campus.

“This capstone really embodies the polytechnic tenets of applied learning, business and industry collaboration, and career focus,” Lee explained. “Ella and Helayna were able to apply what they have learned in the social sciences to a real-world problem that has real stakes for the state ��. economy and environment.”

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Undergraduate capstone explores hard-to-quantify impacts of conservation work on state ��. land and water State Sen. Jeff Smith and �� students at Research in the Rotunda 2026

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Tina Lee

Dr. Lee is an applied anthropologist who specializes in the anthropology of the contemporary United States, specifically public policy and inequality. She is a graduate of the Anthropology PhD program at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center and has conducted research about the child welfare system, environmental governance, and humanitarian engineering. She is the author of Catching a Case: Inequality and Fear in New York City's Child Welfare System, published by Rutgers University Press in 2016, as well as serval articles based on her fieldwork in New York City. A book chapter on her follow-up work on child welfare in rural Wisconsin will be published soon. She is also the co-director of the LAKES REU, an NSF-funded research experience for undergraduates site which trains students through research on phosphorous pollution in the Red Cedar Watershed and how it might be mitigated. She teaches anthropology, research methods, and women and gender studies courses and is the program director for the Applied Social Science major as well as the Stout Core Director (Stout's polytechnic version of general education).

Teaching Interests: Cultural Anthropology, Anthropology of Gender, Anthropology of the Contemporary U.S., Qualitative Research Methods, Applied Anthropology

Research Interests: Gender, Race, Poverty and Class; Family and the Law; Women ��. Activism; Public Policy; Urban United States

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Kintsugi 3D Viewer application by computer science senior brings cultural heritage to users worldwide

goersab — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:43:44 +0000

Kintsugi 3D Viewer application by computer science senior brings cultural heritage to users worldwidegoersab April 27, 2026

Kosharek ��. is one of 10 �� projects presented at National Conference on Undergraduate Research

Abbey Goers

Imagine being able to view the world ��. cultural treasures from the comfort of your own home. To enter international museums from your computer screen and admire paintings, sculptures and artifacts as clearly as if you were standing right in the gallery yourself, all with the click of a button.

With the world becoming increasingly digital, �� computer science senior Melissa Koskarek ��. Kintsugi 3D Viewer software is helping to make that happen. Through Kintsugi 3D, a creation of computer science Assistant Professor Michael Tetzlaff, Kosharek and a team of faculty and fellow student researchers are producing software that allows museums to preserve their collections by creating true-to-life, interactive 3D digital models to exhibit for viewers around the globe.

Melissa Kosharek presents her Kintsugi 3D Viewer software research at NCUR 2026. / Melissa Kosharek

“Access to cultural heritage objects is a significant part of human history, serving as relics to what life was like in the past. These relics are one-of-a-kind and are only available at one place, at one time,” Kosharek said. “We can help share the human experience further beyond what was originally possible by having it readily available to be viewed by anyone in the world with access to these technologies.”

Kosharek presented her user-centered design research – Expanding Cultural Heritage Digital Curation and Dissemination Using Kintsugi 3D Viewer – at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, April 13-15, in Richmond, Virginia.

She was one of 11 �� students presenting 10 research projects at NCUR, the largest symposium of its kind. The annual event, which drew nearly 4,000 students from institutions across the country, promotes research, scholarship and other creative activity by undergraduates in all fields of study.

“Conducting undergraduate research builds career skills that all employers are looking for – critical thinking, ability to analyze data to make good decisions, communication skills, time management and more. It ��. an opportunity for students to grow personally and professionally as they become experts in a topic. I really love getting to see them present their research,” said anthropology Professor Tina Lee, who attended the event as a student research mentor.

Eleven �� students presented 10 research projects at NCUR 2026, in Richmond, Virginia. / Tina Lee

NCUR connects students with peers, faculty, and mentors as they share their posters, oral presentations, visual arts and performances. It helps students gain insight as they shape their academic and career paths.

Kintsugi 3D Viewer application

While similar to photogrammetry, which combines hundreds of photos from different angles to create a 3D model, Kintsugi offers more. It captures the essence of materials, textures, color, brightness and specularity – the reflectivity of a surface and how it varies – allowing users to examine artwork in greater detail, as if they were walking through a gallery in person.

Tetzaff ��. software project received a $75,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant, as well as funding from �� . Office of Research & Sponsored Programs, and a grant from WiSys, which has helped pay for students to work to improve the software. Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) and Cultural Heritage Imaging have been invaluable partners and have graciously dedicated hours of time to the project, Tetzlaff said.

Software by �� professor, students helps international museum collections shine – literally – in 3D

Kintsugi 3D used by Minneapolis Institute of Art, other institutions to capture surface details of heritage objects

Kosharek ��. 3D Viewer application is just one element of Kintsugi 3D. She is one of more than a dozen �� students from a variety of disciplines who contributed to the software.

“Melissa has made great contributions to the Kintsugi 3D project,” Tetzlaff said. “One of the things that ��. unique about Melissa is that, while she ��. pursuing a degree in computer science, she also has a strong interest in user experience research and design. Her skillset in design and programming has allowed her to both design and implement new features for the Kintsugi 3D Viewer.

“Ultimately, our goal is for this software to be a free and open-source viewer app that makes it easier for museums to host 3D models on their websites, and Melissa ��. work has made significant strides towards that goal,” he said.

At the intersection of research, design and development

For nearly a year, Kosharek, from Dickeyville, has been focusing on adding features to the Kintsugi 3D Viewer application to help collection curators manage and configure collections of 3D models to elevate the viewing experience for the public.

Menu additions to the Kintsugi 3D Viewer, showing a model of 'Handover of a Fortified City to Emperor Maximilian I' / Courtesy of Charles Walbridge of the Minneapolis Institute of Art

Kosharek is also working to bring the Viewer application closer to other current applications, such as SketchFab or Voyager. She designed the wireframes for what the user interface looks like and is developing functionality.

Through user research, led by mentors Tetzlaff and Instructional Designer Darcy Hannen, Kosharek had the opportunity to work directly with cultural heritage professionals at worldwide institutions, who sought to create models of artifacts in their collections, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam; the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, Norway; the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.; and the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia).

“By working with my target audience, I gained an understanding of their workflow and needs, instead of assuming what would work. It was a very fun and interesting iteration cycle, where I learned the perspective of experts and the people who will be using the software. This helped make the software the best it can be, which is the focus of user-centered design,” Kosharek said.

Undergraduate research helped Kosharek learn to take ownership of her work and gave her a unique experience different than her peers. “I built a lot of the skills I need in class, but Kintsugi has been the main place where I can work at the intersection of research, design and development in a more comprehensive way beyond the scope of what one class can offer,” she said.

A Kintsugi 3D Viewer rendering of 'Cacus in Hell,' a 19th century sculpture / Courtesy of Charles Walbridge of the Minneapolis Institute of Art

“Presenting my work is the culmination of my efforts and, in a sense, I get to ‘brag’ about what I was able to accomplish. I was very excited to go to NCUR, not just to show off my own work, but to see what others have been able to accomplish,” she said.

Kosharek will graduate in May and is searching for full-time positions in the user experience, game production and event coordination fields.

Additional �� student researchers at NCUR, their topics and their mentors were:

Jamal Abdo, applied social science senior from St. Paul: Analyzing Safety Associated with Lighting in Menomonie. Mentors Tina Lee and Courtney Juelich.
Helayna Brown, of Menomonie, and Ella Kemp, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, both applied social science seniors: Return on Investment of the Work of County Land and Water Conservation Departments in Wisconsin. Mentors Tina Lee and Nicole Hayes.
Natalie Chartrand, chemistry junior from St. Croix Falls: Investigating Para-phenylenediamine Levels in Hair Dyes, Henna, and Tattoo Inks. Mentor Ana Magdalena Vande Linde.
Ashlyn Dellemann, applied social science senior from Two Rivers: Issues with Rental Housing Quality in Dunn County. Mentors Tina Lee and Courtney Juelich.
Bryanna Hoffman, biochemistry and molecular biology senior from Eau Claire: Engineering Luciferase-Based Bioluminescent Reporters in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli to Monitor Glucose Uptake. Mentor Marcia Miller-Rodeberg.
Ella Kemp, applied social science senior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Playing for Passion, Not Pay: Economic Trade-Offs and NIL Awareness in Division III Women ��. Soccer. Mentor Fatma Karaman Kabadurmus.
Evan Mancl, applied social science fall 2025 graduate from Chippewa Falls: The Social Construction of Cemeteries and Grief in the Chippewa Valley. Mentors Tina Lee and Courtney Juelich.
Dane Talbott Settle, industrial design senior from Madison: Nebi: Reinventing Mechanisms in Lighting Design. Mentor Jennifer Astwood.
Sarah Ulsberger, applied social science senior from Fort Atkinson: Digital Aesthetics and Identities of �� Students: Perceptions of Authenticity in Identity-Driven Marketing. Mentors Tina Lee and Courtney Juelich.

�� . annual Research Day, on Tuesday, May 5, will celebrate the work of students, faculty, and staff from all fields through research posters, exhibits, visual art and design displays, collaborative student-faculty presentations, a pitch competition and an award ceremony. Community members and business and industry partners are invited to learn more about the projects and how research and creative works are enhancing and revolutionizing the way we live, work and understand the world.

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Kintsugi 3D Viewer application by computer science senior brings cultural heritage to users worldwide

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April 27, 2026

Kosharek ��. is one of 10 �� projects presented at National Conference on Undergraduate Research Kintsugi 3D Viewer student researcher Melissa Kosharek

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Michael Tetzlaff

Michael Tetzlaff is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin–Stout. He received his B.S. from Bethel University in St. Paul, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. His research interests include image-based computer graphics techniques and especially their applications in cultural heritage. He is the lead developer of Kintsugi 3D, an open-source software project for empirically based rendering of 3D cultural heritage artifacts captured using photogrammetry.

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Website: Kintsugi 3D Project Website

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Degree: Ph.D. Computer Science

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

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Animation, video seniors' short films featured alongside seasoned storytellers at Unspooled, May 9-10

goersab — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:21:20 +0000

Animation, video seniors' short films featured alongside seasoned storytellers at Unspooled, May 9-10goersab April 21, 2026

Teen drama ‘Badge of the Dead’ and supernatural comedy ‘You Must Destroy’ among diverse lineup

Abbey Goers

Girl Scouts and turkeys and zombies! Oh, my! Animation and digital media and video production seniors are busy wrapping up their capstone projects before setting their cinematic monsters loose at the 4th Annual Unspooled Film & Animation Festival on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10, at �� . Harvey Hall Theatre.

“Badge of the Dead” – a six-minute animated short, created by a team of nine students under the name Studio Juice – invites viewers to camp out with three scouts as they navigate life, death and teen drama in the zombie apocalypse.

“You Must Destroy” – a 15-minute short film written and directed by Doran Acero – is a supernatural comedy love letter to growing up in an exceptionally strange and beautiful place.

Sana, Charlie and Mack ready for an epic zombie battle in 'Badge of the Dead.' / Studio Juice

Unspooled showcases the very best in independent filmmaking and animation from both emerging and seasoned storytellers, offering a diverse lineup of genres and styles to enjoy.

Beyond the screenings, the festival offers unique workshops led by industry professionals, guest speakers, and lively panel discussions. Gain insights into the filmmaking process and get a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of cinema.

Purchase tickets to Unspooled, part of �� . Spring Showcase lineup of events.

‘Badge of the Dead’ by Studio Juice

After they’re left to the mercies of the undead during a zombie apocalypse, scouts Charlie, Mack and Sana must find a way to get along and work together to escape camp or be eaten by an onslaught of other campers and zombified forest creatures.

“Badge of the Dead” is created by Studio Juice:

Creative director, writer: Hannah Brown, of Appleton
Technical producer, master editor: Mady Hill, of Monroe
Character design lead: Jenna Good, of Victoria, Minnesota
Key art, background, merchandise: Kaleigh Kahl, of Mazeppa, Minnesota
Background, cleanup, social media: Renee Smith, of Janesville
Background, sound design: Novie Touchstone, of Waukesha
Special effects, compositing, editing: Jordan Grover, of Minneapolis
Rough animation: Paige Atherton, of Elysian, Minnesota
Rough animation, cleanup: Jack Carson, of St. Paul.

Studio Juice members Jenna Good, Kaleigh Kahl, Mady Hill, Renee Smith, Novie Touchstone, Paige Atherton, Jordan Grover and Hannah Brown.

Brown was a Girl Scout and would often play around with the idea of apocalyptic survival scenarios. She was inspired to make “Badge of the Dead” during an animation class last summer. “I created this weird art in class of a hardened warrior-scout with a nail bat and a gas mask,” she said.

“Every good idea starts with a piece of art,” Grover added.

'Badge of the Dead' movie poster and early concept art by Hannah Brown. / Studio Juice

With a heavy emphasis on character relationships, “Badge of the Dead” is geared toward teenagers and pre-teens. The setting is similar to the popular graphic novel-turned Netflix hit “The Last Kids on Earth.” Their style of animation in Good ��. character designs and Kahl ��. stylistic backgrounds are reminiscent of the Disney XD show “Gravity Falls.” Their capstone advisor, Professor Michael Heagle, worked with Touchstone to compose several soundtracks.

Studio Juice ��. biggest challenge came in a moment they called “Bus Gate.” Scene six of “Badge of the Dead” is an action sequence – the piece de resistance – when the scouts must find a way to escape on a bus. “We animated scene six early on because it ��. so big, but there was a huge continuity issue between shots of the bus in the background created by different animators,” Touchstone said.

Either the door placement was wrong, or the bus would be facing different directions from scene to scene. “In early production, there is such a cinematic importance to have 100% agreement by the team,” said Good, who created the team ��. 10-page animation style guide.

Angular animation styles in 'Badge of the Dead' are reminiscent of the popular show 'Gravity Falls.' / Studio Juice

Studio Juice received a Student Research Grant through �� . Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to study how having the biggest animation capstone group to date affects their productivity and project management. They’re looking to prove that a larger capstone group works if structured right and will set �� up to have better animated shorts in the future, replicating the industry standard for larger crews.

Historically, �� has had small capstone groups. With Studio Juice having nine members, they feel that their group is the most on track this semester to have their project completed ahead of time. From December through mid-April, they clocked 1,037 hours working on “Badge of the Dead.”

“Larger teams allow people to work at their best within their niche. It leaves room for specialization,” Good said. “It also helps with consistency between shots because it ��. easier to catch errors with more eyes in the editing process.”

Relationship building between the characters Sana, Mack and Charlie is a major theme in 'Badge of the Dead.' / Studio Juice

The grant funds supported the purchase of ToonBoom Harmony licenses for each animator. “This is the animation software that ��. available on Stout ��. campus computers, but we wanted our own personal Mac licenses so that we could work wherever. That way, we aren’t chained to the computer lab to get work done, which has greatly improved our productivity,” Brown said.

Follow the progress and view concept art for “Badge of the Dead” on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

‘You Must Destroy’ by Doran Acero

“You Must Destroy” is set in the fictitious town of Devils Kettle in northern Minnesota and follows two U.S. Forest Service personnel, Glen and Joey, who are tasked by Head Ranger Rusty to destroy their old mascot costume, Twigs the Turkey. When they improperly dispose of the suit, they find out why there were strict protocols in place – it ��. alive and is coming back after them.

'You Must Destroy' Director Doran Acero on set with crew outside of Grand Marais. / Doran Acero

Growing up in Grand Marais in the north woods on Lake Superior, Acero has both heard stories of and borne witness to natural wonders, the metaphysical world and strange true crime.

“I was lucky enough to grow up in this environment, and I wanted to make a short film that captures some of its humor and magic. This world has been bouncing around in my head for so long,” he said.

In his research, Acero found that the U.S. Forest Service had a protocol for destroying its old mascot costumes of Woodsy Owl, and that the costumes should be disposed of by incineration beyond recognition. “I don’t know. It seems extreme. It seems weird. It inspired me to make a short film,” he said.

U.S. Forest Service Rangers Glen and Joey, played by SJ Olson and Kelly Harris. / Doran Acero

Acero also wanted to work with people he already knew. The main cast of characters is:

Rusty: He's got to wear a lot of hats – boss, father figure, medic. Played by Audric Buhr, theater director at ��.
Glen: The youngest old-timer you will ever meet, who is utterly bored with the town of Devils Kettle, but who is also expected to take over the department when Rusty retires. Played by SJ Olson, director of education at Duluth Playhouse.
Joey: A new recruit – it ��. literally his first day. Played by Kelly Harris, a video production student from Eau Claire.

Head Ranger Rusty, played by Audric Buhr. / Doran Acero

Filmed in Grand Marais, featuring local establishments like The Fisherman ��. Daughter and Hungry Jack Canoe Outfitters off the Gunflint Trail, Acero leveraged the perks of coming from a small town and generous community. And with filming completed in just three days, Acero acknowledged that “something like this, you cannot do as a team of one.”

“You Must Destroy” crew includes video production alumni, students and friends: assistant director MG Gillis-Gambrell, director of photography Ethan Kullinski, assistant camera Bennet Johnson, runner Shelby Kraco, gaffer Nick Houchin, craft services Hartley Newell-Acero, script supervisor Brynn Crandal, sound Adam Trampel, and production assistants Cammi Bertossi and Nina Kitts.

The cast and crew of 'You Must Destroy.' / Doran Acero

The short film is supported through generous donations on the crowdfunding platform Seed & Spark. Acero also received a Student Research Grant through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to obtain a professionally-made turkey mascot costume. The suit arrived just two and a half weeks before shooting.

“I was getting nervous, but all ��. well that ends well,” said Acero, who hopes to continue to build the folklore and supernatural stories surrounding his characters. “I do want to keep doing projects like this – to make fun, creative narrative stuff in this place that I love. I have wanted to make something like this for a very long time, just ask my mom. She has had to put up with a thousand half-baked supernatural comedy plot lines for years now.”

Additional Spring Showcase events

Saturday, May 2, 6 p.m.: Stout Fashion Show, showcasing innovative capstone collections from fashion design and development seniors.
Tuesday, May 5: Research Day, celebrating the research and creative work of students, faculty, and staff from all fields.
Thursday, May 7, 6 p.m.: Stout Game Expo (SGX), western Wisconsin ��. largest game developer exhibition.
Friday, May 8, 6 p.m.: School of Art & Design Senior Show, celebrating more than 120 graduating seniors’ creative works.
Wednesday, June 24, to Sunday, June 28: Murals in Menomonie, featuring the Walldogs, is a collaborative group of community organizations bringing in international mural artists.

�� . School of Art & Design offers bachelor ��. degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design. �� also has a new program in game and media studies.

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Shana Hagan, ASC, has worked on everything from Oscar-winning documentaries to hit sitcoms

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Animation, video seniors' short films featured alongside seasoned storytellers at Unspooled, May 9-10

Teen drama ‘Badge of the Dead’ and supernatural comedy ‘You Must Destroy’ among diverse lineup

April 21, 2026

Teen drama ‘Badge of the Dead’ and supernatural comedy ‘You Must Destroy’ among diverse lineup You Must Destroy, Unspooled 2026

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Hero Caption: Glen, played by SJ Olson, stares into the soul of Twigs the Turkey in 'You Must Destroy.'

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Years in the Making: Fashion Without Fabric theme pays tribute to generations of international designers

goersab — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:45:31 +0000

Years in the Making: Fashion Without Fabric theme pays tribute to generations of international designersgoersab April 16, 2026

‘Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind’ and ‘A Fragile Wonder’ named winners of sold-out annual event

Abbey Goers

From the fashion houses of Versace, Gucci, and Betsey Johnson to the master artists Michelangelo and da Vinci. From the luxury automobiles of Porsche and Ferrari to game makers Rubik and a battle between the worlds of Sega and Nintendo.

From Dieter Rams’ philosophy of “less, but better” to Frank Lloyd Wright ��. organic architecture, and the internationally known animations of Hayao Miyazaki ��. anime and Chuck Jones’ Loony Tunes, 3D Design students at �� brought their sculptural costumes to life on the runway in front of a sold-out house during Fashion Without Fabric on April 11.

A fan favorite: 'The Spirit of the Kohaku River,' inspired by designer Hayao Miyazaki, by Riley Johnson, Izzy Russell and Ben Mattson.

This year ��. theme, “Years in the Making,” reflected the university ��. Year of Design and celebrated the “hellish mesh of hot glue and cardboard” transformed into works of wonder, like a caterpillar emerging as the butterfly, said the evening ��. emcee Ainsley Violet, a studio art senior and Student Artist-in-Residence.

The Fashion Without Fabric Hoeft Builders Endowed Scholarship winning team was “Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind,” inspired by designer Brenda Laurel, by Dani Binzcak, Cole Kothbauer and Zoe Watanabe. Each member will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Out of 79 designs created by more than 250 students, the winners of the runway event were:

First place: “A Fragile Wonder,” inspired by designer Eva Zeisel, by Elliott Clark, Quinlan Hartung and Kyra Oertel
Second place: “Metropolitan Muse,” inspired by designer Massimo Vignelli, by Marilena Grado, Margaret Stephenson and Sadie Peissig
Third place: “The Triadic Ballet,” inspired by designer Oskar Schlemmer, by Luci Janzen, Elise Lenhart and Alani Vue.

Third place: 'The Triadic Ballet,' inspired by designer Oskar Schlemmer, by Luci Janzen, Elise Lenhart and Alani Vue.

View Fashion Without Fabric 2026 on YouTube. The Year of Design features events highlighting the innovation, leadership and impact at the heart of Wisconsin ��. ��.

‘Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind’

Technology meets humanity in this scholarship-winning sculptural fashion design. Like a walking phantasmic dream, Kothbauer, the team ��. runway model, was nearly encased in a metallic cape resembling a satellite dish, held upright over his head. He wore a high-low, asymmetrical “shirt” of deep red blended into black, topped by a corset composed of a cross-grid of red, blue and white electrical wires. The vertical wires branched upward to a headdress adorned with two-foot-long bedazzled antennae and trailing tassels.

'Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind' was inspired by video game and interaction designer Brenda Laurel, popular in the 1990s.

Kothbauer then lowered the cape to create a double-layered skirt that swayed like shifting crystalline pendants as he made his way down the runway. Every angle of the design sheened and reflected light.

“Immerse yourself in reality, immerse yourself in fantasy, immerse yourself in technology,” said Violet, the emcee. “However, in a day when the work of artists and designers is under threat by artificial intelligence, this piece takes us back to when such technology was designed with humanist intentions. The blooming transformation is reminiscent of unveiling the layers of technology to find the hardware behind the screen, the software behind the hardware, and finally the human designer behind the software. This piece articulates what it means when humans blend with technology while keeping humanity at the forefront. For technology can never erase the humanity of the creator, but it is up to man to protect the humanity of the user.”

“Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind” was inspired by video game and interaction designer Brenda Laurel. Popular in the 1990s, one of Laurel ��. most notable and distinctive innovations was in virtual reality and immersive experiences, which use technology to enhance or simulate real-world concepts in fantastical ways.

Cole Kothbauer, who served as the team's model, Dani Binzcak and Zoe Watanabe accept their scholarship award.

“Her work varied, but amongst all of her designs, she used technology as a tool that benefited society through education and communication, which opposed the growing mindset of technology and virtual media being seen as a distraction or as something redundant to the development of humanity,” said Kothbauer, adding that some of Laurel ��. projects also involved space-related themes, such as Purple Moon Media and Colonizing Cyberspace.

Binczak, Kothbauer and Watanabe were inspired by other technology and media sources from the 1990s, particularly vintage technology and space technology. They appreciated the interesting visual appeal and sleek, smooth silver designs of the Sega VR and the International Space Station, which launched in 1998.

And with Fashion Without Fabric being a fashion show, the team also wanted to focus on the experimental designs of modern-day high fashion and studied Thierry Mugler and Selva Huygens and their interpretation of interesting silhouettes and use of rigid materials.

The foundation of their design is built of cardboard to give it a rigid structure and lightweight quality, as seen in the transforming skirt and headpiece. “Underneath the surface though, the skeleton of both pieces was made of manipulated steel broom handles. Aluminum foil, vinyl, and chicken wire were cheap and composed the abundant reflective surface that connected back to the team ��. technology theme. We also experimented with the appearance of zip ties on painted foam tubing that reminded us of the vertebrae of a spine or wires,” Kothbauer said.

Second place: 'Metropolitan Muse,' inspired by designer Massimo Vignelli, by Marilena Grado, Margaret Stephenson and Sadie Peissig.

The team thought that reimagining ordinary objects to suit a fashion design and working with abstract forms on a scale large enough to cover the human body was challenging but rewarding. And they enjoyed seeing teams and classmates support each other during the build process and the day of the event.

“This event is a yearly tradition in Menomonie and a staple in Stout ��. School of Art & Design. It is easy for artists to be undermined and overlooked today, so being involved in Fashion Without Fabric made us appreciate the chance we get to be in a show that inspires future generations of artists and designers. We want to remind people to continue supporting designers and to listen when an artist is trying to say something,” Kothbauer said.

‘A Fragile Wonder’

A white teapot painted with delicate pink and blue flowers, with a matching cup, gravy boat and spoon emerged as one from behind the curtain and walked down the runway to cheers for its delicate charm. Violet asked the crowd to picture this:

“You walk into the kitchen one morning to find all your ceramics gone, melded into a whimsical little creature which is now parading around without a single care in the world. You hear a faint clinking and clanking as the whimsical wonder wanders about, with a sense of wonder as she experiences the world for the first time. What used to be a teacup is now her head. What once was a gravy boat has become a flower basket, and an assortment of different vases and dishes now form limbs. This little creature entrances you with her odd but charming mannerisms, and her fragile ceramic exterior adorned with an array of painted flowers; you can’t help but be overcome by joy whenever you are around her.”

'A Fragile Wonder' embodies the craftsmanship of Hungarian industrial designer Eva Zeisel.

“A Fragile Wonder” embodies the craftsmanship of Hungarian industrial designer Eva Zeisel, whose 1946 “Museum” dinner service exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York was the MOMA ��. first one-woman exhibition.

For their design, Clark, Hartung and Oertel focused on Zeisel ��. tableware, emphasizing the natural curves of the human body that Zeisel incorporated in her ceramics. The design ��. interior structure is built of cardboard, hot glue and chicken wire. This was covered in layers of printer paper and glossy mod podge to mimic ceramics, painted with blue flowers. The ball on the top of the teacup headpiece is foam, covered in duct tape and painted cobalt blue. The headpiece also features white mesh sheets for visibility.

Kyra Oertel, who served as the team's model, Elliott Clark and Quinlan Hartung accept their first place award.

Oertel, who modeled the sculpture, enjoyed seeing the design finally realized on the day of the event. Hartung enjoyed painting the flower detailing on top of the papier-mâché to contribute to the ceramic finish. Being in the University Theatre ��. production of “Something Rotten,” which opened the same weekend, Clark could not attend Fashion Without Fabric with his team. “But when my castmates found out we had won, they surrounded me and celebrated, and it made me feel extremely proud,” Clark said.

Other honorary awards were presented to:

Artistry and Craft: 'The Living Room,' inspired by designer Fritz Haller, by Adrian Nelson, Aaron Tong and Alex Zimmerman.

Innovative Use of Material: 'Tiered Fragments of Wonder,' inspired by Nigel Coates, by Noah Leshok, Carys Gudahl and Kiera Lovett.

Accessories and Design: 'The Orbit Inn Motel,' inspired by Wayne McAllister, by Mia Forrette, Shelby Peterson and Kona Lansing.

Avant Garde Fashion: 'Beloved Buttons and Pleats, Please,' inspired by Issey Miyake, by Loganie Chalte, Treanna Fizer and Aaralyn Gardner

Working the Crowd: 'Dizzy Dolly,' inspired by Chuck Jones, by Jamie Pearson, Julia Robles and Isabel Galloy.

Honorable Mention: 'Court Jester of the Cosmos,' inspired by Keita Takahashi, by Lucy Carlson, Eligh Hermon and Tobi Fisher.

Additional Spring Showcase events

Saturday, May 2, 6 p.m.: Stout Fashion Show, showcasing innovative capstone collections from fashion design and development seniors.
Tuesday, May 5: Research Day, celebrating the research and creative work of students, faculty, and staff from all fields.
Thursday, May 7, 6 p.m.: Stout Game Expo (SGX), western Wisconsin ��. largest game developer exhibition.
Friday, May 8, 6 p.m.: School of Art & Design Senior Show, celebrating more than 120 graduating seniors’ creative works.
Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10: Unspooled Film & Animation Festival, dedicated to showcasing the very best in independent filmmaking.
Wednesday, June 24, to Sunday, June 28: Murals in Menomonie, featuring the Walldogs, is a collaborative group of community organizations bringing in international mural artists.

School of Art & Design

All School of Art & Design News

�� game design programs named among best in Midwest, nation in new Animation Career Review rankings

Parallel B.F.A., B.S. programs produce career-ready grads who create award-winning games

May 14, 2026

Canon selects �� for exclusive Explorers of Light program with award-winning cinematographer

Shana Hagan, ASC, has worked on everything from Oscar-winning documentaries to hit sitcoms

April 23, 2026

Animation, video seniors' short films featured alongside seasoned storytellers at Unspooled, May 9-10

Teen drama ‘Badge of the Dead’ and supernatural comedy ‘You Must Destroy’ among diverse lineup

April 21, 2026

‘Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind’ and ‘A Fragile Wonder’ named winners of sold-out annual event Fashion Without Fabric 2026, Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind

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Hero Caption: Fashion Without Fabric's scholarship winner “Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind,” inspired by designer Brenda Laurel, by Dani Binzcak, Cole Kothbauer and Zoe Watanabe.

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Industrial design seniors create cutting-edge models for music creation, home furnishings

goersab — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:23:42 +0000

Industrial design seniors create cutting-edge models for music creation, home furnishingsgoersab April 15, 2026

SOAD Senior Show on May 8, part of Stout ��. Spring Showcase, celebrates nearly 120 graduating seniors’ creative works

Abbey Goers

A smart indoor herb propagation system; an intuitive commercial device to help bystanders in the event of a seizure; a robotic solution for transporting landscaping materials; a portable, easy to clean dish system for college students; adjustable, telescopic ski poles; a contemporary doll.

These are a handful of the solutions and concepts crafted by industrial and product design capstone students at ��. Among the design solutions are Jace Johnson ��. product to help musicians create music faster and more effectively, and Aaron Hoyt ��. dynamic collapsible sofa for a younger generation seeking to save space in smaller home settings.

Both students originally came to �� for different majors – Johnson for animation and Hoyt for graphic design. They were introduced to industrial design through friends and events, like Fashion Without Fabric.

“The combination of thinking of new creative ways to solve problems, along with building and testing things with my hands, was what really sold me into the program,” Hoyt said.

Now, as they work to complete their capstones’ 3D full-scale models, Johnson and Hoyt are looking forward to presenting their creations at the School of Art & Design Senior Show, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 8, part of �� . Spring Showcase lineup of events.

Stout Spring Showcase

Join us for weeks of events that celebrate ��'s polytechnic research, creativity and innovation.

SOAD Senior Show celebrates nearly 120 graduating seniors across 12 degree fields, as they take over Micheels Hall and the Applied Arts building, welcoming the community to see what the polytechnic advantage is all about.

Dreamr: A portable, intuitive product for all music creators

Johnson, of Sturgeon Bay, is treating his product as an “ideas generator,” with core music equipment that musicians of all talents need to be successful, from people who are just starting to musicians on the road who get an idea for their next song.

“I was inspired when watching people who make music. They must set up four to six pieces of equipment before they get to start creating. That takes time away from creating and can take you out of your creative flow and lose all the progress that you have made,” Johnson said.

While generating product names with his grandma at Easter, Johnson landed on Dreamr. “I like this name because it allows the user to think of this as a device to get their ideas out and ‘dream’ of anything that they want. I also think the branding for this product will be very fun to create,” he said.

To understand what type of product he needed to design, Johnson interviewed people representing a spectrum of musicians and music producers – from those who make music in their bedroom to producers who have worked with some of the biggest artists in the world. He looked into products by companies like Moog Music, Arturia, Teenage Engineering and Telepathic Instruments.

“This helped give me perspective on what pieces of equipment are essential to starting the process of making music,” Johnson said. “I am taking into consideration the ideas of Dieter Rams (a designer who uses the philosophy of ‘less, but better’) and only using what the user needs to be successful.”

In his interview with Godwin Agbara, an Eau Claire-based indie-alternative artist who records under the name Yomchi, Johnson learned three important considerations in creating Dreamr.

“It needs to be portable. With traveling and playing gigs around Wisconsin, Godwin needs a product that can be used in any room and place,” Johnson said. “It needs to be able to be used repeatedly. One-third of products are used once and forgotten after the first month, so making a high-quality product that can withstand that one-month threshold is essential. Lastly, it needs to be intuitive. Godwin admits he is not the most versed artist out there, so an effective product needs to allow the user to know what everything does right out of the package.”

Configuring each component to fit within his product design was challenging. “Getting the drum pad, keys, and audio interface in one product is very hard, and trying to lay out how it can be most efficiently used has been a challenge,” he said.

But after talking with Professor Andy Janetski and deconstructing current real-world products, such as a handheld keyboard and audio interface, Johnson found a way to effectively fit everything into Dreamr, giving his product a more realistic feel.

Critiques from his capstone classmates also led Johnson to make Dreamr more portable for the user. “I was so stuck on making it a two-octave product that I overlooked the obvious – it was too big for a normal backpack. That small critique has helped me immensely,” said Johnson, who will 3D-print Dreamr ��. outer shell and spray paint it, giving the appearance of a marketable product.

Modular seating for modern homes

One of Hoyt ��. two big design passions is making furniture. During his initial research for his capstone project, Hoyt noticed that most of the furniture he saw was bulky and heavy, especially for someone in a small living space.

“I found that the vast majority of young individuals aged 20-30 are moving about once a year,” said Hoyt, of Menomonie. “Younger individuals are more likely to rent smaller spaces because of the high price of larger houses. My general audience is young professionals who are likely to live in smaller spaces within urban environments.”

His original three-section furniture design was centered around the idea of adaptability, collapsibility and space management, with sections that can be split into reconfigured seating modules, including a singular seat and a smaller couch.

“I looked into how we interact within our own spaces, and what kinds of things people choose to buy for their spaces. Visiting showrooms and furniture stores was very helpful to see what ��. currently on the market, as I got to chat with a couple of people in sales who knew what was selling and what wasn’t,” Hoyt said. “There ��. a lot of design inspiration in the DNA of this project stemming from timeless classics and trendy. What caught my eye were Brazilian sling chairs from the late ’60s, and stylish modern furniture from DUPE, a brand from California.”

Hoyt also researched materials, ergonomics and human factors. He created prototypes and conducted user testing to gain insight into what ergonomic details are most important for younger demographics.

During a mid-project class critique, a classmate suggested that Hoyt needed to be more granular and visualize one singular space. “This gave me better insight on dimensions and functional elements,” he said.

“Diving into the user, contexts and environments that my product will be used in has given me so many factors and ideas to keep in mind for my final product,” he said. “I’ve found young people ��. spaces to be more dynamic and divergent than older demographics, leading me to explore ideas of modular armrests and even side table options.”

Hoyt ��. build will consist of three main areas: metal work, wood work and fabric work. He has set up the appropriate manufacturing files and will start cutting patterns and sewing the upholstery. He will use a CNC router to cut out wood components, so he can piece together the hinging mechanism that allows the product to collapse.

Additional Spring Showcase events

Saturday, May 2, 6 p.m.: Stout Fashion Show, showcasing innovative capstone collections from fashion design and development seniors.
Tuesday, May 5: Research Day, celebrating the research and creative work of students, faculty, and staff from all fields.
Thursday, May 7, 6 p.m.: Stout Game Expo (SGX), western Wisconsin ��. largest game developer exhibition.
Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10: 4th Annual Unspooled Film & Animation Festival, dedicated to showcasing the very best in independent filmmaking.
Wednesday, June 24, to Sunday, June 28: Murals in Menomonie, featuring the Walldogs, is a collaborative group of community organizations bringing in international mural artists.

�� . School of Art & Design offers bachelor ��. degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, as well as an M.F.A. in design. �� also has a new program in game and media studies.

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SOAD Senior Show on May 8, part of Stout ��. Spring Showcase, celebrates nearly 120 graduating seniors’ creative works Industrial design capstones, Jace Johnson

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Pankowskis’ record $5M gift provides major boost to Recreation Complex renovation

Wisconsin conservation departments have $44 million economic impact, �������� students’ research finds

Multimillion-dollar economic impact tallied

Students’ skills complement each other

Research finds state, national audiences

Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC)

B.S. Applied Social Science

Kintsugi 3D Viewer application by computer science senior brings cultural heritage to users worldwide

Kintsugi 3D Viewer application

Software by �������� professor, students helps international museum collections shine – literally – in 3D

At the intersection of research, design and development

B.S. Computer Science

Animation, video seniors' short films featured alongside seasoned storytellers at Unspooled, May 9-10

‘Badge of the Dead’ by Studio Juice

‘You Must Destroy’ by Doran Acero

Unspooled Film & Animation Festival

B.F.A. Animation & Digital Media

B.S. Video Production

Years in the Making: Fashion Without Fabric theme pays tribute to generations of international designers

‘Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind’

‘A Fragile Wonder’

Additional Spring Showcase events

Fashion Without Fabric

Industrial design seniors create cutting-edge models for music creation, home furnishings

Stout Spring Showcase

Dreamr: A portable, intuitive product for all music creators

Modular seating for modern homes

Additional Spring Showcase events

B.F.A. Industrial & Product Design

�� Outstanding Student Leaders empower others, bring people together, build relationships

�� game design programs named among best in Midwest, nation in new Animation Career Review rankings

�� breaks ground on transformative $32 million project to enhance athletics, fitness facilities

Wisconsin conservation departments have $44 million economic impact, �� students’ research finds

Software by �� professor, students helps international museum collections shine – literally – in 3D