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Inspiring Graduate: Gus Larson, B.S. Technology Education

giffeyt — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:25:00 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Gus Larson, B.S. Technology Education giffeyt December 23, 2025

Supporting high school students through work-based learning opportunities

Inspiring Graduate: Gus Larson (’25)

Hometown: Abbotsford
Degree: B.S. Technology Education
Specialization: Welding

For Gus Larson, �� was initially a fallback option. He started his college career at North Central Technical College, studying welding. But an accident during his freshman year would change his career path.

“I was headed home when I came across a drunk driving accident. I had gotten out of my vehicle to attempt to render aid to the victims, but I was struck by another car that drove through the accident scene,” he said.

Larson ��. injuries were extensive and, ultimately, he would have had to take a full year off from his education before he could return. Instead, his NTC welding instructor, Veronica Hope, suggested the technology education program at ��.

“I decided that I wanted to keep pushing and rather than continue to weld, I wanted to explore that suggestion from Veronica: technical education,” he said.

Larson transferred to �� and through surgeries, perseverance, and with the support of School of Education faculty, he earned his technology education degree on Dec. 20 as one of 527 �� graduates. He is applying for full-time technical education teacher and substitute positions.

Gus Larson, far right, at a SkillsUSA competition at ��. / Submitted photo

“My overarching goal is to return to the northwestern side of Wisconsin to be a technical education teacher,” Larson said. “My high school teacher had a massive impact on my education and provided me with advice that one could not put a price on. I hope to make an impact on my future students by being the same inspiring and approachable teacher that I had in Abbotsford.

“I want to work to expand work-based learning by providing students with the opportunity to take part in youth-apprenticeships and school-to-work programs to allow them to develop themselves not just as students, but as employees and young adults,” he added.

Submitted photo

How has �� prepared you to work in your field?

�� has provided me with not only the methods to teach but also has given me a start to my networking in the educational field. I was able to gain experience inside the classroom through observations and field experiences. This allowed me to start evolving as a teacher, understand classroom management and ways to engage students in learning.

I was afforded the privilege of doing field experiences in both large schools, like Eau Claire North with Josh Bowe, and small schools, like Plum City with the now-retired Timothy Shock. I was able to be an extra hand within the classroom and assist students in their learning. I was able to be a judge in �� . SkillsUSA competition. This showed me a different side of teaching, where students were able to apply their learned skills in a competition.

Seeing both the students swell with pride in themselves and their teacher ��. pride in their students and craft helped solidify the feeling of being in the right place for the right reasons.

Submitted photo

What stands out about your �� experience? 

What stood out to me about my experience was the dedication to students that many of my professors showed me. Barbara Bauer and Mike Mills were instrumental in guiding me through my coursework with their expert insight and leadership. From them, I was able to receive guidance from teachers who had been where I am going and understand where they were successful in their own classrooms. Through their classes I developed different lessons and was given the advice that I needed to help me create successful lessons.

How did your involvement on campus impact your experience? 

I was involved with TEECA, the Technology and Engineering Education Collegiate Association. Through the club, I was able to attend the Wisconsin Technology Educators Association conference and start building my professional network.

I found this to be extremely rewarding as well as very interesting to see what other teachers were doing differently and the different lessons they were putting together for their students. It helped me engage with my peers and continue to build my toolbox to be successful in my classroom.

What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them? 

The biggest challenge that I faced while earning my degree was my own body. Due to the injuries that I suffered, I went through my first year at �� dealing with excruciating pain from arthritis in my ankle. This made each day hard both in getting to and from class. I was given grace from my teachers when I needed to go home early because I was in too much pain to continue attending classes in person. All my teachers were extremely willing to accommodate me by recording their lectures or allowing me to attend class through Microsoft Teams. By the end of that year, I needed to have a third surgery on my ankle, to fuse the damaged bone to allow me to walk properly without pain. In entering my second year, I was unable to drive as I was still in a boot from my surgery. My teachers were all very understanding if I was running late to class or needed to leave early to get to my next class.

My main method of overcoming these challenges was not only to lean on my support structure but also to push through to keep going. Many days, I had to remind myself that “It will get better,” especially when I was physically hurting. I have learned through my time at Stout that sometimes rather than pushing it off, it was better to face the problem head on and be determined to continue.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

I am most proud of finishing this degree partly because I was unable to finish my welding degree at North Central Technical College. I have been able to find a best friend in my previous roommate, meet someone that I love very much and find the region of Wisconsin where I want to spend the rest of my life.

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Supporting high school students through work-based learning opportunities Gus Larson in front of Skills USA banner

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Students collaborate across degrees in community project for The Neighbors

goersab — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:30:00 +0000

Students collaborate across degrees in community project for The Neighbors goersab November 20, 2025

Construction, interior design, technology education majors build garden products for senior living home residents

Abbey Goers

In a cross-disciplinary collaboration, four groups of students in Lecturer James Bunkelman ��. Light Construction Methods class are designing and building two raised garden beds, one raised tool bench and one raised tool holder for a senior living home.

The project is part of a service-learning activity, as their final products will be delivered to The Neighbors of Dunn County for the residents to use and enjoy in their garden.

The project was launched last summer during a new STEAM camp for high school students. The Blueprint for Success: Construction Career Camp, led by Assistant Professor Janelle Skoyen Hestekin, blended practical construction skills with community engagement, thanks to a partnership with Junior Achievement and The Neighbors.

Madelyn Pretzer, Tanner Schauf, Brandy Wolf and Erika Rivolta build a tool bench for The Neighbors

The high school students built prototypes of the garden beds and benches after meeting with The Neighbors residents to learn about their needs, laying the groundwork for the �� students’ projects.

When Bunkelman ��. university students took the project on, “I told them to have fun. I told them what they were to build, but not how to do it. They have free rein in their research, designs and building processes.”

A group of four students is completing an ADA-compliant raised tool bench, built with treated two-by-four pine boards and capable of holding 200 pounds, they estimate. The cross-disciplinary team is:

Madelyn Pretzer, interior design, of Rochester, Minnesota
Erika Rivolta, interior design, of Comerio, Italy
Tanner Schauf, technology education, of Sparta
Brandy Wolf, construction management, of Le Sueur, Minnesota

Brandy Wolf nails pine boards in place on the tool bench frame

Wolf enjoys smaller-scale construction projects and has experience in the building process. “Applying the skills we’ve learned in class to turn our design into reality for a client is very fulfilling,” she said.

The team believes it ��. extremely important to know a client ��. wants or needs before beginning a design. They designed the tool bench to be ADA compliant, considering the needs of The Neighbors residents. The height is designed so that a person in a wheelchair may sit at the bench comfortably.

Madelyn Pretzer cuts a two-by-four pine board on a band saw.

“We’re all bringing our own skills into the project,” Pretzer said. “Erika and I have design experience. Next semester, we have a Residential and Senior Living class. This project gives us an early perspective on senior living needs and their possible preferences.”

As a future teacher, Schauf believes collaboration and community involvement are essential. “For teachers, there ��. an expectation to be a pillar in the community,” he said. “I hope to connect my classroom with the programs like this at Stout through similar projects that bridge the gap between technology education and field experiences.”

Tanner Schauf cuts a two-by-four pine board on a band saw.

Social responsibility is a fundamental component of the Stout Core curriculum, a series of foundational classes that enhance students’ applied learning while building the soft skills in high demand by employers.

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Construction, interior design, technology education majors build garden products for senior living home residents Light Construction Methods, The Neighbors project, tool bench

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Ashley sponsors toolless bed connections engineering project

goersab — Tue, 27 May 2025 13:25:00 +0000

Ashley sponsors toolless bed connections engineering projectgoersab May 27, 2025

Product Development students build prototypes, propose solutions for global company

Abbey Goers

Students in a New Product Development course at �� recently completed a 3 1/2 week project developing toolless bed connections for Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC (Ashley), a global leader in furniture manufacturing.

The project kicked off on April 15, when Ashley Research and Development (R&D) team members presented the project virtually to the 18 students in Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche ��. class.

Over the next few weeks, the students worked in eight cross-disciplinary groups to research market trends, ideate preliminary designs, test materials and build professional prototypes. They received mentorship along the way from Ashley product designers.

The class then traveled to Ashley in Arcadia on May 6, for a tour of the facility and to present their prototypes to the R&D team.

�� engineering students outside of Ashley's Automation and Robotics Lab

“This was an incredible experience – one that stood out for its real-world relevance and industry collaboration,” mechanical engineering major Alex Springer said. “Working directly with professionals from Ashley – one of the biggest companies in the furniture industry – gave us insight into the complete product development cycle, from initial design through manufacturing and packaging to mechanical and interior design to align functional and aesthetic goals.”

Ashley Furniture Industries is the world's largest furniture manufacturer with more than 35,000 employees worldwide, providing product to 20,000 storefronts in 155 countries, and operating over 1,100 Ashley retail stores in 70 countries.

Dietsche was awarded a sponsorship by Ashley to fund the project.

Preliminary research and feedback

Ultimately, each group wanted to create a unique product that was budget-friendly, sturdy and easy to assemble right out of the box – a main goal of the toolless bed connection concept.

Luke Janssen, Sam Petkovsek, Professor Kevin Dietsche, Alex Springer and Jered Clark in the Woods Lab

They began by conducting market research to view current Ashley products and prices, as well as those of competitors and DIY models online. They factored in pricing of materials, such as medium density fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard, to save on costs, looked at estimated labor, manufacturing, storage, shipping and more compared to selling cost.

Several groups conducted surveys to find where consumers prefer to buy their furniture, how much they are willing to spend on a bed frame and how much time they expect to spend on assembly.

When looking at styles of joinery in woodworking, groups based their initial digital designs on mortise and tenon joinery with locking pins, castle joints and Japanese wedge joints.

Some groups simulated tests on the strength of MDF board and particleboard, testing different thicknesses for weight allowances. Other groups “over-built” their designs according to the FEA – finite element analysis – factor of safety, to measure how well a design could withstand a load.

Alex Springer and Sam Petkovsek measure and cut bed posts in the Woods Lab

One group – Springer and fellow mechanical engineering major Jered Clark, and packaging majors Luke Janssen and Sam Petkovsek – drafted a Computer Numerical Control, or CNC, model for automated machining of sideboards, slots, pins and legs, based on mortise and tenon joinery. They estimated a run time of 12 minutes to complete a bedframe.

Another group – mechanical engineering major Owen Coon and engineering technology major Kadence Tinsley – designed 3D-printed interlocking brackets using SolidWorks software. They also wrote an AI prompt to generate images of bed frames for college-age consumers. They estimated their design would have a 50% profit margin.

Technology education major Annika Schlueter and engineering technology major Hunter Ouimette built a scaled model of an interlocking Japanese wood joint bedframe using CNC for manufacturing the larger parts because it is more efficient and cost-effective. They also implemented two different types of locks – a wedge and a 3D-printed ring – for different aesthetic looks.

Ashley product designers Angel Kraemer, Caleb Toft and Anna Lindner, all �� industrial and product design alums, provided feedback, including encouraging the groups to think about usability and flexibility for multiple looks depending on a consumer ��. individual style.

Sam Petkovsek and Luke Janssen cut bed slats in the Woods Lab

They asked the groups to understand the materials used and how different environments can impact MDF board versus particleboard, such as temperature and climate tolerance, as well as to consider how the different materials, such as MDF versus wood, handle tooling and manufacturing. A joint design in one material may be more difficult to produce in another.

Designing under a deadline

Dietsche uses the Design Build Process – a model for teaching projects with quick turnaround times. “When you give students such a fast deadline for large-scale projects, when you cram them with ideas, it forces creativity. There ��. this crash and burn and rebuild mentality. They’ll make mistakes and learn to quickly find solutions. It can be stressful, but it builds grit.”

Schlueter thinks one of the biggest benefits of this teaching/learning approach is the need to be creative and take advantage of the time given, with only four to five class periods to research, test, fully develop a model and be ready to present. “No team ��. design has stayed the exact same since we started the toolless bed connection project. Things go wrong, and things go right, and we had to develop accordingly,” she said.

Jered Clark printed models of 3D printed fasteners

Springer, Petkovsek, Janssen and Clark ��. group had to pivot away from their original design of mortise and tenon joinery when Ashley ��. designers recommended that they use fasteners to secure the frame to the legs instead of wood joints. This tested the group ��. adaptability, Springer said.

“Ashley sent us some ideas for fasteners, and they served as a model for ours. After researching, we bought one model of metal fasteners and designed two custom models of fasteners – a slot and lock; and a hook and clamp,” added Clark, who printed the group ��. models on his 3D printer at home.

The group designed multiple iterations of their fasteners. The first prototype failed to hold securely under tension. The second performed better but still slipped under stress. “Our final design addressed those weaknesses, significantly improving grip and structural stability. I think if we were able to continue the project, we would look into stronger plastics and possibly metal to enhance the durability of our clips,” Springer said.

Jered Clark, Alex Springer and Sam Petkovsek test their 3D-printed fasteners

In the Jarvis Hall Technology Wing Woods Lab, the group built and tested a full-scale queen-sized prototype using MDF and chipboard for the frame and 4X4s for the posts. Working with MDF introduced material-specific hurdles, such as expansion and contraction, which affected their product ��. fit tolerances.

They also developed a corrugated branded packaging solution using �� . Packaging Lab in the Applied Arts Building and designed an assembly booklet for customers. “It was an all-around lightbulb moment to see the mechanical engineering and packaging phases of our project come together,” Springer said.

Making an impact on manufacturing

Dietsche and the Product Development class traveled together by bus to Ashley on May 6. They were given a tour of the facilities, including a visit to the Advanced Technology Maker Center, the Automation and Robotics Laboratory, and the design and R&D departments.

�� engineering students tour Ashley's facilities and labs in Arcadia

The eight groups then gave PowerPoint presentations of their designs and discussed their physical prototypes with the R&D team.

Springer, Petkovsek, Janssen and Clark are proud of their final outcome. Along with their functional full-size bed frame, they also delivered a professional mini model to showcase during their presentation.

“Given the timeline and complexity, we’re delighted with what we accomplished. We were excited to get feedback on our project, especially the positive feedback from Ashley,” said Springer, noting that presenting to Ashley was a highlight of the semester.

“The project was an opportunity to make connections with different majors in the class, advance our CNC and manufacturing process skills and professionalism, and have fun while doing something that could be very impactful for a large company,” Schlueter added.

Kadence Tinsley and Owen Coon present their toolless bed connections

�� . engineering and technology department offers six undergraduate degrees, including computer and electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, plastics engineering, engineering technology and packaging, as well as four minors and a master ��. in manufacturing engineering.

Technology education is offered through the School of Education, which is home to nine undergraduate degrees, five graduate degrees, certificates, certifications and online professional development courses.

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Hero Caption: Hunter Ouimette and Annika Schlueter present their toolless bed connection prototype to Ashley's R&D team members

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Career-ready competition: �� students have leadership impact at SkillsUSA, Science Olympiad events

giffeyt — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:54:17 +0000

Career-ready competition: �� students have leadership impact at SkillsUSA, Science Olympiad eventsgiffeyt April 18, 2025

Hundreds of middle, high school students gain science and job skills in on-campus contests

Tom Giffey

SkillsUSA and Wisconsin Science Olympiad are programs designed to help middle and high school students develop engineering, science, and workforce skills, but they’ve also given University of Wisconsin-Stout students opportunities to develop their own leadership abilities.

This spring, dozens of �� students served as volunteers and judges for SkillsUSA and Science Olympiad state and regional competitions on the �� campus as well as in Madison.

These experiences complement the applied learning that is core to �� . identity as Wisconsin ��. ��.

“Student participation in events like the Wisconsin Science Olympiad and SkillsUSA is vital because it transforms learning into action,” said Tiffany Hoage, College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management project coordinator. “By taking on roles in planning, coordination and event facilitation, students gain hands-on experience that builds critical skills such as leadership, communication, problem-solving and teamwork.”

Students compete in the Team Engineering Challenge at the SkillsUSA State Tournament April 2, 2025, in Madison. / Abhimanyu Ghosh

This spring, �� students’ hard work helped make possible three events:

The Wisconsin Science Olympiad State Tournament, which brought more than 1,300 middle and high school students to campus April 4-5.
The SkillsUSA Wisconsin Regional Competition, which included about 300 sixth-through-12th graders from 35 schools Feb. 27-28.
The SkillsUSA State Competition at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on April 1-2, where �� students and faculty members organized and oversaw the Team Engineering Challenge, one of the largest contests in the event.

“These opportunities allow students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world situations, enhancing their confidence, professionalism and career readiness,” Hoage said. “Involvement also strengthens their resumes, expands their networks and helps them stand out to future employers – all while contributing to impactful, community-focused events.”

�� volunteers at the SkillsUSA State Competition in Madison. / Abhimanyu Ghosh

SkillsUSA focused on career education

SkillsUSA is a nationwide organization that provides educational programs, events, and competitions focused on career and technical education. �� has hosted SkillsUSA events for more than four decades.

Sean McNeill, a senior mechanical engineering major from Rosemount, Minnesota, was one of 16 �� students who helped at the SkillsUSA State Competition. McNeill helped create the engineering challenge – in this case, building models of homes that could withstand flooding and tornado-strength winds – that students had to tackle during the competition. At the event in Madison, McNeill also answered questions, ran group interviews and judged the students’ prototypes.

“I loved seeing the engineering process developing right in front of me. These young students attacked the problem in so many unique ways,” McNeill said. “Seeing the creativity of all the students there was awe-inspiring. It was also great to see them not give in to the feeling of failure, which is a constant in the field of engineering.”

Even if what they had built failed the ultimate tests, McNeill explained, some students would continue to tweak their designs although the competition was almost over. “That is the essence of engineering that I have fallen in love with and the reason I am in the major to begin with,” he said.

�� students judge a competitor's project at the SkillsUSA State Tournament in Madison. / Abhimanyu Ghosh

First-year student Harshita Sharma, an applied science and engineering technology major from Ahmedabad, India, helped with both the regional and state SkillsUSA events. She helped with contest design, problem statements, testing ideas, judging and more – all while working with teenage competitors. “As expected, some would listen to the instructions, some would require repeating it and some wouldn’t listen,” she said. “But it was fascinating to see how knowledgeable they were about the subject. I saw some great ideas in the answers to the problem statement and also understood the difference between the teaching curriculum in India and the U.S.”

Sharma added that volunteering at the competitions helped her develop skills in organizing events, crafting engineering problem statements, working with fellow students and developing her self-confidence.

Many of the student volunteers are part of �� . Technology and Engineering Education Collegiate Association, which provides leadership opportunities for future educators. Assistant Professor Mike Mills, the technology education program director, is advisor of the TEECA chapter and is a former SkillsUSA state director.

Assistant Professor Abhimanyu Ghosh, engineering and technology, who coordinated the Team Engineering Challenge in Madison alongside Assistant Professor Oai Ha, said the event provided an applied learning opportunity for both the �� student judges and the student competitors.

"We wanted the activity to be something related to engineering ��. social role,” Ghosh said of the construction of flood- and wind-resistant housing during the engineering challenge. “We wanted them to think about something that is socially responsible.”

Competitors work in a lab at �� during the Wisconsin Science Olympiad State Tournament on April 5, 2025. / Steve Duerst

Science Olympiad offers learning for competitors, volunteers

Just a few days after the SkillsUSA State Competition in Madison, about 1,300 middle and high school students took part in the Wisconsin Science Olympiad State Tournament at �� on April 4-5. The middle and high school students, who represented more than 70 schools, engaged in a track-meet style competition that consisted of dozens of events focused on chemistry, physics, mechanical engineering, geology and other scientific disciplines. Some events were exam-based, while during others students demonstrated projects they had built beforehand, such as robots or helicopters.

Hoage said the Science Olympiad tournament required several hundred volunteers, including about 50 �� students, many of them part of an event management class taught by Professor Kristal Gerdes.

Among those students was Lily Meyer, who is pursuing a double major in business administration and hotel, restaurant and tourism management. Meyer served as Hoage ��. personal assistant during the competition, doing everything from creating slideshows and playlists to setting up ceremonies.

“It really showed me the importance of putting yourself out there and seeing how things operate. In our event class, we’re always talking about the steps it takes to plan an event, but actually being there, seeing it and doing it really showed me a different side of the event industry,” said Meyer, a junior from Cedar Grove.

Hoage said she hopes to get even more �� students from multiple disciplines to help with these events in the future.

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Hundreds of middle, high school students gain science and job skills in on-campus contests �� students help at the SkillsUSA Regional Competition Feb. 28, 2025.

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Hero Caption: �� students help student competitors at the SkillsUSA Regional Competition Feb. 28, 2025.

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Tiffany Hoage

As the Youth Program Manager at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin ��. ��, I design and lead initiatives that help young learners discover their strengths, spark curiosity, and see themselves as innovators and problem-solvers.

Through programs such as STEAM summer camps, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), SkillsUSA, and Science Olympiad, students explore emerging fields, build technical and transferable skills, and gain confidence in their academic and career pathways.

By collaborating with faculty, student leaders, PK-12 and higher education partners, industry, and youth-serving organizations, I help expand access to high-impact experiences that develop future-ready talent and strengthen communities.

If you are interested in partnering, I welcome the opportunity to connect and explore how we can create meaningful impact together.

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Inspiring Graduate: Luke Bousley, B.S. Technology Education

goersab — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 18:10:00 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Luke Bousley, B.S. Technology Educationgoersab January 13, 2025

‘The polytechnic approach helped me solidify that I want to be a teacher.’

Inspiring Graduate: Luke Bousley (’24)

Hometown: Sturgeon Bay
Degree: B.S. Technology Education

Luke Bousley decided to attend �� for its applied learning approach as Wisconsin ��. ��.

“I liked the hands-on learning and how there were many opportunities for labs and other work-based experiences. The moment I stepped on campus, it felt like home, and I knew that I would enjoy ��,” he said.

Luke Bousley and Chancellor Katherine Frank at commencement / ��

“The �� experience has changed me in many ways. As a future technology education educator, I felt that the polytechnic approach helped me solidify that I want to be a teacher,” he added.

Bousley graduated early and earned his bachelor ��. in technology education on Dec. 14, along with 510 �� graduates.

He is pursuing a technology education teaching position in the Midwest.

How well has �� prepared you to work in your field?

The polytechnic approach has helped prepare me for my field. My favorite class experience at Stout was Engineering Technology 422 – Research and Development. It allowed me to develop and explore ideas that I found interesting and turn them into research and development projects.

During my freshman year, I was in the classroom observing and practicing a lesson at Elk Mound High School. I learned more from this hands-on experience than I would have in a classroom talking about it.

I feel that this approach to learning really helped me get more out of the �� experience because it pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me grow both personally and professionally.

The professors helped me develop different ways of thinking through problems and encouraged me to think creatively while utilizing the technology available at Stout.

During my final semester, I completed my student teaching at Cardinal Manufacturing, a student-run business in Eleva Strum School District. This experience helped me solidify that I really enjoy working with students in the technology education field.

For this placement, I was in charge of teaching a variety of woods and metals classes that pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped prepare me for having my own classroom.

Luek Bousley received his bachelor's in technology education on Dec. 14 / ��

What stands out about your �� experience?

The quality of the professors, labs and the field experience opportunities stand out. The professors have been exceptionally meaningful in helping me figure out which opportunities I should pursue while at ��.

The labs are exceptional. The Research & Development Prototyping Lab is where I spent most of my time. This lab helped me explore many different projects, including designing and building canoe paddles, developing microelectronic machines and CNC programming to produce parts.

The field experience opportunities have been meaningful in helping me figure out what I want to do after college.

My experiences at Stout allowed me to learn by doing and helped broaden my perspective on what is possible in the technology education field.

How did your involvement on campus impact your experience?

I worked at Stout Adventures all four years. I applied for the job when I was a freshman to get more involved on campus. I started out as a climbing wall specialist, teaching people how to belay and climb at the wall. Then I transitioned more into leading trips. I facilitated and led canoeing and camping trips to Moab, Utah; Isle Royale, Mich.; Door County; Devils Lake; High Cliff State Park and many local places around ��.

This campus job helped me develop leadership, communication and problem-solving skills. At the start of my junior year, I became the student manager and helped run all operations and programming for Stout Adventures.

The experiences helped prepare me for my future career in education.

During college, I also played underwater hockey. This sport is not a club at ��, so I traveled to continue to play the sport. During a typical week, I would be training at the Menomonie High School pool and then would fly out on the weekends to tournaments across the U.S. During my sophomore year, I had the opportunity to try out for the USA Men ��. National Team and was selected to represent the United States at the 2023 Underwater Hockey World Championships, in Gold Coast, Australia.

This sport has impacted my experience at �� because it taught the importance of time management and what it means to be a student athlete.

�� student Luke Bousley to compete in Underwater Hockey World Championships

With first game set for July 21 in Australia, technology education major is living his lifelong dream

What challenges did you face in earning your degree?

The largest challenge that I faced was the financial challenge. Going to college is expensive, and I was able to utilize the �� Foundation to apply for foundation scholarships. I was selected to receive scholarships every year, and these scholarships helped me offset some college expenses.

Another large challenge that I faced was managing the course load that I was taking. In a typical semester, I was taking an average of 17 to 18 credit hours, along with working an on-campus job at Stout Adventures’ climbing wall. This schedule kept me very busy, and I developed some really good time management skills to complete everything.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

I am most proud of my ability to work toward my goal of completing my college degree. I not only accomplished this goal, but I was able to complete it early. I was able to do this by working really hard and having a really good program director who helped me take the right classes. It would be really cool to tell my younger self that I did it.

My words of advice for anyone considering a large goal is, “Go for it!” I feel that this motto has helped me get where I am today and helped push me to complete my college degree.

I am also really proud of the relationships that I was able to form with friends and professors. These are people that I can utilize well after my time at Stout.

I’d like to give a huge thank you to my parents, family, friends and professors for all the love and support that they have given me in my time at ��.

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‘The polytechnic approach helped me solidify that I want to be a teacher.’ Luke Bousley

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Design for Industry students create kindergartners’ ideal toys through AI rapid prototyping

goersab — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Design for Industry students create kindergartners’ ideal toys through AI rapid prototypinggoersab November 18, 2024

Collaboration with St. Paul ��. School introduces children to engineering; completed toys gifted to school

Abbey Goers

On a warm October morning, 17 kindergartners from St. Paul ��. School of Menomonie recently joined a class of �� students in Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche ��. Design for Industry course, unknowing of what excitement and imagination their day was about to bring.

As part of a toy design project, a user-centered design experience, teams of college and kindergarten students would brainstorm, draw and build a prototype with craft supplies of their ideal toys. They would then create rapid prototypes of the toys through artificial intelligence software and later build the toys in the university ��. Woods Lab in Jarvis Hall Tech Wing, before delivering the final products to the children at their school.

See a selection of the toy building and gifting photos at the end of the story.

This was the start of the second year in a three-year, cross-disciplinary project supported by the G.A. Taft Manufacturing Engineering Endowed Professorship, which Dietsche was awarded in fall 2023. Continue reading to find out more about Timothy the Duck from the project ��. first year.

Design for Industry students and a kindergartner brainstorm toy ideas / ��

In the Woods Lab classroom, Dietsche sat on the floor with the children, surrounded by his college students. He began by asking the children how to spell their names. They also spelled K-E-V-I-N together – a way for him to introduce himself to the young group and to open a new conversation.

“When you were coming to school this morning and you looked out the window, what did you see?” he asked.

The children listed several natural and mechanical objects: Leaves, clouds, bushes and farm combines.

“Were any of those things made, created or designed? Who made them?” he asked.

“People,” they tentatively answered.

“Right,” Dietsche nodded. “Everything we do here in this class is about design. And these students – these college students – they design and build things. They’re going to be engineers. Can you help us design today? You get to be a junior engineer and work with a college student friend to help design a toy,” he said.

A Design for Industry student draws and colors a toy police car / ��

Dozens of little eyebrows arched in anticipation, and with safety goggles on, they broke off in teams of twos and threes to gather around the lab tables.

Dietsche believes Design for Industry is a special class because of its cross-disciplinary nature. Students represent several degree programs, including mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, engineering technology, technology education and business administration.

Sparking creativity and building connections

The college and kindergarten friends began with a brainstorming Get to Know You exercise to help inspire what toys they might create and to connect with their young clients.

“I like that my students have the opportunity to meet the Stout students,” said Sandra Hemling, a kindergarten teacher at St Paul ��.. “It sparks creativity, and they learn something new, even if they’ve never thought about engineering before. They can see the steps it takes to plan a design.

“I love how the kids are excited to come here. Even my shy ones are interacting. And they think, ‘Stout is somewhere I could go to school.’ It ��. neat to see them thinking about the future,” she said.

Technology education student Annika Schlueter draws and colors a princess dress / ��

Their toy ideas cover a range as vast as any 6-year-old ��. imagination: a tank-copter (a combination of a tank and helicopter, of course); a magic spell casting kit; several animal species, such as horses, scorpions, cats and a bass in a bubble bath; dolls and action figures inspired by Nintendo and Disney characters; and a princess cat named Cakey.

As the kindergartners explain their grand ideas, the Design for Industry students make rough sketches of their young clients’ imagined toys. With small or large corrections here and there (Cakey, for instance, does not wear a dress but is covered in sprinkles), the rough sketches are complete.

The kindergartners then colored their ideas in every color of the rainbow, and using colored popsicle sticks, markers, crayons, glue, cardstock, pipe cleaners, Lego bricks, clay and more, the teams built low-fidelity prototypes of the toy concepts.

�� students team up with local children to design toys, give city ash trees new life

Collaboration with St. Paul ��. School, City of Menomonie also will connect with community in three-year project

The last part of the morning ��. activities was to produce rapid prototyping images of the imagined toys.

Dietsche ��. students brought out their laptops, and using Adobe Firefly they typed in descriptions of the toys. The software generates four images based on the prompt, and just like the sketching exercise, the prompt can be edited to produce images to better match the children ��. vision.

“Firefly is a tool to help make sure we know we are understanding what our clients want. It ��. based on user-centered design. Instead of it taking weeks to ideate a client ��. vision, we can do it in minutes, saving time, materials and money,” Dietsche said.

An Adobe Firefly rendering of a toy tank-copter / ��

Within the next few weeks, his class will use 3D printing and solid modeling to help prototype parts for the toys. The kindergartners will return to �� to see the 3D prototypes.

Through the Taft Professorship, Dietsche has bought two new 3D printers for the Woods Lab.

Technology education in motion

The class includes a handful of technology education students who are working toward their K-12 licensure through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Although graduates of the program will be teaching middle and high school students, technology education Program Director Mike Mills thinks the project is a good opportunity to involve elementary students in the engineering design process.

“The project also offers our students a glimpse into the cross-curriculum concepts of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). It ��. a good model for them to participate in with the younger students,” he said.

Technology education student Cadence Calkins and a kindergartner design build Cakey the Princess Cat / ��

Future teachers Cadence Calkins, of Glen Flora, and Annika Schlueter, of Oconto, were helping their kindergarten friends to construct Cakey the Princess Cat out of Lego bricks and purple pipe cleaners and draw and color a Disney ��. “Frozen” Elsa-style dress.

“It ��. cool to see the developmental changes between the middle and high students we’ve worked with and these kindergartners. They think differently – that ��. important to recognize,” Schlueter said. “Where these young kids see big details, like colors and shapes as being most important in the design process, the older kids tend to overthink things and look for perfection right away.”

Calkins enjoyed the creative freedom of working with her kindergarten friend and being able to experiment in design with the younger level.

Regarding perfection in design, she said, “As a teacher, students look up to you and so it ��. good to let them know that you fail sometimes too. It ��. one way to be relatable – to let them know that it ��. OK not to be perfect.”

She gave an example of one of her own design failures. “On a 3D print project, my object printed way too small. I realized I was working in centimeters instead of inches. I learned to double-check my measurements,” she said.

Testing and failing are part of the learning process

In fall 2023, the project ��. first semester, Dietsche ��. class invited first-graders from St. Paul ��. to collaborate on the same project, with an end goal of building mid- to high-fidelity prototypes of the imagined toys using ash tree lumber provided by the City of Menomonie ��. Urban Forestry Board.

Student-manufactured pieces of Timothy the Duck / ��

The finalized prototype was a pull-toy – Timothy the Duck, complete with wings and oval wheels, which gave it a waddling motion.

Timothy was designed by a team of mechanical engineering students: Josh Goodreid, Grace Goodreid, Ayden Veness, Deric McConnell, Shane Schauss and Vinny Bonofiglio. They are now in their Mechanical Engineering Capstone 2 course and are working to build a manufacturing cell, an automated machine, to produce multiple models of the toy duck.

The team presented its manufacturing cell prototype – constructed of wooden dowels and cardboard – to the kindergartners, showing them how it automatically assembles the pieces of the duck, including its body, wings, wheels and axle.

Together, the children and engineering team built a version of Timothy.

“My favorite part is that he waddles,” one child said, while another flapped his arms up and down and said, “My favorite part is the wings.”

The mechanical engineering team shows its manufacturing cell to the kindergartners / ��

The team explained how it went through several phases of testing Timothy before reaching a final model. In the first model, two wings were glued in place on either side of the duck ��. body. But when testing to see if the wings were stable, one broke off when the team wheeled the pull-toy over a curb.

A modified second model, with a joint to strengthen each wing, broke as well.

“We failed again, but we learned again,” Josh said.

The team ��. third design included a slotted groove in the duck ��. back, where wings carved from a single piece of ash slid into place. After many more tests, the team decided this design worked the best.

Once the manufacturing cells are completed, Dietsche hopes to use the remaining ash lumber to make many Timothy toys to give back to kids in the community through various means, like Toys for Tots.

Design for Industry students met with their kindergarten friends to deliver their toys.

Their toy creations ranged from dolls to vehicles to animals to games.

A yellow cat and a magic spell casting kit bring wonder to the eyes of the children.

�� students built the toys in the Woods Lab and delivered them to their 4K friends at St. Paul's School.

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Hero Caption: Technology education student Cadence Calkins and a kindergartner design her ideal toy, Cakey the Princess Cat.

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�� technology education instructor honored with statewide leadership award

polingj — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:51:22 +0000

�� technology education instructor honored with statewide leadership awardpolingj April 18, 2024

Bauer recognized by Wisconsin Technology Education Association

The director of the Bachelor of Science program in technology education at �� has been honored by a statewide organization.

Barb Bauer recently received the 2024 Leadership Award from the Wisconsin Technology Education Association for her service on the WTEA board and being actively involved in promoting its mission. She also was nominated for the Educator of the Year award.

“I was honored to receive this award, and it was a huge honor to be nominated for the Educator of the Year award,” said Bauer, who was recognized at the WTEA annual conference in Wisconsin Dells.

�� . Barb Bauer receives the 2024 WTEA Leadership Award from Joe Ciontea, WTEA executive director. / Contributed photo

�� also was represented at the event with a booth promoting the technology education program and the new automation leadership program. Chancellor Katherine Frank was one of the keynote speakers.

Bauer, an alum of the technology education program, has worked at �� since 2007. She also is manager of the Innovation and Creation Lab on campus.

“I love working with future educators, modeling how to teach, allowing them to take the theory they were taught and put it to practice. That ��. the polytechnic at our university,” Bauer said.

Program graduates are prepared to earn a teaching license and teach technology for grades K-12, although most teach at the middle and high school level.

Technology education majors work on a project in a �� lab. / ��

“The tech ed program at �� really prepares our students to hit the ground running. There are opportunities for them to be in the (middle and high school) classroom during their freshman year. Technology education is always advancing, allowing one to be a lifetime learner,” Bauer said.

Recent graduates of the program reported 100% employment, part of �� . best-in-the-region 99% employment rate for graduates.

�� . School of Education offers nine undergraduate and five graduate programs, along with five certificates and three certifications.

The mission of the WTEA is to provide “professional development for classroom instructors and proactive leadership in advocating the advancement of technology education by promoting relevant curriculum, communicating information and networking with leaders in education, business and industry.”

###

The director of the Bachelor of Science program in technology education at �� has been honored by a statewide organization. Barb Bauer award

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SkillsUSA brings more than 300 middle, high school students to �� for leadership, technical competitions

goersab — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:52:52 +0000

SkillsUSA brings more than 300 middle, high school students to �� for leadership, technical competitionsgoersab February 26, 2024

Industry, educators work together to prepare young people for future careers, solve skills gap

Abbey Goers

More than 300 students from 36 middle school and high schools across the state participated in the SkillsUSA Regional Competition at ��, gaining hands-on skills in leadership and technology to prepare for their future careers in industry and business.

Students competed in 28 events hosted by the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management on Feb. 22-23. Using CSTEMM labs’ industry-standard machinery, devices and software, competitors caught a glimpse into the Stout student experience and the polytechnic advantage.

Event winners and their schools are listed at the end of the story, with multiple students from Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Hartford Union, Oregon, Slinger and Unity winning gold standings.

Events included 3D Printing, Automotive Service Technology, Carpentry, Entrepreneurship, Precision Machining Technology, and Welding, and were coordinated and judged by �� faculty, staff and students, SkillsUSA advisers, technology educators and alum.

A SkillsUSA adviser and student competitor in �� . Fryklund Hall welding and foundry labs / ��

“SkillsUSA plays a vital role in helping young people to prepare for their futures, developing leadership skills, meeting with local industry partners, developing budgets and learning the value of community service through projects,” said Dodgeland High School technology education teacher Anna Vitale. “They participate in competitions that have been vetted by professionals, which helps them gain the skills necessary in their chosen field.”

Although Dodgeland in Juneau, northwest of Milwaukee, is quite a distance from Menomonie, Vitale prefers attending �� . event because of the “variety of competitions offered and the long legacy of ��'s affiliation and support of our organization,” she said.

Dodgeland sophomore Leila H. was one of 11 classmates to participate. She loves the environment of SkillsUSA and how invited she feels. “I was on the edge about competing, but SkillsUSA is all about taking risks and helping you succeed,” she said. “I chose to go to the �� competition because of the countless opportunities it can give me in leadership and social skills.”

Dodgeland High School technology education teacher and SkillsUSA adviser Anna Vitale meets with students / ��

�� has hosted SkillsUSA for more than 40 years, and for many years it was the only four-year university in Wisconsin to host it, with other events held at high schools and two-year colleges, said engineering technology Program Director Abhi Ghosh, adding that �� . may be the largest SkillsUSA Wisconsin event outside of the state competition in April.

Ghosh coordinates the �� event with biology Lecturer Tiffany Hoage, CSTEMM project coordinator. They believe hosting SkillsUSA is a great way to bring dedicated middle school and high school students into �� . labs and classrooms.

“Our polytechnic roots mean that we have the capability to offer a full four-year college experience while also consistently being as hands-on and applied as any two-year college,” Ghosh said. “We are on the right track for the future, and we always have been.”

Bringing attention to the need for skilled workers

Machine tool technician Mike Berry is SkillsUSA state director for the Wisconsin College/Post-Secondary Association. He is an instructor in the precision machining technician program at Mid-State Technical College, Wisconsin Rapids campus and coordinated the Precision Machining Technology event.

A student team completes their robot in the Urban Search and Rescue event / ��

“Being a journey worker machinist and educator in the machining field, I am always excited to see students embrace a trade that has been such a big part of my life,” he said. “Knowing there are students interested in a career in the trade and seeing the skills these young people bring to the table continues to bring excitement. The future for these students is bright.”

Berry, a 2011 career, technical education and training �� alum, has taught at technical colleges for 23 years and has served as a SkillsUSA adviser for a decade. He believes it provides students an opportunity to showcase their skills through competition.

“Additionally, the organization is playing a role in bringing attention to the need for skilled workers and what pathways can be used to gain employment in those careers. This is a way for students, industry and educators to work together to solve the skills gap,” he said.

A profound experience that cannot be duplicated in the classroom

Vitale, Stanley Phillips and Bob Morehead have more than 63 years of teaching experience between them and have been SkillsUSA advisers for 44 years combined. Phillips and Morehead are technology education teachers at Menomonie High School and Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District, respectively.

Vitale coordinated several leadership events and Morehead the welding events, while Menomonie High School hosted the Automotive Service Technology competition, the only competition held off campus.

SkillsUSA students compete in the Electrical Construction Wiring event / ��

“As an educator, SkillsUSA helps validate the content I teach,” Morehead said. “The events push students to showcase their skills and knowledge and force them out of their comfort zone. This oftentimes leads to a profound experience that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. It is a great lesson in problem-solving, time management and teamwork.”

The competitors rarely have a flawless performance, Morehead added. “This is part of the learning process. We learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes. If they do have enough perseverance to make it to the awards podium, it is a tremendous feeling of pride and accomplishment.”

Cedar L., a senior from Chetek-Weyerhaeuser, enjoys SkillsUSA because “it allows me to gain valuable experience I otherwise would not be able to get. It allows me to see and use other shops, which means I gain experience with different types of welders and equipment. It also puts me in contact with people who aspire to follow the same or similar path as me.”

Students work on small engines in Power Equipment Technology event in a Jarvis Hall Science Wing lab / ��

Twelve of Phillips’ students were required to participate as part of their senior internship. “I see it as a way for the students to gauge their knowledge and skill set to students at other schools around the state,” he said. “I enjoy watching them get excited about being at ��. It's a nice experience for them, and they take the competitions pretty seriously.”

Vitale loves seeing the students develop and hone their leadership skills year after year. “I love seeing their confidence increase, watching the shy introverts blossom out into leaders or seeing how the ‘Type A’ student who likes to take control learn that the best way to be a leader is to help others become leaders,” she said.

Vitale earned her technology education license through �� . Distance Learning Program in 2014. Morehead is a 2001 technology education alum. Vitale and Morehead have served on the Wisconsin Technology Education Association board of directors.

�� students helped coordinators with judging and developed and set up many of the technical events. Some events were run independently by student organizations, like the Student Construction Association and the Technology Education and Engineering Collegiate Association student club.

“The technology education students enjoy judging the contests, as once they are licensed teachers, they will be in charge of running SkillsUSA chapters in their schools,” said technology education Program Director Barb Bauer, TEECA club adviser. “This is a huge opportunity for high school students to see Wisconsin ��. ��.”

A student competitor in the welding and foundry labs / ��

The 51st annual SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference and state competition will be held April 9-10, at Alliant Energy Center and Madison Area Technical College, in Madison. There are two contests, in leadership and technical skills.

SkillsUSA Regional Competition winners and their high schools:

3D Printing and Design: Logan Marksteiner, Florence
Additive Manufacturing: Chunche Tsai, Oregon High; and Simon Braeger, Slinger
Advertising Design: Sam Gnatzig, Slinger
Automotive Service Technology: Adrik Dix, Memorial
Carpentry: Trent Schmitt, Hartford Union
Cabinetmaking: Mason Lipenski, Hartford Union
CO2 Dragster: Stanley Lang, New Auburn
Electrical Construction Wiring: Silas Cronkrite, Lincoln, Wisconsin Rapids
Electronics Technology: Carson Brown, Chippewa Falls
Extemporaneous Speaking: Christine Bertsch, Unity
Facilithon: Carson Brown, Chippewa Falls
Job Interview: Abigail Weiterman, Slinger
Job Skill Demonstration: Ellen Lehman, Unity
Medical Math: Rene Wright, Webster
Medical Terminology: Alexander Loff, Slinger
Photography: Jadyn Lallensack, Slinger
Power Equipment Technology: Logan Pagliaro, Holmen
Precision Machining Technology: Samuel Schumacher, Wausau West
Prepared Speech, silver winner: Sawyer Melchert, Winter
Related Technical Math: Morgan Spindler, Oregon
Robotics - Urban Search and Rescue: Morgan Spindler and Jackson Walsh, Oregon
Team Engineering Challenge, middle school: Brock Buchholz, Silas Hake-Gregerson and Travis Hendrickson, Black River Falls
Team Engineering Challenge, high school: Neva Clarke, Brooklynn Gross and Oliver Melson, Clinton
Technical Drafting: Brandon Bork, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
Welding: Hayden Koch, Eau Claire North
Welding Fabrication: Ty Agen, Guyton Patrow and Aydon Perkins, Chippewa Falls
Welding Sculpture: Callie Mackyol, St. Croix Falls

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University and partners continue to illuminate opportunities through graphic communications, design programs

goersab — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:00:00 +0000

University and partners continue to illuminate opportunities through graphic communications, design programsgoersab December 21, 2023

�� M.F.A. design student Jake Cater creates winning design for chancellor's seasonal greeting card

Abbey Goers

With skilled graphic communications and design professionals in high demand across the world, the reputation of �� . Bachelor of Science in graphic communications and design programs makes them well-positioned to fill industry demands.

“That demand is especially strong in the Midwest because of strong print centers in the Fox Valley, Chicago and Minneapolis,” said Program Director Andrew Delong of the graphic communications industry. “Because of the strong demand for qualified grads, industry and organizations are offering scholarships to those pursuing a degree in graphic communications, including from the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation.”

Given its emphasis on industry partnerships and collaboration, �� students in these disciplines have access to unique applied learning experiences that strengthen their workforce readiness even before graduation, and it shows.

Graphic communications graduates have a 100% employment rate, as do graduates of M.F.A. in design, according to Career Services’ First Destination Report.

Seasonal card designer M.F.A. design student Jake Cater and Chancellor Katherine Frank admire the card design at Spectra Print / ��

As an undergraduate student at ��, Jake Cater found that he loved graphic communications. Having been a creator his whole life, he wanted to have a hands-on-part in every step of the creative process, something which he knew �� offered through its polytechnic model.

Cater turned his interests into a degree and graduated from �� in 2021 with a bachelor ��. in technology education and a minor in graphic media and print management, which helped him stay current with the industry.

He ��. now a graphic communications instructor, teaching graphic design and photography at Sheboygan North High School and is continuing his creative passions as an online M.F.A. design student, with an emphasis in graphic and product design.

So, when �� . Marketing Communications department announced a competition for students to design a seasonal greeting card for Chancellor Katherine Frank, Cater jumped at the opportunity to showcase his graphic and design talents.

“I love the polytechnic educational model and ��'s branding, so a chance to design something for them was a huge opportunity,” Cater said. “�� grows more esteemed in my mind as time goes by. It is an institution of higher education of interdisciplinary and hands-on learning at an affordable cost. It is ahead of its time.”

Spectra sales representative Scott Hoffmann, Chancellor Katherine Frank and Jake Cater with a printed sheet of seasonal cards / ��

“With the largest public School of Art and Design in the Upper Midwest, �� offers a huge student talent pool of more than 1,300 students. Add the talent of students in graphic communications, digital marketing and other degrees, and a student competition was the natural option to showcase their talent,” Frank said.

Cater, who was awarded $250 for his design, wanted his design to involve an individual interacting with something unique, “as if a project was just completed,” he said. “I wanted to show what a student is capable of bringing to the table.”

His artist's statement captures his sentiment and visual design:

“As an artist, I’m fascinated by how we physically engage with design, so hands play a role in a lot of my work. For this project, I wanted to explore how an individual might interact with Stout ��. “S” logo as a manifestation of innovation through education. I started thinking about traditional technology symbols, like light bulbs, and that transformed into ideas around neon light – something more unique, something the subject had ‘turned on.’ Stout ��. polytechnic model is a purposeful one. It trains us to take our ingenuity, fascination and talent and to create something innovative and real. I wanted the individual ��. interaction with the logo to recognize both the path toward that end while illuminating the future yet to come.”

Designs were submitted by graphic designers, photographers and illustrators.

“What really stood out about Jake's design was his ability to visually articulate Stout's spirit of applied learning, innovation and discovery, and when we read his accompanying statement, it was clear his submission reflected his relationship with Stout,” Frank said.

Hands-on from start to finish

The design of the chancellor ��. seasonal card was only one piece of the puzzle. The next step was to print, cut, fold and mail the card. Cater ��. final design was sent to the graphic communications experts at Spectra Print in Stevens Point, a one-stop print shop, offering a full range of services.

Cater and Frank were invited by Spectra owners, siblings Eric and Hans Hofmeister and Heidi Okray, to see the print production process in action.

They were joined by university staff and alumni Production Manager Cheryl Keyes, 1992 industrial technology, graphic arts management; and Printing Manager and graphic communications Lecturer Ryan Dolan, 2016 graphic communications management; as well as members of the Marketing Communications team.

Cheryl Keyes, Eric Hofmeister, Jake Cater and Chancellor Katherine Frank view the printing of the seasonal cards / ��

“Part of what made this project unique was our ability to join Jake at Spectra Print as his design came off the press. You will find Stout alumni working in design and print production throughout the country, and you will find both at Spectra. It was wonderful to join Jake and see that working relationship in action,” Frank said.

Among Spectra ��. employees are five �� alumni:

Kristy Boutain, 1999 graphic communications. She works in customer service and has been at Spectra for eight years.
Jayne Fuehrer, 1990 graphic design. She is a designer with more than 31 years at the company.
Scott Hoffmann, 1989 industrial technology, graphic arts. He is a sales representative with more than 33 years in the print industry.
Kay Rasmussen, 2003 graphic design. She has been a designer with Spectra for 16 years.
Michael Wendt, 1983 graphic communications management. He is a sales representative with nearly 40 years in the print industry.

Eric, Hans, Heidi and Hoffmann gave Cater and �� staff a full tour of their facilities during their visit.

“This was an exciting project for us,” Eric said. “We were glad to be a part of it.”

Chancellor Katherine Frank and Spectra owner Eric Hofmeister / ��

The cards were printed on a Komori Lithrone eight-color perfector printing press, capable of printing 15,000 sheets of paper per hour. The sheets are 25 inches by 38 inches, and 10 cards were printed per sheet, totaling 40 sheets. The job was printed in less than one minute.

During that minute, standing on the press platform and watching the cards turn from a digital to a physical reality, Cater ��. and Frank ��. excitement matched the industrial roar of the near-semi-trailer-long printer.

The Komori eight-color press uses UV ink. A chemical reaction caused by a strikethrough spot varnish over the UV coating allowed for a shine to make the “S” logo pop on the card.

“It makes the lighting effect on the card pop even more,” Cater said. “When talking about the possibility of the embellishment with the MarCom designers, I could see it in my mind. Seeing it on the actual printed cards, it elevates the design 100%.”

Although Cater has experience in the printing process, including working with �� . two-plate lithography press, the visit to Spectra was his first time seeing the process on such a large scale.

“You don’t understand what it means to have this opportunity. It ��. very cool,” Cater said.

Cater wants his students to have hands-on experiences in the printing process, as well, and is building connections with print companies in the Sheboygan area in hopes of enhancing their learning experiences.

�� and Spectra staff and alumni with Chancellor Katherine Frank and Spectra owners Eric Hofmeister, Hans Hofmeister and Heidi Okray / ��

An ambitious maker, involved in every step of the process

Cater ��. first printing experiences were in 2014 in his high school technology education classes at Sevastopol High School, in Door County. He ran offset lithography printers and produced two-color business cards and athletics programs.

“I would apply the ink, prep the machine, check color and quality as it ran, and clean the machine once the run was over,” he said.

He also learned different software and designed woodworking projects. He loved the versatility of the work, being a part of every step of the process and that it offered a continuation of learning.

“I also knew of the demand for the position in the workforce,” he said. “�� was one of the only schools offering a technology education program, and I heard it was the best. Both my high school principal and one of my technology education teachers had attended �� for tech ed. My grandfather even went for the same degree in the early 1970s. He even stayed in the same dorm as me. It felt right.”

When he began teaching at Sheboygan North, he gained confidence in his craft.

“I needed more though,” he said. “I wanted to learn more about design, and being a top designer and professor is my ultimate goal. I knew �� . arts programs were fantastic, as were the companies that I saw classmates getting jobs at, such as MasterCraft and Milwaukee Tool. I later found out that graduates have gone onto top global companies, such as Apple and DreamWorks.”

Jake Cater witnessing his seasonal card design being printed on the Komori eight-color press / ��

After talking with M.F.A. design program director and Professor Erik Evensen to learn more about the degree and opportunities it offered, Cater decided to apply.

“I’m excited to see where the future takes me,” he said.

Cater has proven himself to be a “highly ambitious maker with a lot of drive and passion,” Evensen said. “Jake brings this can-do spirit and curiosity to everything he does, which undoubtedly makes him an excellent teacher and a promising creative director.”

�� . M.F.A. in design, as well as the bachelor program in graphic design and interactive media, focus on the creative end of the print process, while the production end is covered by the graphic communications program.

On top of teaching, Cater is also co-owner with �� alum Rex Meikle of Door Born, a lifestyle and clothing brand inspired by the natural beauty of Door County. Meikle received his technology education degree in spring 2023 and is a technology education teacher at Kohler High School.

They co-founded Door Born in 2020 and are learning the ins and outs of sales, design, printing, online ecommerce development, and general business, among other things. From design to print, they are involved in every step of the process.

Jake Cater is co-owner of Door Born, with �� alum Rex Meikle / Jake Cater

“We work tirelessly to ensure that our colors meet our high expectations whether it is managing color on the screen, at the printer, or on the heat press as our design blends into our garments,” Cater said.

“We take pride in our ability to fully understand the printing process before we even begin our design work. We want to know our limitations and then we work to maximize our reach, while creating something beautiful and representative of our vision,” he added.

Graphic communications at ��

�� . graphic communications students participate in international industry conventions, such as Print United and Technical Association Graphic Arts Conference; are invited to industry sponsored international print competitions; and can join Stout Typographical Society student organization.

“Our industry partners help strengthen our students’ experiences by providing guest lecturers, serving on our Program Advisory Committee, inviting our students and student groups in for print facility tours and providing co-op placements,” Delong said.

The program curriculum was modified recently to bring the focus back to print and print management, while removing some of the cross-media components. In the graphic communications campus labs, students gain an understanding of industry-used printing processes, with exposure to:

Lithography
Flexography
Screen printing
Digital output
Color management
Large format print production
Digital printing on 3D objects
Finishing techniques, including perfect binding

Our graduates pursue challenging and rewarding careers in business, digital imagery, marketing, digital technologies, media and graphics. / ��

“We have also added a three-part Career Immersion Experience Seminar to our curriculum. The first of these three, one credit courses is taken prior to a student ��. first co-op, the second during their first co-op and the third during their final co-op. Each seminar has separate and timely objectives aimed to prepare the student for their professional career,” Delong said.

Graphic communications is part of the Art, Design and Graphics career cluster at ��, which includes six Bachelor of Fine Arts and three Bachelor of Science degrees focused on preparing students for careers in printing, web, animation, fashion, textiles, graphics, design, sculpture, painting and other artistic pursuits. The M.F.A. design program rests within the School of Art and Design.

Spectra Print: a one-stop shop and family business

Originally named Valley Sales Company, Spectra Print is a family business. It was founded in 1930 by Oscar Hofmeister – Eric ��., Hans’ and Heidi ��. grandfather – who started it in the basement of his house, selling and distributing trading stamps.

Spectra has vastly expanded its services and clientele since then, with customers across the country. Along with printing Chancellor Frank ��. seasonal cards, it also recently printed �� . 2023 Outlook alumni magazine.

Its services include printing, designing, marketing, binding and finishing, mailing and fulfillment, prepress for proofing and color checking, and publishing.

The Komori eight-color press runs projects around the clock. Spectra has a larger web press and three smaller web presses for two-color print jobs, and five Ricoh presses for digital prints.

Spectra was the first company in North America to install the new Muller Martini Primera PRO saddle stitcher. Saddle stitching is a popular book-binding method. The Primero PRO offers an automated method to collate, fold and staple printed sheets into a booklet or magazine, for example.

“From large jobs to small jobs, everything adds up,” Eric said. “Everything is important. We’re here to make our customers happy.”

“They’ve got a lot here,” Cater added. “From start to finish, they can do it all.”

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Hero Caption: M.F.A. design student Jake Cater's design for Chancellor Katherine Frank's seasonal card, printed at Spectra Print in Stevens Point.

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�� students team up with local children to design toys, give city ash trees new life

goersab — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 14:24:02 +0000

�� students team up with local children to design toys, give city ash trees new lifegoersab October 18, 2023

Collaboration with St. Paul ��. School, City of Menomonie also will connect with community in three-year project

Abbey Goers

On an early fall morning, 23 children from St. Paul ��. School of Menomonie recently walked four blocks to �� . Woods Lab in Jarvis Hall Tech Wing, unknowing of what their day would bring.

Lining up single file at the back of the classroom, they quietly peered over university students in a Design for Industry class led by Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche.

“Everything is designed in this world,” Dietsche said. “Today, you get to work with college students to design toys.”

“Toys!?” the children excitedly echoed back.

Together, the children and university students worked in teams to build rough prototypes of their ideal toys using paper, cardboard, scissors, tape, pipe cleaners, clay, tin foil, Legos, glue, markers, crayons and other supplies, as part of a three-year, cross-disciplinary project that will result in a finished product donated to local children.

A Design for Industry student and first-grader draw a toy design. / ��

The collaboration started last spring, when the engineering and technology department partnered with the City of Menomonie ��. Urban Forestry Board to obtain a dozen ash trees cut down in the city. The department then sawed the trees into lumber.

“Part of the idea is to take something dead or dying and make it new and useful again. To give it new life,” Dietsche said.

“We have a great collaborative effort between the business administration, engineering technology, technology education and packaging programs, while supporting student development,” he added. “We are excited about continuing and partnering with outside entities, like the city and local schools, as we embark on this project, using an adapted, human-centered design process. This is a special class and an extremely awesome opportunity to work with the first-graders.”

‘Letting their creativity come to life’

At lab workstations, the teams let their imaginations run wild, beginning with a brainstorming “Get to Know You” activity, with questions designed to help the big kids understand their younger teammates’ interests, from toys and games to shows and movies, favorite characters, colors and shapes. Anything to help inspire the next steps of doodling what their toy might look like, what features it would have or what actions it might perform.

When asked if they had made their own toys before, two children described the cardboard houses and swords they built and decorated with markers. Another child described a special car that she and her dad welded, spray-painted and displayed in their yard so they could “always rememberize it.”

Business administration student Lou Enriquez and a first-grader design toy fireworks with pipe cleaners. / ��

Anne Rust, the children ��. teacher at St. Paul ��., was excited for her students to participate. “It ��. letting their creativity come to life. They love to draw, create and build,” she said.

Dozens of tiny shoulders shrugged as they thought of how they could bring their ideas to life – a toy horse organizer, a robotic arm to paint on canvases, fireworks to celebrate Hannukah, transforming robots that could fly and shoot fire, dragons, swords and shields, twirling acrobats, walking cats, a miniature doghouse complete with pet accessories and a triple jump rope (because one is just too easy).

Crayons and markers in every color of the rainbow scattered across the tables as the Design for Industry students encouraged the children to doodle their ideas, building trust through creativity, laughter and conversation. The college students helped apply Band-Aids to scrapes and retie shoelaces – remembering what being a kid is all about. They then built low-fidelity prototypes of the toy concepts using arts and crafts supplies.

“It was just awesome to see the many interactions between the college students and the first-grade class. There are many stories to be told and lessons learned through the prototypes developed. I look forward to seeing how these toys develop over time,” Dietsche said.

A Design for Industry student and first-grader use popsicle sticks to design a toy. / ��

The Design for Industry class ��. next step is to build mid- to high-fidelity prototypes of the toys using the ash tree lumber over the next few weeks. The class will then visit their first-grade friends for feedback and give each child a prototype in wood form.

Once the prototypes are finalized, they will be passed to an Engineering Capstone course. And over the next few semesters, groups from this course will build a manufacturing cell, an automated machine, to produce a given toy.

“Once the manufacturing cells are completed, we hope to use the remaining ash lumber to make lots of toys and give the ash trees back to kids in the community through various means, like Toys for Tots,” Dietsche said.

The project is supported by the G.A. Taft Manufacturing Engineering Endowed Professorship, which Dietsche was recently awarded and which is for a three-year term.

Connecting with community and clients

Dietsche believes Design for Industry is a special class because of its cross-disciplinary nature. Students represent several degree programs and can apply their unique skill sets to the collaborative toy project.

Technology education junior Lucas Edson, North Branch, Minn., is a lab assistant in the Woods Lab. He took Design for Industry last spring when students collaborated with community members with disabilities to design adaptive devices.

Technology education student Lucas Edson, right, talks with a classmate and first-grader about their toy design. / ��

“I’m always looking for ways to reach out to our community. These projects help you walk a mile in someone else ��. shoes and make a connection with people,” said Edson, whose favorite toy growing up was a toy tractor.

Edson pre-student-taught at Hudson High School with educators in the woods and metals labs. He would love to coordinate similar projects when he has his own classroom.

“As a first-grader, I think it would be inspiring to work with the ‘big kids’ to build something new, to build that connection. As a kid, it would be cool to see your community revolving around – to give someone something you helped make through your own creativity,” he added.

Engineering technology junior Isaac Resch, of Menasha, learned to build safe concepts in a previous machine design course. “I can bring knowledge from that class into this toy-design project and use those skills to help build a safe toy based on a first-grader ��. design,” he said.

Business administration junior Lou Enriquez, of Menomonie, thinks the project will be good practice for learning about different clients’ needs and interests and problem-solving with them. “This will give me experience working with a different age group and audience, even if I won’t be working with children in my career,” she said.

Packaging student Isaiah Rolli designs a toy doghouse with a first-grade student. / ��

Packaging junior Isaiah Rolli, of Medford, has completed co-ops with EcoLab and TEN-E Packaging Services. “This project is good practice for interviewing clients for product design, knowing their product restraints, listening to make sure we design what the client wants, and to support them and work to fix any problems,” he said. “Communication is similar when working with professionals or with kids. They know what they want. I need to listen to help create the right product for them.”

‘Student success is everything’

Before the children arrived, several professors and leaders joined the Design for Industry class and spoke to the students about why they are invested and interested in the project and believe it showcases the strength of the university ��. Polytechnic Advantage.

A first-grade student bends pipe cleaners to design a toy sword. / ��

Technology education Program Director Barb Bauer and international business and entrepreneurship Associate Professor Mary Spaeth are excited to watch the project unfold. Students in the entrepreneurship and innovation minor take the class and understand it can take many people to bring an idea to fruition.

“The polytechnic university gives business students the ability to experience prototyping-in-action and access to engineering partnerships as they consider product and service development in business,” Spaeth said.

“This is an opportunity for students to understand the ‘why’ of a first-grader. Customer discovery is hard. First-graders are approachable, but they are not easy clients. They know what they want but may not be able to articulate their ideas easily,” Spaeth added. “I really enjoy collaborating with and learning from my colleagues across campus, including Dr. Dietsche. In business, we always want to learn more about what we can help to produce.”

Provost Glendalí Rodríguez believes the power of education keeps her inspired, and that “with education comes opportunities.”

Her family is from Puerto Rico, and her background is in architecture. “My family grounded me in the value of education, even as I felt that I stuck out in higher education and in construction as a Puerto Rican woman,” she said.

With a background in English, Chancellor Katherine Frank designed problem-based exercises for her students, pushed them to think about the lessons learned in their writing and literature classes and apply those lessons to their chosen fields.

“What we center on at �� is our students,” Frank said. “We have a responsibility, through our philosophy at Stout, that student success is everything. That resonates with me. Everything that we do focuses on student success.”

A Design for Industry student and first-grader use clay and markers to design a toy dolphin. / ��

Technology education is offered through the School of Education, home to nine undergraduate degrees, five graduate degrees, certificates, certifications and online professional development courses.

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Hero Caption: A Design for Industry student and first-grader use pipe cleaners and Legos to design a toy.

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