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Luminary Alumni Award: Howard Lee (’68, ’69)

goersab — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:20:00 +0000

Luminary Alumni Award: Howard Lee (’68, ’69)goersab August 26, 2026

‘Everyone can make a difference. Just make the time and do it. As long as I can volunteer, I will continue.’

For his generous service to the Menomonie community and his inspirational mentorship and philanthropy to �� Polytechnic, Howard Lee (’68, ’69) has received the Luminary Alumni Award.

Luminary Alumni Award recipient Howard Lee

Throughout his career, Lee elevated �� . national reputation in career and technical education, strengthened partnerships with industry and community organizations and positioned himself as a respected voice and advocate.

His influence as a mentor is profound; countless students, faculty and emerging leaders credit him with shaping their professional paths and instilling in them the values of integrity, service and excellence.

In 2025, Lee and his wife, Charlotte Gomulak Lee (’67, ’68), were named Knights of Columbus Monsignor Blecha Council 2055 Family of the Year and Outstanding Dunn County Philanthropists by the Dunn County Chippewa Valley Fund Raising Professionals.

“Helping others and meeting new people gives me satisfaction. Everyone can make a difference. Just make the time and do it. As long as I can volunteer, I will continue. It ��. a great honor to be recognized for the things I have accomplished and how I may have made a little difference,” Lee said. “If you can find a partner to share things with, then you will have a good life. Charlotte has been at my side the past 58 years.”

Lee grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and after graduating high school in 1961, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17. After basic training, he attended ordnance school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and served his remaining three years in Verdun, France, when he visited 11 European countries.

Upon returning to Hawaii, he attended the Honolulu Technical Institute, majoring in auto body. “During my first term, Yaso Abe (’47), a family friend who had graduated from Stout with an M.S. degree after the war, suggested I attend Stout and be an industrial arts teacher,” he said.

Howard and Charlotte Lee on their anniversary

Lee earned his B.S. in industrial education in 1968 and his M.S. in industrial education in 1969, receiving GI benefits during his four years at the university.

He was an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, the service fraternity at Stout. He was also a member of the Epsilon Pi Tau fraternity and served as a graduate assistant in the industrial graphics department.

“There were so many great instructors at Stout to learn from. They influenced what and how I taught, and how students should be treated. I observed Stout instructors and how they worked together, and it left me with a lasting impression,” he said.

Lee met Charlotte on his second day at Stout. They married in 1968 and started teaching in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, the following year: Charlotte in family and consumer education and Lee in industrial education, mainly auto mechanics, small gas engines and drafting. After two years, White Bear Lake opened a new high school, and Lee ��. responsibility was to work with the architect on the power and drafting labs, ordering equipment, and developing the curriculum to justify the laboratory and equipment.

“I had so much fun teaching high school students developing learning activity packages, programmed instruction and self-learning audio activities,” he said. “When I first started teaching, I asked students to complete a simple two-question evaluation: What is going well in class, and what should I do differently? Getting feedback from people you work with is very important. Treat faculty, staff, students and community members how you wish to be treated.”

Howard Lee instructing students

The Lees built a home in Marine on St. Croix and had three sons. In 1978, the family moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, where Lee took an assistant professor job at Northern Arizona University. He taught auto mechanics, drafting and supervised student teachers. “Teaching and working with Hopi and Navajo students and staff, I developed an understanding of different native cultures,” Lee said.

After a year, the family returned to Minnesota, and Lee enrolled at the University of Minnesota to complete his Ph.D. and worked as a graduate assistant, supervising student teachers in metro technical colleges. Upon graduating, Lee then worked for a year in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at U of M Medical School, researching, writing grants and developing curriculum. He had the pleasure of working with Dr. John Najarian, the famous surgeon, and Dr. Michael Osterholm, then director of the Minnesota Department of Health.

He then joined the professional staff at 916 Technical College in Minnesota as a curriculum developer and became district staff development coordinator, evaluating projects with the vice president of Northwestern Bell to determine the effectiveness of projects. “Working with every group of faculty and staff at 916 and addressing their individual needs was very gratifying,” Lee said.

As their boys grew, Lee became Webelos leader, cubmaster and scoutmaster, while Charlotte served as den mother. Because of his industrial education background, he led many building activities for the Scouts.

In 1986, Lee returned to �� as program director for the M.S. and Ed.S. in vocational and technical education and served as co-director for the Center for Vocational and Technical Education, working with his mentor, Orville Nelson, a prolific grant writer. Large projects early on included the Turkish Training project, where the university sent several faculty members to Turkey, and 24 technical college instructors came to learn about Stout ��. successful methods of teaching and laboratory work; and the Russian Construction project, where 40 Russians came for four weeks to learn about construction methods.

Lee ��. leadership expanded as he served as department chair and program director for the B.S. in vocational education and technology education; as associate dean and dean in the School of Industry and Technology and the College of Technology, Engineering and Management, and later as executive director of Stout Solutions.

He ultimately returned to the faculty as professor and program director of career and technical education. He was the faculty advisor for the International Relations Club, developing lifelong friendships to this day. The Lees hosted many international students and visiting faculty. He was also the research advisor to many M.S. and Ed.S. students.

Howard and Charlotte Lee with Chancellor Katherine Frank

Lee was honored to be a Bush Fellow and did post-doctorate work at Carnegie Mellon University. He was a Dahlgren Professor and completed sabbatical research for a textbook, “Instructional Analysis and Course Development,” written with Nelson.

“I had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people at Stout, including Orville Nelson, Bob Sedlak, Marty Ondrus, Bruce Siebold, Hans Timper, Diane Longsdorf, and Carol Mooney, to name a few. All of them have a legacy that influenced me,” Lee said. “It was very gratifying to watch students grow and follow them as they advanced throughout their careers.”

In 2006, the University of Minnesota ��. College of Education recognized Lee as one of 100 graduates to receive the Centennial Award.

Upon retirement in 2009, Lee earned Emeritus status. He published five memoirs about growing up in Hawaii, his army experience, academic years, family life, jobs and retirement.

“Four things that contributed to my success at Stout and in retirement and my advice for students are to believe in yourself, build on past success, put forth effort and learn to ask for help. Success builds on success,” Lee said. “Develop a passion for what you believe in and develop competencies to reach your goals. I’ve used the basic problem-solving technique and covered it in class. Identify the problem, what are the possible solutions, consider implications to each solution, which is the most effective way to produce the desired results, what support is required, implement the solution and identify the metrics for success. This can be applied to everything you do in life.

“There is so much need for Stout students in the community. Find some service you are interested in, learn what is needed and develop a plan to get there. It ��. a shame to have skills and knowledge and not use them,” he added.

It was important to Lee and Charlotte that they stay in the Menomonie community and share their education and training background in their retirement. His service to the Menomonie community reflects his exceptional achievement in philanthropy and civic engagement and demonstrates a commitment to education, dignity and community well-being.

Lee became a Master Gardener and helped establish the Dunn County Master Gardener Association. He was active with Pounding Fathers, building ramps, and worked on the first six Habitat for Humanity homes in Menomonie. He has served on the boards at Bridge to Hope, Stepping Stones, and Menomonie Senior Center, and continues to volunteer weekly at Meals on Wheels, Stepping Stones and St. Joe ��. fish fry. He washes dishes after the monthly Menomonie Senior Center meals and served as a financial coach in the Dunn County Jail, helping those who needed assistance in managing their funds.

“My happy day is Monday, when I help kindergarten kids with reading. I’ve been doing this for the past four years, and I always come home happy and share my experience with Charlotte,” Lee said.

Howard and Charlotte Lee with their family

The Lees fund programs through the Community Foundation of Dunn County and other entities that contribute to �� Polytechnic and the Menomonie area. Their philanthropic commitment helps remove financial barriers and expand opportunities for students.

“Both Charlotte and I feel it is very important to provide scholarships to Stout students as we were both recipients of scholarships as students,” Lee said. “Assisting students and student teachers has been a priority for us. It is always a pleasure to meet Stout students who received our scholarships.”

The Lees attend many functions at �� Polytechnic, including athletics events. They host international students in the summer ESL program. As a program coordinator for Chippewa Valley Learning in Retirement, Lee develops programs to serve the senior community, including arranging tours of �� Polytechnic labs.

“We are a Stout family. Our three sons, Nathan (’97), Sheldon (’98), and Jonathan (’02), and daughter-in-law Ruth May (’00) are all alumni, and now Simon, a grandson, is at Stout in electrical engineering,” Lee said. “We have five grandchildren. I’ve always told my children that there are only three for sures in life: You are born, you live, and you die. You have no control of your birth and not much control of how you die, but you can have control of how you live. What you make of your life is entirely up to you, so live to the fullest, and be a contributing member of society. Throughout life and career, most of us need a great partner, and I am so fortunate to have Charlotte.”

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Luminary Alumni Award: Howard Lee (’68, ’69)

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‘My experiences allowed me to help institutions achieve their mission of improving the success of their students.’

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Distinguished Alumni Award: Joseph G. Rossmeier (’65)

goersab — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:15:00 +0000

Distinguished Alumni Award: Joseph G. Rossmeier (’65)goersab August 26, 2026

‘My experiences allowed me to help institutions achieve their mission of improving the success of their students.’

Joseph G. Rossmeier (’65) received the Distinguished Alumni Award for his outstanding career achievements, his dedication to ensuring the power of education remains accessible and for the positive impact he has made on both his profession and �� Polytechnic.

Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Joseph Rossmeier

“My greatest accomplishments have been working in higher education, experiencing life in both academic and administrative positions as well as serving higher education with high-quality products and services,” Rossmeier said. “My experiences allowed me to help institutions achieve their mission of improving the success of their students.

Rossmeier grew up on a dairy farm near Hilbert, about 14 miles east of Appleton. As he was finishing high school in 1961, his industrial arts teacher, Richard Werblow, persuaded him to apply to �� Polytechnic, then known as Stout State College.

“After considerable thought, my only real alternative was to become a dairy farmer, something my mother was dead set against, given the daily work requirements at that time with no vacations, no real downtime,” Rossmeier said. “I applied, and the rest is history. Stout became my springboard. My time there was a life-changing experience, one that I will always cherish as the first real steppingstone to a long, long, successful career.”

Rossmeier ��. sisters Anne (’66) and Mary Kay (’67,’73) and brother, John Joseph (’69), attended �� Polytechnic after him. The legacy family created an endowed scholarship, which Rossmeier continues to support annually in honor of his siblings.

Joseph Rossmeier attends a Scholarship Reception

Most of Rossmeier ��. career involved strategic and operational planning, improving business policies and processes, increasing the use of data in decision-making and modernizing institutional operations in the use of technology, all in the interest of improving services to students and increasing business efficiency.

“Continuous improvement in all of my professional positions has been a salient priority. I have always strived to be a trusted and valuable colleague in whatever position I was in,” he said. “Throughout my career, I have been involved in shaping strategy, identifying new business and operational opportunities, challenging outdated assumptions, and reducing risk.”

After earning his B.S. in industrial education in 1965, Rossmeier received a scholarship to attend Michigan State University, where he went on to earn his master ��. in college personnel work/sociology, graduating in 1967. During that time, he became heavily involved in residence hall management and other university functions serving students. This experience would serve him well throughout his career.

“As I was graduating, I received a call from Dewey Barich (’33), president of the Detroit Institute of Technology. DIT was a 2,000-student night school university, mostly for veterans, and he offered me the position of director of Admissions,” said Rossmeier, who spent two years at DIT building a respectable enrollment, until he was offered a scholarship to enter a Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan Center for the Study of Higher Education.

Joseph Rossmeier speaks at a Pathways Forward Campaign

During the first year of his doctoral program in 1969-70, he served as director of a 1,200-student living-learning resident hall, where he managed the overall operation of the entire facility. He graduated in 1972. It was also during this time that he met his spouse, Mary. They have been married for 54 years.

Rossmeier interned in the University of Michigan Survey Research Center, working on the Survey of Consumers Index, the quarterly national consumer opinion research survey still produced today. And in 1974, after completing his thesis on a national study about organization and decision-making at multi-unit community colleges, he was offered a job at Northern Virginia Community College, where he was promoted several times during his 10-year tenure, ending as dean of Management Services at the five-campus, multi-unit community college

In 1984, Rossmeier decided to enter the corporate world and joined DataTel, a company that marketed enterprise administrative systems to colleges and universities. He worked in several sales positions, achieving No. 1 in sales during 12 of his 17 years at DataTel.

In 1997, Rossmeier joined PeopleSoft, selling enterprise administrative systems to larger institutions, including the Virginia Community College System, which became the largest higher education organization to implement the company ��. software.

Then in 2002, Rossmeier returned to higher education management and was appointed vice president for Information Technology/CIO at Prince George ��. Community College (PGCC), where he was one of several key administrators for 17 years.

Joseph and Mary Rossmeier with their family

It was also during this time that Rossmeier served on the �� Foundation & Alumni Association Board for 12 years. “Given my historical Wisconsin roots, and the nature of my professional experiences, I stay informed about what is happening in both the Wisconsin universities and the technical colleges,” he said. “In my judgment, they are very well-run institutions. However, Stout remains one of the most transformative institutions, with its very progressive workforce-oriented programs.”

Upon retirement from PGCC, Rossmeier joined CampusWorks, his present employer, where he will have completed 11 years. He currently serves as vice president of Executive Advisory Services.

“I manage a group of trusted retired higher education executives who provide guidance to CampusWorks’ leadership, as well as open doors to new business opportunities as a result of my group ��. extensive higher education networking capability with current real-world experienced higher education leaders,” he said.

“As I moved through my three higher education institutions and then my corporate work experience, I have become a very, very strong advocate of supporting diverse people – people of different faiths, different ethnicities, different races,” he added. “Individuals who have been historically underrepresented or marginalized remain a very sensitive issue in my life as I strive to push for fair treatment and representation.”

When reflecting on his long-term success, Rossmeier values staying positive, attending to good health habits, looking forward rather than backward, and maintaining contact with professional and personal colleagues. “My ultimate goal has been to never burn bridges when making work or location changes in my life,” he said.

For students and young professionals who aspire to leadership roles in their fields, Rossmeier offered this bit of advice: “Achieving a post-secondary education, whether through public or private institutions, still remains the best lifetime investment chance to be successful – career-wise, financially and for community involvement.”

After spending 45 years in northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., Rossmeier and Mary moved to the Sarasota area in Florida. “Mary remains the heartthrob of my life; she is truly a wonderful partner. Mary, our children, grandchildren and close friends remain the pillars of support in my life,” he said.

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Luminary Alumni Award: Howard Lee (’68, ’69)

‘Everyone can make a difference. Just make the time and do it. As long as I can volunteer, I will continue.’

Distinguished Alumni Award: Joseph G. Rossmeier (’65)

‘My experiences allowed me to help institutions achieve their mission of improving the success of their students.’

Chancellor ��. Award: Ron & Joyce Wanek

‘When industry and education align, you can create the right environment for growth, giving society opportunity and building something that lasts.’

‘My experiences allowed me to help institutions achieve their mission of improving the success of their students.’ Joseph Rossmeier

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Distinguished alum, educator Albrecht credits �� for preparing graduates who ‘step forward’

Student speakers at May 16 ceremonies encourage peers to act with compassion, courage, and to continue learning

Spring 2026 commencement scheduled May 16 for more than 1,000 graduates

Chancellor, Distinguished Alum, students to speak in three ceremonies at Johnson Fieldhouse

Recent graphic design graduate rebrands Twin Cities' Amplify Graphic Installations

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Construction camp introduces young students to careers, degree paths

goersab — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Construction camp introduces young students to careers, degree paths goersab June 16, 2026

Tour led by Boldt Company in Chippewa Falls gives campers a behind-the-scenes look at construction site

Abbey Goers

On a cloudy Tuesday morning, eight middle school Construction Pathways campers with �� Polytechnic ��. summer STEAM experience watched a crane lift an air conditioning unit onto the new Aspirus Clinic that is being built in Chippewa Falls.

The site tour, led by the Boldt Company, introduced the campers to different career opportunities in the construction industry, including project management, skilled trades, labor, engineering, safety, and more, as well as what being a construction management student at �� Polytechnic might be like.

STEAM Construction campers and instructors with their final projects

“Students gained a better understanding of how a construction site operates with a behind-the-scenes look at how projects are planned, built and managed from the ground up. They discovered career paths in construction, woodworking and other skilled trades they may be interested in pursuing in the future,” said technology education senior Annika Schlueter, who taught the camp.

The construction campers are just some of the more than 500 children from around the region and country who are traveling to �� Polytechnic to join the Middle School STEAM and High School STEAM week-long experiences this summer.

STEAM Construction campers received a site tour by the Boldt Company / Annika Schlueter

Introducing young campers to career paths in science, technology, engineering, and art and design fits hand-in-hand with �� Polytechnic ��. mission of preparing its students for the workforce, as 99% of recent graduates were employed or furthering their education within six months of graduation.

New experiences in the Woods Lab

In the Jarvis Hall Wood Prototyping Lab, the campers created their own wooden cutting boards, crafted from black walnut, ash, cherry, and maple, and personalized them with laser engraving technology.

Instructor Annika Schlueter helps a camper cut pieces for cutting board. / Annika Schlueter

Through the hands-on project, they learned foundational skills in woodworking, like tool safety and how projects are designed, managed and completed from start to finish. They used a full range of the lab ��. machine, including table saws, routers, an overhead sander, a CNC (computer numerical control) machine and a laser engraver.

“Along with these hard skills, they developed important life skills like teamwork, communication, problem-solving, responsibility and time management,” Schlueter said. “Students gained skills they can use both in their future careers and in their everyday lives. By completing projects and working through challenges, they built confidence and gained valuable skills that will benefit them long after the class is over.”

Teaching Assistant Marrissa Haglund helps a camper with the CNC machine.

Most of the campers had done small woodworking projects before, but using the CNC machine was an all new experience. Levi Ryan, who traveled from Texas to attend the camp, didn’t even know the machine existed. “Seeing what all of the different machines can do was the best part,” he said.

Caleb Larson, of Baldwin, joined the camp to be able to work with his hands. He enjoyed “seeing all of the work come together, especially at the construction site visit.”

Campers and Schlueter prepare to use the laser engraver on a cutting board

While waiting for glue to dry or for the CNC machine or laser engraver to be available or for classmates to complete the sanding process on their cutting boards, there was time for extra projects.

“Keeping the kids busy was the hardest part,” Schlueter said. “We did a lot of additional projects on the fly, like resin-pour coasters and keychains, and other laser-engraved wood designs as gifts.”

Prepared to lead in the classroom

Originally, the STEAM construction camp was going to be taught by engineering technology Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche, but his schedule did not line up, so he offered the camp to Schlueter. Schlueter, who serves as a lab assistant in the Woods Lab, has completed her pre-student teaching and will begin student teaching next spring. The construction camp was her first experience leading a classroom.

Campers sand their cutting boards in preparation for sealing them.

Marrissa Haglund, who also serves as a lab assistant, was asked to be a teaching assistant for the camp. Haglund fell in love with the Woods Lab after taking a couple of engineering technology courses. She graduated in May with a B.S. in business administration.

“This opportunity has given me confidence, experience, and application in my field, and I think it is a great program for the students,” Schlueter said. “This camp not only offered me technical experience but also a lot of soft skills with coordination, communication and organization. I did a lot of budgeting and planning to get ready for the camp, so it could be as time-effective as possible. I’m very thankful that I was given the opportunity to be the instructor.”

Campers, Schlueter and Haglund seal their cutting boards.

Additional STEAM camps this summer include experiences in:

Science & Health: Freshwater science, fish conservation, anatomy, molecular ecology, psychology and gardening

Technology: 3D-printing, robotics and virtual reality

Engineering: Packaging and plastics engineering

Art & Design: Claymation, comics, game design, fashion, cinema production, interior design and drawing.

The STEAM programs are sponsored by the Menomonie, Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire school districts, the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, the National Science Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Xcel Energy and the �� Foundation & Alumni Association, in partnership with Continuing Education & Conferences.

Haglund helps campers mix coloring to add to their resin-pour keychains. / Annika Schlueter

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Construction camp introduces young students to careers, degree paths

Tour led by Boldt Company in Chippewa Falls gives campers a behind-the-scenes look at construction site

Tour led by Boldt Company in Chippewa Falls gives campers a behind-the-scenes look at construction site STEAM Construction Camp

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Alquist 3D partnership leads to industry-leading 3D concrete printing technology

giffeyt — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:00:00 +0000

Alquist 3D partnership leads to industry-leading 3D concrete printing technologygiffeyt March 10, 2026

�� Polytechnic among first in Midwest to integrate concrete printing into polytechnic programs

��, Wisconsin ��. ��, and Alquist, a pioneer in 3D concrete printing (3DCP) technology, are proud to announce a strategic partnership that brings Alquist ��. industry-leading, proprietary 3DCP printing systems and supporting curriculum to �� . campus.

This collaboration marks a significant step forward in applied learning and workforce development, positioning �� as one of the first universities in the Midwest to integrate 3DCP into its construction management, technology education, and industrial and product design academic programs. The relationship will help build the workforce infrastructure required to scale robotic construction nationwide.

“This partnership with Alquist aligns directly with our mission to deliver applied, career-ready education,” said �� Chancellor Katherine Frank. “By bringing 3DCP technology and curriculum to our students, we’re preparing them to lead in a rapidly evolving construction and manufacturing landscape.”

Alquist, which is based in Greeley, Colorado, is a leader in 3D concrete printing technology, offering scalable solutions for residential, commercial and infrastructure construction. Through its curriculum, licensing programs, and robotics systems, Alquist is transforming how communities build and grow.

The partnership includes:

Integration of Alquist ��. 60-hour 3DCP curriculum into �� . curriculum, designed to certify students in the operation and application of 3D concrete printing technology. The curriculum will also enhance �� . ability to offer continuing education opportunities for working professionals in aligned areas such as architecture, construction, engineering and industrial design.
Installation of Alquist ��. proprietary 3DCP print system within �� . construction lab, enabling students to gain real-world experience with robotic printing and sustainable construction materials.
Collaborative research and development focused on climate-specific concrete mixes and scalable additive manufacturing solutions for infrastructure and housing.

“As 3D construction printing moves from experimentation to national deployment, the workforce must evolve alongside it,” said Zachary Mannheimer, founder of Alquist. “We’re not just installing printers on campuses, we’re building a long-term talent pipeline that gives students direct access to the tools, software and real-world processes shaping the future of construction.”

The initiative will be housed within �� . Center for Advanced Manufacturing & AI (CAM-AI), which supports manufacturers and other businesses by leveraging the expertise of �� faculty and staff and the university ��. industry-standard laboratories and equipment.

“CAM-AI already provides additive manufacturing, advanced 3D printing technologies and AI to its external partners. The addition of Alquist ��. system will expand the lab ��. capabilities to include large-format concrete printing,” said Seth Hudson, executive director of Corporate Relations and Economic Engagement at ��.

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University among first in Midwest to integrate concrete printing into polytechnic programs alquist_3d_concrete_printing.jpg

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Hero Caption: Workers inspect 3D printed concrete. / Photo courtesy Alquist

Seth Hudson

Seth Hudson was announced as the new leader on Thursday, July 28, by Chancellor Katherine Frank. He will direct �� . Discovery Center, including the Manufacturing Outreach Center, Stout Technology and Business Park, and a comprehensive range of industry, applied research, technical assistance and technology transfer efforts of the university.

Hudson has bachelor ��. degrees in political science and economics from the University of Southern Maine.

"I am looking forward to growing �� . existing partnerships in order to expand the relationships between students, faculty, staff and Wisconsin ��. business community,” he said.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

Product Development students build prototypes, propose solutions for global company Ashley, ETECH toolless bed connection project

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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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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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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.

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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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