Outlook Magazine - Fall 2017

ON CAMPUS

Message from the Chancellor BOB MEYER

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Welcome to the 2017 edition of our annual alumni magazine, Outlook. I hope you find the stories and photos of our tremendous alumni as fascinating and uplifting as I did. The unifying theme of this year’s Outlook is how our alumni give back to the campus or to their communities and beyond. One of the benefits of being chancellor at UW-Stout is the opportunity to interact constantly with our alumni, and I have seen evidence of the generosity of our alumni over and over again. So it certainly wasn’t hard to find great examples of alumni who selflessly give of themselves to feature in the magazine. I’d also like to take this opportunity to point to a couple of important milestones for UW-Stout in 2017. Last March, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of this campus receiving the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award during a 2002 ceremony with former President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C. To date, we still are the only full university that has won this award. I’m proud to say the continuous quality improvement planning procedures we had that led to the award still benefit the campus today. At the same time, we celebrated the 10-year anniversary of UW-Stout being designated Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University by the UW System Board of Regents. This designation has paid tremendous dividends for UW-Stout. It’s the best way to explain how we are special within the UW System. It is no coincidence that our enrollment began setting records in the wake of our polytechnic designation.

University gets great ‘report cards’ on graduates, value to economy

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MAKING AN IMPACT

W-Stout received two report cards in the spring of 2017. The results were outstanding in two areas that are among the most significant when assessing the value and impact of a university. In March, UW-Stout announced that 97.4 percent of its 2015- 16 graduates either were employed or furthering their education within six months, the vast majority in their majors, based on an exhaustive annual survey by Career Services. It’s the third straight year the percentage has gone up. “It’s pretty incredible the economic impact and the number of graduates you put directly into the workforce — 97.4 percent is pretty amazing,” said state Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. “You take the polytechnic idea and the Wisconsin Idea and spread it across the great state of Wisconsin.” Results of the employment survey and a university economic impact study were announced at a special event. The economic study was equally impressive, finding the annual impact of the institution on a seven-county area was $271.8 million, supporting 4,624 jobs. State taxpayers received $3.50 in benefits for every dollar invested in the university. Total annual starting salaries for the 2015-16 class of graduates is an estimated $60 million. Hired before graduation The true value of the studies could be seen in May, when UW- Stout conferred 1,375 diplomas. Three of the graduates — Samuel Bauer, Taylor Laube and Christopher Spieth — who were hired before graduation are examples of how the university’s career-focused approach to education and dedicated faculty and staff help keep the state, regional and national economy moving.

Bauer, psychology, will begin his career at OMD advertising agency in Los Angeles, where he will analyze media spaces and work with Apple’s digital ad placement. “I cannot say thank you enough to the wonderful people I have met here,” he said of UW-Stout. “I stayed at UW-Stout because of the faculty and the help of my advisers.” Laube, digital marketing technology, will begin her career with FindLaw at Thomson Reuters in Eagan, Minn. The major was created with the help of the company. “I admire that UW-Stout took the initiative to put together a program with the help of industry professionals to cater to industry needs. The digital marketing program was innovative and exactly what I was looking for,” she said. “I chose UW-Stout for its hands-on experiences and amazing job placement rate.” Spieth, information technology management, will begin his career as a network support engineer for Cisco Meraki in San Francisco. “The willingness of the professors in my major to help me achieve the goals I set as a student

14.6% return Wisconsin taxpayers received a significant annual return for every dollar invested in the university. 4,624 jobs Number of jobs that UW-Stout supports in 7 counties

Top to bottom: Chancellor Meyer enjoys the Fashion Without Fabric show on campus; throws out the first pitch at the Alumni Association’s Employee Appreciation Night at the Eau Claire Express game; and gives a commencement address.

$271.8 million Annual economic impact on 7-county area

Finally, it is important for alumni to know UW-Stout will host our governing body, the UW System Board of Regents, on Thursday, Oct. 5, and Friday, Oct. 6, this fall. Hosting this meeting gives us a great opportunity to showcase the campus and highlight the amazing accomplishments of our students, faculty and staff. The meetings of the regents’ full board and committees are open to the public, and it would be great to have alumni attend. Finally, I want to thank all the alumni who have been so supportive during the first three years of my time as chancellor. There is no greater honor for a graduate of UW-Stout than to be given the opportunity to give back to my alma mater by serving as chancellor.

$60 million Total annual starting salaries for the 2015-16 class 1,375 diplomas Awarded by UW-Stout in May 2017

Top to bottom: Samuel Bauer, Taylor Laube, Christopher Spieth

Thank you for all that you do for UW-Stout.

(really made a difference). Another big thing was how UW-Stout was able to help me land four internships, which have provided me the needed industry experience to help me excel in my program.”

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