Outlook Magazine - Fall 2022

Magazine for Alumni & Friends • F all 2022

INSIDE

Chancellor Frank’s Investiture Celebration

Our next brilliant ‘S’ - New university logo

New alumni-based donations total $3.1 million

OUTLOOK 2022 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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S T A F F

Abbey Goers Communications Specialist, Marketing Communications

Jack Hajewski University Photographer/Videographer Marketing Communications

Michael Huggins Strategic Marketing Officer, Marketing Communications

William Johnson Vice Chancellor for Advancement and Alumni Relations

OUTLOOK MAGAZINE | 2022

Cheryl Keyes ‘92 Production Manager, Marketing Communications AJ Liedl Creative and Brand Manager, Marketing Communications Jerry Poling Communications Manager, Marketing Communications Jennie Smith ‘11 Alumni and Donor Relations Coordinator Cade Walters ‘14 Graphic Designer, Marketing Communications

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C H A N C E L L O R 2 Greetings from Chancellor Katherine Frank

A L U M N I N E W S 23 24 26 28 29 30

Distinguished Alum Award

Budding star: Reed Crawford

O N C A M P U S 3 4 6 9

Stairway to Heaven: David Bates

New leaders, academic progress

Empowering legacy: Suzanne Wittman

Homecoming 2022 photos

S H A R E Y O U R N E W S

We’d love to hear from you, and your fellow alumni would too! Drop us a line about your promotion, a reunion, or just to reminisce.

Packaging pioneers: Four alum

A celebration of leadership

Intentionally bad: Emily Zugay

Our next brilliant ‘S’

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S T O U T T R A D I T I O N S

Heritage Hall renovation on track

A T H L E T I C S 32 33

Your Alumni Association is interested in learning what traditions were part of your days on campus. Were there bonfires after the hockey games; did you have weekly dances; what event(s) did your fraternity or sorority hold each year? As you think back to those events, please share them with us.

New Hall of Fame inductees

South Hall update underway

New team & a year of athletics highlights

A champion for women

Stout Proud numbers; professor honored First student mural brightens campus

C L A S S N O T E S 34

Class notes

E M A I L alumni@uwstout.edu

Campus briefs

P H O N E (715) 232-1151

S T O U T U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D A T I O N 20 21 22 Foundation message; scholarship news Brother honored through donation Donors step up for Stout

O N L I N E Share your news or ideas at www.uwstout.edu/alumni

linkedin.com/uwstoutalumni

facebook.com/stoutalumni @uwstoutalumni_official

O N T H E C OV E R Bowman Hall

CHANCELLOR

MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR KATHERINE P. FRANK

Our students, faculty, staff, and alumni con tinue to amaze us, and we are pleased to cel ebrate their impressive work throughout this edition. You will read about faculty member Dr. Laura McCullough recognized for her outstanding teaching by the UW System; the lifetime achievements of our distinguished alumnus, Dr. BryanAlbrecht; and the incredi ble success stories of several students, faculty, staff, and alumni. As I emphasized during my investiture remarks, “To do at Stout is in our DNA, from our earliest beginnings, and it resonates loudly today throughout our campus in our programs and through the success of our graduates. Our success not only depends on the commitment and hard work of our university community, but also on the commitment of our surround ing community and our many partners who are so essential to the complete Stout learning experience.” All of you help to “make the magic happen” at Stout. Thank you for all that you do! With Stout pride,

I am delighted to introduce the latest edi tion of the Outlook alumni magazine. This edition is arriving a bit later than usual due to some major events we wanted to feature from Fall 2022 in conjunction with Home coming and Celebration Weeks. Both weeks were filled with activities, recognition, and major announcements, and we were thrilled to have so many of you join us back on campus. After navigating the challenges of the last two years, it is exhilarating to be able to celebrate the many people, occasions, and contribu tions that make our university community so special. As you will see, we have been busy during the last year at UW-Stout. New leaders have continued to join us, including Erik Gue nard, Vice Chancellor of Business, Finance, and Administrative Services; Quin Brooks, the inaugural Assistant Chancellor of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Michael Huggins, Strategic Marketing Officer; and Seth Hudson, Executive Director of Corporate Relations and Economic Engagement. Glendali Rodriguez, formerly in an interim role, was appointed Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs following a national search. Ours is a dynamic leadership group, and I feel very lucky to be surrounded and inspired by such exceptional colleagues! Work aligned with FOCUS2030, our 10-year strategic plan, has continued to advance. New majors have been launched on campus, building renovations are progressing, univer sity-community projects such as the new stu dent-designed and -produced mural have been completed, the new women’s lacrosse team will commence official play and competition in Spring 2023, and a new university mark has been introduced. Our alumni and partners con tinue to support UW-Stout in record numbers, and we are delighted to be celebrating many recent gifts and philanthropic milestones. Many of you donate your time, talent, and/ or treasure to the university, and your gener osity has a profound impact throughout our UW-Stout community.

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NEW CAMPUS LEADERS Five new administrators help guide the university into the future

Glendali Rodriguez was named provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs in fall 2021. She had been serving as the interim leader since August 2019. She has worked at UW-Stout since 2005, including as professor, department chair and associate provost. Rodriguez is a licensed pro fessional architect, with a bachelor’s fromYale University and a Master of Architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology. Erik Guenard was named vice chancellor for Business, Finance andAdministrative Services in fall 2021. He previously served as vice pres ident of Business Services at Gogebic Commu nity College in Ironwood, Mich. Guenard has a bachelor’s in accounting from UW-Superior and a master’s in business administration from Baker College. Quin Brooks was named the inaugural assistant chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in spring 2022. The EDI unit was established in 2021 to prioritize UW-Stout’s

commitment to EDI across the university community. Brooks was assistant dean of Diversity, Inclu sion, and Contemporary Student Services at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville,Ark. She has a Ph.D. in leadership studies from Carolina University in Winston-Salem, N.C.; a master’s in leadership and ethics from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala.; and a bachelor’s in communications from Troy University in Troy, Ala. Seth Hudson was named executive direc tor for Corporate Relations and Economic Engagement. He will direct the Discovery Center, including the Manufacturing Outreach Center, Stout Technology and Business Park, and other industry, research, technical assis tance and technology transfer efforts. Hudson was director of Economic and Stra tegic Development at Cedar Corporation in Menomonie. He has bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics from the Uni versity of Southern Maine.

Left to right, top to bottom; Glendali Rodriguez, Erik Guenard, Quin Brooks, Seth Hudson and Michael Huggins

Michael Huggins was named the strategic marketing officer in spring 2022. He leads the Marketing Communications office and over sees major initiatives related to the universi ty’s reputation, enrollment, fundraising and partnership development. Huggins was executive director of market ing and communications at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, formerly the John Marshall Law School. He holds a bache lor’s in English literature from UW-Madison and is completing a Master of Jurisprudence in intellectual property law at UIC Law.

ACADEMIC PROGRESS Cybersecurity, two other programs join academic program array

UW-Stout began the fall semester with three new academic programs. ABachelor of Science in cybersecurity is avail able on campus or online. The program will educate graduates to help meet high demand for professionals in the field while comple menting well-established computer and infor mation technologies programs that already have components of cybersecurity. UW-Stout also offers a minor, two certif icates and two concentrations related to cybersecurity. In addition, UW-Stout has a Cybersecurity Research and Outreach Center, which was

established in 2017 when the university was designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and Department of Home land Security. UW-Stout was the first four year institution in Wisconsin to receive the designation. Other new programs are bachelor’s degrees in individualized studies, targeting adult, trans fer and re-entry students hoping to finish their degree; and an online version of the well-es tablished early childhood education program, also targeting nontraditional students.

Students at UW-Stout tackle a problem in a computer networking lab.

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U W - S T O U T O U T L O O K 8 APSHOTS 2022 / HOMECOMING SNAPSHOTS 2022 / HOMECOMING SNA

APSHOTS 2022 / HOMECOMING SNAPSHOTS 2022 / HOMECOMING SNAP 9 F A L L 2 0 2 2

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A CELEBRATION OF LEADERSHIP, LEGACY OF DONORS, GRADUATES

Delayed by pandemic, investiture for Chancellor Frank highlights progress, roles of women in university history

The Bowman Hall bells rang across campus with a special celebration peal at 1:08 p.m. on Oct. 14 to herald a new era — the leadership of Katherine Frank, the eighth and first female chancellor in UW-Stout history. The bells put an exclamation point on Frank’s investiture celebration in the Great Hall of the Memorial Student Center, held nearly three years after she arrived on campus. While many of the speakers and Frank addressed the numer ous pandemic challenges, they also focused on impressive progress that has been made since 2020. One area of advancement is giving. The uni versity has seen increases of 27% in gifts, 20% in donors and 17% in corporate giving. Frank announced three new gifts totaling $3.1 million (see Page 22 for additional information). The gifts, Frank noted in keeping with a theme of female leadership from her address, are from a female alum, in honor of a female alum and from the wife of an alum. “It is not lost on me that this year we celebrate 50 years since the enactment of Title IX, and I stand before you as the first female chancellor of UW-Stout about to recognize the role that women have played in the past, present, and future of Stout,” she said. “More often than not, the history of our insti tution is masculinized; while, in fact, our foun dational programs included early childhood education, domestic science (home econom ics), and manual training. Women’s education is part of the foundation of this institution, and women leaders have helped to build our pres ent and future,” Frank added.

UW-Stout’s enduring tenets of applied learn ing, career focus and collaboration with business and industry along with a new FOCUS2030 strategic plan forged during the pandemic guided Frank and the university community through the pandemic. “To do at Stout is in our DNA, from our earli est beginnings, and it resonates loudly today throughout our campus in our programs and through the success of our graduates,” she said. “Our success not only depends on the com mitment and hard work of our university community, but also on the commitment of our surrounding community and our many partners who are so essential to the complete

Stout learning experience.” Story continues on page 8

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Story continued from page 7 Accomplishments led by Frank include a new Enrollment and Strategic Initiatives (ESI) unit and a new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) office to address the shifting landscape in higher education—along with the new stra tegic plan. The ESI and EDI initiatives “are tied directly to our new strategic plan and to date have involved an institutional restructuring, hiring of executive level leadership, and dedication of the resources necessary for the university to invest in the work that is essential to support change and progress,” she said. With a Ph.D. in English and having started her higher education career as an English profes sor, Frank addressed how her background is a good fit at a polytechnic university. “I bring a different perspective, a different lens through which we can examine these shared educational values and pedagogical prefer ences and work together towards continuous improvement,” she said. “I have learned much during the past three years at Stout. I have been reminded that you can do anything you want to do with an English major and that being the first female leader of this institution does matter for many reasons, and especially in honor of those women whose stories have helped to shape Stout as well as for the future of this institution, our ongoing commitment to inclusivity, and for all of the graduates who will continue to add to the larger Stout story.” Speakers included UW System President Jay Rothman and five alumni. Eight alumni sup ported the celebration through business con nections. Frank thanked the dedicated and Stout Proud community of students, faculty, staff, alumni and external partners. “You make the magic happen. Thank you for your belief in and love of Stout.” The investiture, including campus events held throughout the week, was funded through the generous support of the Stout University Foun dation. No taxpayer or tuition funds were used for the celebration.

The investiture celebration featured numerous speakers, including Stout Student Association President Cody Gentz, top, and alum Wade Lambrigtsen, middle, along with a post-event reception.

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OUR NEXT BRILLIANT ‘S’

New university logo ‘traces the path of innovation through our past and present and illuminates our future’

Scan to see logo animation

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“The visual presence of a recognizable ‘S’ mark in our new logo helps us re-ignite the passion for everything UW-Stout and what our institution has to offer,” saidA.J. Liedl, brand manager in Marketing Communications who led the effort. “The three bands tell the story of our brand and what it stands for. We’re excited to inject new energy into our brand with a logo that has flexibility and boldness and that will make us stand out into the future.” The new “S” was chosen from several con cepts presented by Simpson Scarborough. Among alumni who responded to a survey about two logo concepts, 75 percent preferred the three-tiered “S.” “As an alumni board of varying ages and pro fessions, we love how this new logo embraces the history and future of UW-Stout. It is refreshing and also pays homage to our roots,” said Nikki Westvig Stephany ’04 , Alumni Board president. Alumni are encouraged to respond to a new Simpson Scarborough survey related to the logo that will be arriving soon by email.

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n 1923, two UW-Stout students won a school song contest by writing “Alma

serveWisconsin and society, in part through a strong bond to business and industry. “It reinforces our aspiration to provide stu dents with a degree grounded in applied learn ing and research, the professional experience to apply it wisely, and the tools to continue to engage collaboratively as lifelong learners,” Frank said. Strategic Marketing Officer Michael Huggins sees the logo as a symbol of the next era for a university that has always evolved with the times. Some majors, such as early childhood education and mechanical engineering, can be traced to the university’s founding as Stout Manual Training School. Others, such as ani mation and digital media, represent a world and higher education that have changed sig nificantly during the past 130 years. “Stout has always been an engine of inno vation focused on preparing its graduates to empower their careers and power business and industry in Wisconsin and beyond. We’re excited to launch a refreshed logo that both honors the lineage of our alumni and reflects our commitment to career-focused education,” Huggins said. Working with Marketing Communications at UW-Stout, university leaders and the UW-Stout community, including alumni, the logo was designed by Simpson Scarbor ough. The Virginia-based firm has helped brand numerous universities, such as Butler, Creighton, Fordham and Northwestern, as well as other polytechnic universities, such as Cal-Poly.

Mater.” The third line of the lyrics, “With tower high and brilliant ‘S,’” highlighted imag ery instantly familiar to those attending the university. The song has endured, as have the Clock Tower and the proud “S” that hangs from it. One hundred years later, a brilliant new “S” has been chosen as the university’s new logo. With three parallel bands and three tiers rising flame like, it represents a university with a proud past and a bright future. Chancellor Katherine Frank unveiled the new “S” during her investiture address in October. “The new mark traces the path of innovation through our past and present and illuminates our future. It honors our three educational tenets: applied learning, career focus, and col laboration,” Frank said. The logo will be phased in universitywide starting in 2023. The effort coincides with goals and initiatives related to UW-Stout’s FOCUS2030 strategic plan. One of five goals within the plan includes advancing the univer sity’s polytechnic reputation. UW-Stout has had numerous symbols over the years, many featuring a version of the “S.” A logo introduced in the early 1990s during the university’s centennial was a quill inspired by the quill weathervane that stands atop the Clock Tower. The new “S” represents students, faculty and staff who are constantly innovating and grow ing and a university that is boldly striving to

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The Colors

The colors honor the past, present and future of our university — from the bedrock navy blue of Stout’s proud history to the bright path of tomorrow’s graduates.

The Motion

The motion reinforces the upward, onward collective impact of our students, our faculty and staff, and our community of alumni and industry partners.

The Bands

The bands reflect the inseparable tenets of

applied learning, career focus and collaboration with industry that guide our institution.

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BRIGHT FUTURE FOR HERITAGE Busy lab and classroom building, which opened in 1973, on track for complete renovation

essential project. The renovation will turn an outdated building into a state-of-the art facility that prepares students for success in high-de mand careers such as hospitality, child care, mental health and wellness, and education,” Frank said. Heritage Hall is home to the School of Educa tion, School of Hospitality Leadership, nutrition and family health, and the Weidner Center for Residential Property Management. It serves more than 2,000 students each academic year. The state job outlook for graduates frommost of the programs based in the building is expected to grow between 6% and 15% by 2025. With UW-Stout’s 100% graduate employment rates in nearly all of these programs, the renovation will help provide qualified Wisconsin workers to address these demands. Renovation includes a new, four-story glass main entrance and a new north entrance. On the inside, the focus is a more engaging, technolog ically up-to-date learning environment essential

In 1973, it opened as the Home Economics Building. In 2010, it was renamed Heritage Hall. By 2027, if all goes as planned, the busy lab and classroom building will be ready for another 50 years. A long-awaited renovation moved closer to reality in August when Heritage Hall received priority approval from the UW System Board of Regents.Among UWSystem capital budget requests, the $120 million project was ranked No. 1 in priority in the Chippewa Valley and No. 3 for major academic building renovation projects. Chancellor Katherine Frank was pleased that the Board of Regents recognized the impor tance of the building to UW-Stout’s applied learning environment and the role it will play in addressing the state’s projected workforce needs. “Heritage Hall is Stout’s number one capital priority, and I’m pleased that the Board of Regents demonstrated their support for this

to UW-Stout’s polytechnic mission. By remov ing partitions, new flexible spaces for classes and labs featuring state-of-the-art equipment will be created throughout, including more natural light. The project includes demolition of the north por tion of the Vocational Rehabilitation Building, which opened in 1954 as UW-Stout’s first stand alone library. Four Graduate School programs will relocate to Heritage. Most of Heritage Hall’s systems, equipment and controls date to 1973, one reason UW-Stout began seeking renovation approval 13 years ago. The Board of Regents’ action means that the renovation will be in the UW System’s capital request to the Legislature for the 2023-25 state budget. If the project is approved by lawmakers and the State Building Commission, construction could begin in fall 2025 and will take about 24 months.

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NEW LOOK ON SOUTH CAMPUS Renovation of 55-year-old South Hall will provide facelift, updated living spaces for students

Other changes that will help make the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and improve the living and learning envi ronment, include: • Renovated bathrooms and showers with increased privacy • Updated student rooms with new furnishings • Expanded lounge, meeting and kitchen spaces • New heating, ventilation, electrical and communications systems • New windows, doors, elevator and roof • Updated fire safety and suppression systems. The building will have 358 beds when it reopens. “We have worked hard in the planning and design of this building project to create spaces that foster relationship building, integrate sus tainability and provide for an improved experi ence that supports student success,” said Justin Utpadel ’06 , UW-Stout director of Facilities Management. Chancellor Katherine Frank said, “Student suc cess depends on what happens both inside and outside of the classroom, lab, or studio, and this project will allow for students to live in an updated, dynamic, and appealing environment.”

After 55 years of housing students, South Hall is getting a much-needed facelift. The state-ap proved $25 million renovation began in spring 2022 and is scheduled to be ready for the 2023 24 academic year. South Hall, at the northeast corner of Broad way Street and 13th Avenue E., hasn’t been significantly improved since it opened in 1967. Since then, about 20,000 mostly first-year stu dents have called it home. When it’s finished, the four-story residence hall will have a whole new look. The main entrance will be expanded and flipped from the first floor on the south side, on 13th Avenue, to the ground level on the north side, facing the campus mall. Also, silver metal cladding will be added to portions of the brick exterior, similar to recently renovated North Hall and McCalmont Hall. The volleyball court on the north side will be moved east of the basketball courts near Broad way Street.

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ON CAMPUS IX A CHAMPION FOR WOMEN Athletics’ efforts to level playing field for females, 50 years after passing of Title IX, lauded by national organization

“Equity is a priority for us and we continually monitor this, so it doesn’t surprise me that we’re doing well,” said Duey Naatz, athletic director. “We’re striving to improve the experience for all student athletes.” Title IX turned 50 on June 23, 2022. It prohibits education programs that receive federal funding from discrimination based on sex. The law set in motion, among other things, the expansion of women’s intercollegiate athletics, requiring equal treatment with regard to such things as participation levels, quality and use of facilities, budgeting, travel accommodations and more. In 2019-20, the most recent data used by Cham pionWomen, the percentage of females and males in athletics at UW-Stout was the same, 7.9%. A new women’s lacrosse team, the 11th women’s sport, is set to begin play in 2023. When Title IX passed, UW-Stout had three women’s teams. Five women’s teams were added between 1972 and 1995. To help mark the Title IX anniversary, the Blue Devils are planning special events at athletic contests throughout the 2022-23 academic year, Naatz said.

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n the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX, a national organization has cited UW-Stout’s efforts to provide equal treatment for female athletes. ChampionWomen reviewed Title IX federal reporting data from more than 2,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. that offer intercol legiate athletics and gave each school a pass or fail ranking. UW-Stout received a passing mark overall and in two key subcategories. UW-Stout was the only UWSystem university to pass the review and ranked in the top 10% nationally. ChampionWomen said that 90% of intercollegiate athletics departments still are not meeting the standards of Title IX.

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StoutProud Numbers 100% 98.4% 74%

University academic programs that include an experiential learning component

Employment and continuing education rate for recent graduates (up six-tenths of a point since 2021)

Percentage of graduates from 2020-21 who were hired within one month of graduating

1,665 1,130

93%

Number of graduates from fall 2021 and spring 2022 commencement ceremonies

Graduates from 2011 and 2016 who were satisfied with their career advice, 10% higher than the average in a national alumni survey that included all UW System institutions

Students enrolled in the Cooperative Education and Internship Program in 2021-22 (a record)

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Number of athletics teams when the new women’s lacrosse team begins play in spring 2023, including coed esports

Number of Fortune 500 companies that hired UW-Stout graduates from 2020-21

Age of Bowman Hall. Construction began in 1897 after a fire in February of that year

TEACHING EXCELLENCE

After more than 20 years, physics Professor Laura McCullough’s moti vation when she enters the classroom hasn’t changed. “On the first day of class, I tell my students that I am not here to teach them physics; I am here to help them learn physics. It’s all about them,” McCullough said. McCullough’s dedication to her pro fession and students was recognized in spring 2022 when she received a UW System Teaching Excellence Award, the System’s highest teach ing honor, at a Board of Regents meeting. McCullough is the first fromUW-Stout to receive the award. Her goal is to make a challenging subject, especially for students tak ing college-level physics for the first time, less intimidating. She uses objects and demonstrations, such as with a balloon, slinky and guitar, to help them learn.

“I love helping students who are cer tain that they’re going to fail realize that not only can they learn this stuff, but they can enjoy it,” McCullough said. McCullough’s main research inter est is gender and science, especially women in physics and STEM fields. She published the book “Women and Physics” in 2016; developed a phys ics gender bias website; has served on the UWSystem’sWomen and Sci ence Advisory Board for nearly 20 years; and was co-team leader of the U.S. delegation to the International Conference on Women in Physics from 2019-21. UW-Stout’s FOCUS2030 goals in clude student success, employee success, and equity, diversity and inclusion.

AWARD McCullough, honored by UW System, loves

helping students learn challenging subject, works to increase women in STEM

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First student designed mural in UW System brightens Applied Arts Building

FIRST MURAL IN LONG HISTORY OF ART AT THE UNIVERSITY

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eventeen students in the new Graffiti and Street Art course celebrated the unveiling of the first mural on campus on June 2. Joined by Chancellor Katherine Frank; Provost Glendalí Rodrí guez; Menomonie Mayor Randy Knaack; course instructors Professor Cynthia Bland and Lecturer Wade Lambrigtsen ’00 ; and supporters from the university and area community, the class revealed its mural on theAppliedArts Building east loading dock wall. In a wash of cool blue hues, warm sandy tones and creamy oranges, the nearly 400-square-foot mural – 40 feet long and about 10 feet high – depicts art through the ages and represents School of Art and Design programs, capturing the rich culture that flourishes inside the building. Although it is not the first mural in the UW System, the Graffiti and StreetArt mural is the first student-designed mural to grace the walls of a UWSystem campus. Frank expressed her pride and gratitude for the “exceptional vision, persistence and energy of Cynthia and Wade to launch a new course that has produced a lasting impact on the university. This mural signifies what it means to be ‘Made at Stout’ and sets our educational experience apart from others.” Frank added that the mural opens up the possibility for additional collaborations and praised the Campus Art Committee, chaired by Bland, for considering ways to support equity, diversity and inclusion efforts through future projects, aligning with UW-Stout’s FOCUS2030 goals. Designed by students, painted by students The collaborative effort that brought about the new course took a year of planning by two committees, Facilities Management and officials. “I thought theAppliedArts Building needed to showmore of who we are on the outside, to reflect our vibrant community of artists and designers on the inside,” said Bland, art and art history chair, who has been at UW-Stout for 17 years. Bland and Lambrigtsen invited the more than 900 SOAD students to submit ideas. Frank and Rodriguez approved the final design. Students in the course, which ran from May 16 to June 3, began painting on May 26, battling rain and fighting time to complete their mural before the unveiling. A2000 graphic design alum, Lambrigtsen is the owner of Vintage Sign Shop in Menomonie. He thought the course “was a wonderful opportunity to teach, to share knowledge and artwork around this beautiful campus. This is about the students. This is their legacy. They can say, ‘We did this,’ and they can go out into other commu nities with the knowledge to produce more murals.” Bland praised her students for their “tireless efforts to complete the mural. It is part of the legacy and history of art at the university. It was a visible chance for students to create a message of what they want to say about themselves and to leave their mark on campus.”

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CAMPUS

FRESH EFFORTS FOR FRESH WATER

NO MORE LINES FOR TEXTBOOKS

A GRATEFUL, STOUT PROUD GRADUATE

UW-Stout has received nearly $400,000 in grants this year from a new state-funded pro gram, the Freshwater Collaborative of Wis consin, which leverages UWSystem expertise to help protect one of the state’s precious resources. The grants fund professor-led projects that include student research and experiential learn ing. One project is the Red Cedar Basin Mon itoring Program. Students tested water weekly last summer in lakes Menomin and Tainter and other waterways to monitor nutrient levels, algae blooms and general water quality, adding to a state database used to address the prob lems. Another project is focused on using drones, hyper-spectral imaging and software to see subsurface drainage patterns and help predict — and correct — freshwater contamination from farm runoff before it occurs.

Remember those long waits in line to pick up textbooks and then lugging around the heavy tomes? They’re all but a thing of the past at UW-Stout, where 75% of textbooks are digital. “We let students know they don’t have to come and stand in line anymore,” said Bob Butter field, director of Instructional Resources Ser vice in the library. Students download the ebooks onto their uni versity-provided laptop computer — no wait, no weight and no worries about losing or for getting their books. Other advantages include audio text; students can finish assigned read ing, for example, while driving home for the weekend. The audio option also helps students with disabilities. Adecade after offering digital texts for the first time, UW-Stout has become a leader in the UW System and nationally.

During the 2021-22 academic year, 1,665 stu dents received degrees. It would be difficult to find a graduate more proud and grateful than William Kunkel ’22 , who didn’t envision going to college because of lifelong challenges with dyslexia. Deep down, Kunkel believed he had ability and refused to be defined by his high school grades and test scores. At UW-Stout he began to shine in the hands-on learning environment. In May, he graduated magna cum laude from the mechanical engineering program and this fall entered a Ph.D. program at UW-Madison. “If you saw some of my earlier report cards, fromwhen I was younger, you would not think there was any way I would have achieved all that I have and would be pursuing a Ph.D.,” Kunkel said. “I would encourage anyone who learns differently not to give up.”

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S BRIEFS

WHAT THE BUZZ IS ABOUT

GRANT SHINES LIGHT ON PROFESSOR’S ART

A BEST COLLEGE ON THE RISE

A new way to learn Lean manufacturing has created a buzz, thanks to the Manufacturing Outreach Center. Typically, Lean is taught on site using objects, such as Legos, by a trained facilitator. During the pandemic, MOC Engi neer Ted Theyerl wondered if it could be taught virtually. About 1½ years later, with a federal grant and the skills of six game design and development students, Buzz Digital: A Lean Manufactur ing Simulation was born. Users of the soft ware-based programmove along a production line with a touch screen tablet in a game-like experience. Buzz Digital received a thumbs-up from the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing Pro ductivity and could be deployed to Manu facturing Extension Partnership centers, like UW-Stout’s, around the country.

For more than 20 years, Professor Charles Matson Lume has used light, shadows and everyday objects as the foundation of his thought-provoking art installations. TheAdolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation of New York has shined a light on his work with a $25,000 award, one of 20 artists from around the world out of 705 who applied. A visual artist, Lume’s work highlights the interplay and intersections of light and matter, allowing the matter — or objects that we encounter daily — to speak in a sense. “I noticed the objects I painted could speak. Their ‘thingliness’ and sense of light liberated some thing ineffable and true. Over time, I realized each thing had its own image — its shadow. I didn’t need to paint the thing; it had its own painting it carried around with it,” Lume said.

UW-Stout is a Best College on the rise, based on the prestigious 2023 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings announced in September. UW-Stout moved up as a: • Public regional university, Midwest: 13th, up two places; top three in the UW System • Regional university, Midwest: 62nd, up seven places • Midwest regional university for veter ans: 27th, up three places; up 21 places in two years; top three in UW System • Undergraduate engineering school nationally, sans doctoral program: 70th, up 22 places; up 40 places in two years; top two in UW System • Best value in Midwest, 63rd, up two places; top four in UW System

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FOUNDATION

FOUNDATION MESSAGE VICE CHANCELLOR WILLIAM JOHNSON

STOUT UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

In 2022, the Stout University Foundation is marking 60 years of supporting UW-Stout with the resources that have made a lasting impact on the lives of generations of stu dents, faculty and staff and enhanced programs throughout campus. Support from our alumni and friends continues to play a critical role in the success of the university. Since 1962, working through the Foundation, our alumni and friends have made generous gifts building on our history of stu dent scholarship support and making a commitment to UW-Stout through their estate plans. Your generosity has had a major impact on the success of our work. The donor stories featured in this edition of Outlook will provide you with a glimpse of the commitment made by four individuals to preserve the memory and legacy of a husband, a wife, a brother and the impact of an academic program that influenced a lifetime career. These donors and the heartfelt stories behind their gifts are part of the greater UW-Stout story, how the university changes lives. They are shining examples of how impactful philanthropy can be. To all UW-Stout donors and support ers, we sincerely thank you and look forward to another 60 years of helping serve students and our university.

60 YEARS

1962 -2022

RECORD-SETTING SUPPORT

Since its inception 60 years ago, the Stout Uni versity Foundation has been focused on help ing students succeed. If numbers can be used as a gauge, the Foundation is succeeding in its efforts as well. This fall, the Foundation awarded 531 students with scholarships totaling $1.2 million. Both numbers are records for the university. Last year, a record $977,000 was awarded to 436 students. The nearly 22% increase in students supported is in part a reflection of 26 new scholarships created through the Foundation. Generous sup port from donors of all types, including alumni, is greatly appreciated, said Tim Seichter ’84 , chairman of the Foundation Board Scholarship Committee. “I’m amazed at the generosity and dedication our scholarship donors have for this fine poly

technic university,” Seichter said. “Our donors see the quality in our students and the value in the education that Stout students receive as they contribute to industry and societal ad vancement. Our students are future leaders.” Foundation scholarships have made a differ ence in the lives of 11,318 students over the past six decades. This year, students were recognized again in a prerecorded video message, which included a list of winners and messages from Seichter, Chancellor Katherine Frank, donor and Foun dation Board member Mary Van Hout ’74 , and scholarship recipient Yohana Ohlrogge, a senior in rehabilitation services. The Foundation plans to return to an in-person reception in 2023 for scholars and donors.

Foundation’s annual scholarship awards total $1.2 million, help more than 500 students, both records

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AN INSPIRING LEGACY Sister’s $1M donation honors life, talents of Jed Copham, who owned Brainerd International Raceway

In many ways, John “Jed” Copham ’97 epitomized how a life should be lived—make the best use of your talents, enjoy each day to its fullest and along the way enrich the lives of those around you. Gifted as an engineer, mechanic and athlete; energetic, hard-working, humble and kind; and someone whose efforts and example inspired others, Copham made a difference wherever he went. Although his days were cut short by a boating accident in 2018 at age 46, his almost larger-than-life impact continues —and not just through the example he set as a person and as the popular owner of Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn. His sister, Kristen “Mae” Copham, donated $1 million to the Stout University Foundation to create the John “Jed” Copham Memorial Engineering Scholarship and a separate professorship also under his name. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology. Beginning with the 2022-23 academic year, three students in engineer ing and technology programs each will receive a $5,000 scholarship. Assistant Professor Vivek Singhal from the same department received the professorship, with summer pay and other financial support for an approved professional development experience in motorsports or au tomobile research. “We miss him a ton,” Mae said of Jed. “No one will ever fill that hole, but it feels appropriate to remember him by helping others achieve their dreams.” Mae wanted to use funds generated from the 2005 sale of the family business, Liberty Check Printers based in Shoreview, Minn., to make a substantial donation to an organization connected to Jed. “Jed was a big reason our family business was successful. He was plain-spoken but a genius at how things worked.” Living out his passion as track owner Jed’s real passion, however, was motorsports. In 2006, Jed and his wife, Kristi, bought the iconic Brainerd International Raceway. At BIR, Jed was in his element, including as a race car owner and driv er. He made major improvements that solidified the 600-acre facility as one of the best in the Upper Midwest, where tens of thousands of spectators are not uncommon for large NHRA— National Hot Rod Association — events.

He was a hands-on owner, cleaning restrooms, mowing the lawn — whatever it took to get the job done and improve the driver and spec tator experience, Mae said. “He was very humble and down to earth. He was on the job with his hands dirty and working, not all spiffed up,” she said, adding that Jed once almost missed the start of his race because he was working on a competitor’s engine. “He would drop anything to help someone. It means a lot to me to be able to do something to help other people and honor him,” Mae said.

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FOUNDATION

STEPPING UP FOR STOUT Alumni-based donations totaling $3.1 million will support student skills, leadership development, Heritage Hall renovation

StoutProud StoutProud StoutProud StoutProud StoutProud StoutProud

In the 1950s and 1960s, when Herb Riebe, Joanne Salm Bauer and Becky Gralow Cran ston were attending UW-Stout, the now-com mon phrase Stout Proud hadn’t been coined. Their Stout pride was alive and well, however, when they graduated and launched successful careers. Sixty years later, their love for and life long bond with their alma mater is front and center with three new, major donations. The gifts, totaling $3.1 million, have been made to Stout University Foundation either in honor of them by their spouse or by them with the goal to help the university continue to produce graduates who are ready to impact the world.

Two years after earning his industrial educa tion degree, Herb began working for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in Berkeley, Calif., the start of a long career designing apparatuses and supporting the work of numerous physicists. Viola hopes that an expansion of opportunities for students in the Fab Lab and the scholarship can help and inspire today’s students the way UW-Stout inspired Herb. “He had the ability to design and contribute insight into the problem. Stout pushed him in that direction,” Viola said. Viola also has been a frequent donor to UW-Stout’s Fostering Success program, which helps students who are former foster care youth, and the former STEPS for Girls program.

Joanne, a home economics education major who died in 2021, was involved in four student orga nizations on campus and was a residence hall counselor. “Her leadership skills continued to be developed at UW-Stout,” said Bob, a retired dean from UW-Green Bay. “We wanted to do something that would advance the skills that Joanne believed in strongly,” Bob said, noting that they settled on the donation before her passing. “We’re hoping the endow ment will help students step forth and become real leaders.” Joanne remained connected to UW-Stout over the years as part of reunion committees, and she and Bob supported the university previously with other donations.

Herbert and Viola Riebe Fab Lab Endowment and Scholarship

Joanne and Robert Bauer Scholarship Program

Viola Riebe, in honor of Herbert “Herb” Riebe ’57 , her late husband, has committed $2.53 million to endow the UW-Stout Fab Lab, which will be renamed the Herbert and Viola Riebe Fab Lab, and to establish the Herbert and Viola Riebe Endowed Scholarship Fund for full time students majoring in engineering technol ogy, manufacturing engineering or mechanical engineering. “Our young people are our future, and the future is going to be designed by educated people,” Viola said.

Going back to high school when she was pres ident of the 1,000-student Home Econom ics Association, to years of involvement at UW-Stout including 1959 homecoming queen, Joanne Bauer ’60 never shied away from lead ership opportunities, including in her 32-year career as a teacher. To honor that legacy, her husband has donated $500,000 to establish the Joanne and Robert Bauer Scholarship, which will provide $1,500 awards to 10 students annually in the Stout Ambassadors program or inAlpha Phi, Joanne’s sorority.

Below: Heritage Hall

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A L U M N I

DISTINGUISHED ALUM Recently retired technical college president Albrecht recognized for impactful career in education

Left: Students work on a project in the university’s Fab Lab, part of the Discov ery Center on campus. The lab will be renamed for donors Herbert “Herb” and Viola Riebe.

StoutProud StoutProud StoutProud StoutProud

Becky Cranston Estate Gift for Heritage Hall

BRYAN ALBRECHT ‘84, ’88, ’08

Recently, when Becky Cranston ’64 , a dietetics graduate, heard that funds were needed to help renovate Heritage Hall, home to the dietetics program, she stepped up to provide $100,000 to support programming needs. Her gift is in addition to other university support in recent years that exceeds $250,000. She estab lished the Rebecca Gralow Cranston Dietetics Professional Development Fund, an endowed fund to support dietetics faculty. She has made several significant gifts to the Chancellor’s Fund for Teaching Excellence and Student Success and supported faculty work to help develop an online Master of Science program in dietetics. “I wanted to honor the program and the teach ers and the success I’ve had,” said Cranston, a Menomonie native who taught for eight years at Appalachian State and 25 years at Kent State University.

Bryan Albrecht '84, '88, '08 , who retired this fall after 16 years as president of Gateway Technical College in Racine, has received the university’s highest honor bestowed on a former graduate — the Dis tinguished Alumni Award. Albrecht has three degrees from UW-Stout, a bachelor’s in 1984, mas ter’s in 1988 and Education Specialist in 2008. He earned a doctorate in education in 2011 from the University of Minnesota. A Fond du Lac native, he began his career as a career and technical education teacher in the Cornell and Kewaunee school districts, then in 1987 joined the state Department of Public Instruction in technology education. He was named Gateway Tech president in 2006. “It is an honor to receive the university’s DistinguishedAlumniAward. My career can be directly attributed to the experience I was gifted while attending UW-Stout,” Albrecht said. “My UW-Stout experience has extended beyond my time as a student. It has shaped my life’s work as an educator and industry partner. The fac ulty and university mentors challenged me to be a lifelong learner and to share my passion with every student served throughout my career.” In 2011, he was UW-Stout’s Career and Technical Education in Resi dence, giving a campuswide address, meeting with leaders and speak ing with students, saying, “Leadership is not a title; it’s a lifestyle.” “My career can be directly attributed to the experience I was gifted while attending UW-Stout”

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A BUDDING STAR

Crawford’s wireless earbuds that fit on glasses named one of Time’s best inventions of 2021

REED CRAWFORD ‘06

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S

Crawford, originally from Shawano, Wis., start ed working for JLab in 2012 when it had four employees. Now owned by a Japanese compa ny, it has 90 employees. JLab products are in Target and Walmart, and sales are expanding into foreign markets. The product line also is expanding into computer accessories. Crawford has won several design awards at the international Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. As director of design for JLab, he takes pride in designing affordable, reliable products. At UW-Stout, where he gravitated to because “I always wanted to invent something,” he spent long hours in the industrial design lab; the head phones and earbud concepts he designed back then helped him land the JLab job. “They saw that this was something I had a passion for,” he said.

ometimes, success sneaks up on a person. It happened to industrial de

sign alum Reed Crawford ‘06 when he creat ed earbuds to clip onto the bows of eyeglasses. They were named one of Time magazine’s best inventions of 2021. Crawford has designed 80 to 100 audio prod ucts in the past decade for JLab of San Diego. He was pleased with his JBuds Frames prod uct but not expecting any recognition, until the company was notified about a week before Time’s top 100 list went national. “It’s been quite a ride, for sure,” Crawford said. “It was very cool to see.” The 2006 UW-Stout graduate acknowledges his “new and different” design makes life easi er for customers working from home who wear glasses but don’t want earbuds in all day. “It was a true eureka moment,” he said. JBuds Frames are a $49 versatile headphones option, unlike a bigger-name competitor’s buds that were built into the frames at four times or more the cost. “They direct sound into your ear without masking your surroundings or annoying your neighbors,” Time said. Crawford calls them a “true wireless” product in that each bud connects to a Bluetooth mod ule on the user’s phone, unlike some that are linked by a wire and connect to one module. The company sells more true wireless earbuds for under $100 than anyone, he said, thanks in part to JBuds, the sales of which got a boost from the Time story.

Left: Reed Crawford has designed dozens of products for JLab of San Diego, including wireless earbuds that fit on glasses – one of Time magazine’s 100 best inventions of 2021. / JLab photos

Right: A model shows how Crawford’s inven tion, JBuds Frames, fit onto a pair of glasses.

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