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Fast Forward: University developing model cybersecurity internship program with $299,000 System, state grant

polingj — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:17:19 +0000

Fast Forward: University developing model cybersecurity internship program with $299,000 System, state grantpolingj March 30, 2023

University’s leadership in the field will help address a critical workforce need in Wisconsin

A cybersecurity internship grant addressing the needs of the Wisconsin’s critical infrastructure utilities has been awarded to ��Ͽ�, a higher education leader in the field.

The $298,771 Fast Forward grant from the state Department of Workforce Development and University of Wisconsin System will provide paid industry internships to adult learners, including state university and technical college students who are seeking to enter the information technology and cybersecurity field or enhance their skillset.

Students who are unemployed, underemployed or from underrepresented groups in the field, including women and veterans, are encouraged to apply. ��Ͽ� has an undergraduate program in cybersecurity.

Four grants totaling $1.1 million were awarded to three UW System schools, Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Workforce Development announced Thursday, April 13.

A student checks servers while working in ��Ͽ�’s cybersecurity labs. / ��Ͽ�

According to Cyber Seek, more than 1.1 million people are employed in the industry in the U.S., but there are more than 755,000 job openings, including more than 7,800 in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin shortage is despite a high average salary for an entry-level cybersecurity analyst in the state: $75,000.

The goals of the program are to increase students’ work-based opportunities, enhance awareness career possibilities and educational pathways in Wisconsin, and create industry connections for students and regional employers.

In addition to the work experience, interns will benefit from establishing industry connections that could lead to future job opportunities with regional employers. State companies already supporting the program include Aspirus, Dirksgroup, Malisko, Marshfield Clinic and Rockwell Automation. More companies will be recruited. The program matches students to industry mentors.

Professor Holly Yuan, center, is the cybersecurity center director at ��Ͽ�. / ��Ͽ�

“This program will benefit many students and unemployed workers who want to upskill and transition into cybersecurity, help them develop skillsets they need to be successful and inspire them to pursue a full-time profession in IT and cybersecurity,” said Professor Holly Yuan, grant director, program director and cybersecurity center director at ��Ͽ�.

The program will begin in May with 20 interns, followed by 20 more interns in late summer or fall and run through June 1, 2024.

Students can apply via a website that will be developed by ��Ͽ�. In the interim, interested applicants should email centerforcybersecurity@uwstout.edu. A project coordinator will be hired to coordinate the day-to-day management of the internship program and industry partner relationships.

��Ͽ� student Christina Kimball checks on equipment in a ��Ͽ� cybersecurity lab. / ��Ͽ�

“As a polytechnic institution, it is within ��Ͽ�’s mission for students to gain hands-on experience,” said Anne Hoeltke, director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. “Through this grant, students will have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and apply academic concepts in real-world settings. Employers will have the opportunity to evaluate prospective new hires, obtain fresh ideas and foster stronger relationships with ��Ͽ�. For these reasons, the ability to apply scholarships to internships is an easy win-win for students, employers and the university.”

Yuan will work with ��Ͽ�’s Career Services, the Cybersecurity Research and Outreach Center, and a project coordinator to administer the internship program. Career Services oversees an existing Cooperative Education and Internship Program on campus that served more than 1,100 students in 2021-22.

Interns will work a minimum of 240 hours and be paid an average of $20 an hour. They can apply for gift cards to assist with barriers for internship completion, including for transportation and gas.

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The next-level goal of the grant will be to replicate ��Ͽ�’s program across the UW System. A scalable, statewide IT and cybersecurity internship program will “provide the state with a head start in the development of critical infrastructure,” Yuan said.

��Ͽ� has been a cybersecurity higher education leader in Wisconsin since 2017, when it became the first four-year institution in the state to be designated a cybersecurity center. The designation coincided with being named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security.

In 2022, the university’s Bachelor of Science program in cybersecurity was approved by the UW System Board of Regents. ��Ͽ� also offers a minor, two certificates and two concentrations related to cybersecurity.

Fast Forward grants

Gov. Evers believes the grants will serve state workforce needs.

“Our UW System is a major economic driver in our state and a critical resource for building our state’s next-generation workforce. These grants will help students earn while they learn, ensuring greater access and opportunities for our home-grown talent to start growing their careers right here in Wisconsin,” Evers said.

"DWD is proud to support innovative internship opportunities for Wisconsin students through our strong partnership with the UW System. Students who intern for a Wisconsin company are more likely to stay in the state after graduation, making internships a valuable workforce retention strategy," said Amy Pechacek, DWD secretary. "We continue to identify new ways to build Wisconsin's next generation workforce, providing job-seekers with skills in high-demand fields and employers with high-skill job-seekers."

The Wisconsin Fast Forward program expands employment opportunities and delivers return on investment for employers. Through myriad endeavors, the program supports Wisconsin's economy and workforce.

“As Wisconsin’s talent generator, we educate students to think critically while they also learn valuable skills needed in the workforce,” said UW System President Jay Rothman. “These internships will help students kick-start their careers while meeting employer demand for talent.”

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A cybersecurity internship grant addressing the needs of the Wisconsin’s critical infrastructure utilities has been awarded to ��Ͽ�. CNIT Dell 1

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Computer networking alum working to protect companies from cyberattacks

Halbach, recently interviewed on ABC ‘Nightline,’ explains importance of Red Teams as a line of defense

Hero Caption: ��Ͽ�'s computer networking labs serve students in several programs, including the cybersecurity major.

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New cybersecurity major aims to take a bite out of internet crime

polingj — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:46:25 +0000

New cybersecurity major aims to take a bite out of internet crimepolingj April 17, 2022

Program approved by UW System will help with growing demand for professionals in the field

Cybersecurity has become an issue of personal, national and international concern, with internet attacks harming individuals, businesses, government institutions and drawing scrutiny in U.S. elections.

Americans lost $6.9 billion in cyber crime in 2021, according to the FBI.

Graduates from a new program at University of Wisconsin-Stout will be ready to help. A Bachelor of Science program in cybersecurity approved April 7 by the UW System Board of Regents will train graduates to help meet high demand for professionals in the field.

Students can take the program on campus or online beginning in fall 2022. Enrollment is open.

Glendali Rodriguez, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs / ��Ͽ�

“This program will allow ��Ͽ� to continue providing leadership and innovation to produce qualified cybersecurity professionals and meet both current and future business and government needs,” said Glendali Rodriguez, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.

The program will complement well-established computer and information technologies programs at ��Ͽ� that already have components of cybersecurity, meaning the instructors, curriculum and facilities infrastructure already exist to offer the program. About 280 students are enrolled in the related programs.

��Ͽ� also offers a minor, two certificates and two concentrations related to cybersecurity.

In addition, ��Ͽ� 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 Homeland Security. ��Ͽ� was the first four-year institution in Wisconsin to receive the designation.

As a result, ��Ͽ� students are:

Prepared to take cybersecurity certifications and Department of Defense mandated certifications
Eligible for the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program.

Demand, starting salary high

Demand for cybersecurity professionals is high, with the global workforce in the field short about 1.8 million workers. Between 2020 and 2025 the need is expected to grow by nearly 7%, including high demand for workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan.

The average pay for entry level cybersecurity analyst positions in Wisconsin is $70,000.

Professor Holly Yuan instructs students in a computer networking lab at ��Ͽ�. / ��Ͽ�

An advisory council of cybersecurity professionals gathered by ��Ͽ� affirmed a need for more professionals with bachelor’s degrees.

Enrollment for the on-campus program is projected to be 15 and rise to 150 within four years, with similar numbers for the online program.

“Our B.S. cybersecurity program with hands-on training in a real-world cybersecurity laboratory setting will broaden students’ subject matter knowledge and skills needed for the growing cybersecurity job market,” Rodriguez said, citing a required co-op and capstone course, part of ��Ͽ�’s experiential learning focus.

The 120-credit program will include 69 credits in core cybersecurity, 40 in general education and 11 in electives. Graduates will be able to:

Analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions
Apply security principles and practices to the environment, hardware, software and human aspects of a system
Analyze and evaluate systems with respect to maintaining operations in the presence of risks and threats
Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts
Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles

Along with numerous lab-based courses, the program will collaborate with industry partners and involve research opportunities in cloud computing, 5G, health care and the industrial internet of things.

Program outreach will include technical colleges and K-12 schools to broaden participation in cybersecurity, including women, veterans and first-generation and low-income students.

��Ͽ� works closely with technical colleges to help students transfer credits and earn a bachelor’s degree.

Goals of ��Ͽ�’s FOCUS2030 strategic plan include student success and a universitywide focus on equity, diversity and inclusion.

��Ͽ� also received approval recently for a new major in individualized studies, targeting adult, transfer and re-entry students.

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Cybersecurity has become an issue of personal, national and international concern. ��Ͽ� is ready to help. CNIT lab

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Student team wins statewide cyber defense competition

Nine students from ��Ͽ� fended off hours of cyberattacks to win a statewide cybersecurity event and place high in the Midwest regional.

Computer networking alum working to protect companies from cyberattacks

Halbach, recently interviewed on ABC ‘Nightline,’ explains importance of Red Teams as a line of defense

Hero Caption: Students at ��Ͽ� tackle a problem in a computer networking lab. / ��Ͽ�

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

Department: Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science Department Cybersecurity Research & Outreach Center (CyROC)

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Degree: Ph.D. Computer Information System

University: Nova Southeastern University

Degree: M.S. Computer Science

University: Georgia State University

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Student team wins statewide cyber defense competition

polingj — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 18:06:37 +0000

Student team wins statewide cyber defense competitionpolingj April 1, 2022

Cybersecurity skills also pay off with fourth place in Midwest regional tournament

Nine students from University of Wisconsin-Stout fended off hours of cyberattacks to win a statewide cybersecurity event and place high in the Midwest regional.

Against four other colleges and universities, ��Ͽ� won the Wisconsin Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition held recently.

Teams were provided mock business networks and had to defend them from eight hours of simulated attacks, or hacks. The attacks were based on real-world events and coordinated by professionals from the cybersecurity field.

The event was a qualifier for the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. ��Ͽ� advanced to the nine-state regional in March; the team finish fourth against nine other state champions and qualifiers. DePaul University won the regional to advance to the national event.

Team members, from left, are Connor Farnworth, Tanner Kowitz, Lee Kottke, Matthew Pomes, Michael Du Mez, Luke Langefels, Vincent Klanderman, Walter Fernandez and Christina Kimball. / Contributed photo

Both events were held virtually.

“I am proud of our Stout team for their cyber-savvy skillsets, being able to create a good game plan, and their passion, teamwork, self-discipline, work ethic and knowledge are beyond what we can hope for from any team,” said Professor Holly Yuan, director of the computer networking and information technology undergraduate program.

Team members and their majors are:

Michael Du Mez, of Sheboygan, senior, computer networking and information technology
Connor Farnworth, of Waukesha, junior, CNIT
Walter Fernandez, of Osceola, junior, information and communication technologies
Christina Kimball, of Dousman, junior, CNIT
Vincent Klanderman, of New Auburn, senior, CNIT
Lee Kottke, of Menomonie, senior, CNIT
Tanner Kowitz, of Sheboygan, senior, CNIT
Luke Langefels, of Minneapolis, junior, applied mathematics and computer science
Matthew Pomes, of Milwaukee, junior, computer science; and applied mathematics and computer science

Langefels was proud of ��Ͽ�’s success in both competitions.

“The biggest factors for our victory in the state competition were our technical skills, teamwork, persistence and problem-solving skills. Our proficiency in these categories allowed us to take the lead early on and hold it throughout the competition,” Langefels said. “On top of that, we had our servers, workstations and firewall secured very early on.”

The state event lasted eight hours, while the regional competition was two days, including 12 hours the first day and eight the second.

��Ͽ� also won the state event in 2020 and took second place last year.

In the regional, ��Ͽ� faced teams that have been competing for five or more years and include graduate students. “We managed to beat six of those 10 teams. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m very confident that we will make it to nationals next year,” Langefels said.

��Ͽ� is a federal Center of Academic Excellence for Cyber Defense, the first in the UW System. The designation helps higher education institutions with computer-related programs prepare the U.S. against cybersecurity threats.

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Nine students from ��Ͽ� fended off hours of cyberattacks to win a statewide cybersecurity event and place high in the Midwest regional. Cybersecurity team

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Three bachelor’s degrees in four years — no problem for motivated, first-generation student

polingj — Thu, 20 May 2021 20:44:16 +0000

Three bachelor’s degrees in four years — no problem for motivated, first-generation studentpolingj May 20, 2021

Gardiner is using her new communications and marketing skills to expand part-time photography business into career

Abi Gardiner became the first in her family to receive a bachelor’s degree when she graduated May 8 from University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Beyond the distinction of being a first-generation graduate, Gardiner, of DeForest, achieved something else that anyone would be hard-pressed to match: She finished three degrees at the same time.

Plus, she did it in four years — the standard time most students take to get one bachelor’s.

With degrees in graphic communications, digital marketing technology and information and communication technologies, Gardiner surprised even herself.

Abi Gardiner earned three bachelor’s degrees from ��Ͽ� in four years. / Photo by Abigail Ann Photography

“It’s surreal to graduate with three bachelor's degrees,” she said. “What got me through it were the amazing people I've met at ��Ͽ� and the support I've had. Of course, I faced many long nights.”

Along with full credit loads or more each semester, Gardiner took summer and Winterm courses, and she tested out of several courses. She earned 154 credits, about 30 more than the average needed for one bachelor’s degree, and made the Dean’s List every year.

She came to ��Ͽ� originally for graphic communications, but she saw the opportunity to do more with her skills and interests. She also earned a minor in business administration.

“I was wanting more education on digital marketing as I started to learn the direction I wanted to take. That's what led me to add my second major,” she said.

“Testing out of courses allowed me to free up time to take additional courses I was interested in, including several photo studio classes and sign language. These are both areas that I was super passionate about, as I've always wanted to learn sign language and I have done photography for years.”

Abi Gardiner, of DeForest, plans to put her three diplomas from ��Ͽ� to good use in her wedding and portrait photography business in the Twin Cities. / Photo by Abigail Ann Photography

Gardiner credited the support and advice from Shaun Dudek, recently retired associate professor from the graphic communications program, for helping her succeed.

“Abi is an outstanding student with a great passion for learning and also for assisting others. She assisted in our labs and as a mentor with her work on campus,” Dudek said. “The GCOM coursework allows students to expand their educational focus by offering a grouping of credits that, if selected properly, could culminate into a minor degree. Abi selected to remain on campus an extra year to earn the extra credits not for the minors but to complete the two additional as majors.”

Gardiner worked in the GCOM labs her first and third years and also worked in University Housing as a hall manager — while continuing to operate a business she started in high school, Abi Jane Photography, in DeForest, near Madison.

“I also found an amazing group of people while working for University Housing, who have become lifelong friends,” she said.

That’s not all. She received 10 scholarships and the Outstanding Co-op Student of the Year Award; was in Photo Club and the Academic Honors Society; and volunteered at the Dunn County Humane Society.

Gardiner graduated with honors.

With three degrees in hand, she has moved Abi Jane Photography to the Twin Cities and turned it into a full-time job. She does wedding and portrait photography, but she plans to do more, such as support and help educate other aspiring photographers and small business owners.

“I also do social media and marketing consulting with my business for other small businesses. This was not an easy decision and definitely scary, but I've had amazing support and I plan on utilizing what I've learned from my time at ��Ͽ� toward my business,” she said.

And that’s a lot. “Marketing, management, business and project management, technology, website development, workflows, and more!” she said.

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Abi Gardiner became the first in her family to receive a bachelor’s degree when she graduated May 8 from ��Ͽ�. Abi Gardiner 1

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Graduate triples her resume power with three bachelor’s degrees

Like many of the 1,183 students who graduate May 9 at University of Wisconsin-Stout, Nenagh O’Leary had many stretches when the going got tough.

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Information technology degree leads graduate to job at U.S. Naval center

polingj — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:56:24 +0000

Information technology degree leads graduate to job at U.S. Naval centerpolingj February 3, 2021

Ruf said she benefited on campus from internships, leadership opportunities, hands-on learning

Some college students might be intimidated if they were told that immediately after graduating they would begin work for the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic in the field of national cybersecurity and cyberdefense.

It sounds like an intense first job.

Nikki Ruf, a May 2020 graduate in computer networking and information technology from University of Wisconsin-Stout, did exactly that.

But she wasn’t intimidated. She was ready.

“It felt like a natural transition. It went very smoothly for me,” said Ruf, who began work last July as an information technology specialist and project manager at the government facility in Charleston, S.C.

Nikki Ruf, a 2020 ��Ͽ� graduate, stands in front of the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, where she works as an IT specialist and project manager. / Contributed photo

More than a half year later, she’s continuing to enjoy the stimulating work. “The most exciting part is just knowing the impact I can have. I’m excited every day to assist the war fighter and get them everything they need to do their job,” Ruf said.

In retrospect, she was preparing for a high-impact first job all along both in class and beyond while at ��Ͽ�. Along with her IT-focused CNIT degree, Ruf left ��Ͽ� with other important training and experiences.

The Eagan, Minn., native had two internships, at U.S. Bank and Securian Financial, both in the Twin Cities. “They were key to my development. They paired what I was learning in class to the real world, which gave me a better idea of what I wanted to do in my career.”

Ruf also graduated with two certifications through her major, Certified Network Associate; and Cyber Security and Cyber Defense — Computer Networking Certificate.

On campus, Ruf was president of the campus Sport Clubs Commission, was a member of several student organizations and even started a student group, Women in Information and Technology and Security. The involvement paid dividends in the form of confidence and skill when she began working at NIWC Atlantic.

“Being involved in leadership and learning how to be a leader was a huge influence on me. It’s a great addition to your college experience,” she said.

Professor Holly Yuan discusses computer servers in 2018 with students, including Nikki Ruf, far right. / ��Ͽ�

Along with the internships, certifications and leadership experiences, Ruf credits the hands-on classes in her major. She’s used to doing, not just listening — including competing and placing second and third in a national computer networking tournament in 2019 with other ��Ͽ� students.

“When Stout says they’re hands-on, they really mean that. Most of my classes were hands-on. Academically, it was better than I could have asked for. I didn’t realize at first how much I would enjoy it,” she said.

Ruf cited a network design course, taught by Professor Holly Yuan, CNIT program director, as her favorite. “Holly separated the class into groups, and we were given a problem statement and had to write a proposal to solve the problem. It really prepared me for the position I’m in now with project management and leadership, public speaking and documentation — I use all of those every day. The class was very realistic to what you could be doing every day in a job.”

Nikki Ruf / Contributed photo

Project management role

Ruf received a federal scholarship in 2018 that led to the job at NIWC Atlantic. ��Ͽ� is recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as a Center of Academic Excellence for Cyber Defense.

In addition to the scholarship, Ruf had to commit to working a year for the Department of Defense, with an option to remain on staff beyond the commitment.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I had to go for the scholarship. At the time it was out of my comfort zone to be assigned a position postgraduation without knowing much about it, but because I was interested in IT — I’ve been interested in it since middle school — I took the risk and applied,” she said.

Yuan said Ruf was a standout student at ��Ͽ� and the scholarship boosted Ruf’s career aspirations.

Holly Yuan / ��Ͽ�

“Nikki is one of the most intelligent and strong students from our CNIT program. The Department of Defense cybersecurity scholarship program is a life-changing opportunity for our students and helped Nikki enter into the cybersecurity profession right after the graduation. I am glad to see she is doing so well and protecting our country’s cyberspace,” Yuan said.

At NIWC Atlantic, Ruf is especially enjoying her project management role — she learned about project management in business courses that were part of the CNIT major — and could see herself gravitating toward that area in her career.

As part of the Information Warfare Research Project team, she manages as many as 10 prototype projects at a time in areas such as cloud computing, cyberwarfare and the internet of things.

“The goal of the team is to advance naval information warfare through rapid prototyping so the war fighters can do their job. We’re trying to push out these prototypes into production. My job is to get them through the process,” Ruf said.

“Some aspects of the job have come pretty easily; some I’ve never touched before, like contracts, funding and other in-depth aspects. I’m learning to adapt and take on the challenges.”

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Some students might be intimidated if they were told that immediately after graduating they would begin work for the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center. Nikki Ruf 2

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Computer networking students celebrate opening of four new labs

For 20 seniors in a capstone class, the grand opening Monday, Feb. 25, of new Computer Networking and Cyber Security Labs was a day to celebrate.

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Online bachelor degree program helped student return 15 years later for diploma

polingj — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 17:47:48 +0000

Online bachelor degree program helped student return 15 years later for diplomapolingj December 10, 2020

Rzeznik finished information and communication technologies program while working full time, living 230 miles from campus

Jon Rzeznik, of Watertown, graduated in December 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in information and communication technologies. He didn’t take the traditional route to his degree, however.

He returned to school in 2019, 15 years after he originally enrolled at ��Ͽ�. He was married and working full time as a network operation center engineer at INOC in Madison. Two years later, on Dec. 19, 2020, he was the featured student speaker at ��Ͽ�’s virtual commencement.

Q: What was the path you took to earn your degree?
A: I started out here as a traditional freshman in the class of 2004 with a declared major in packaging. I struggled and lost interest in that, deciding that it would be cheaper to attend a two-year UW College near where I lived in southeast Wisconsin. I received an associate degree there in 2006 but languished in no small part over the coming years; the recession didn't exactly help.

Jon Rzeznik

My folks noted my interest in computers, and I went to Waukesha County Technical College, where I got a second associate degree in 2012. I spent time in the civil service, and then with Act 10 layoffs I decided to consult and hung on by providing expertise on a case-by-case basis.

After I met my wife and we began to settle down, I realized that the time was right to finish my education and move forward. An additional job at a grocery store for benefits was going nowhere. Stout was the logical choice, and I came back early in 2019.

Q: Why was it important for you to return to school?
A: Put simply, to improve myself and the prospects for my family. In this, I have a role model who showed me from an early age how important it is to never give up on dreams of education. My dad was one who long believed, and still does, that education is an investment.

When I was growing up, I saw him finish his bachelor's, master's and Ed.D. degrees as a nontraditional student. He started out blue-collar on the pressroom floors and worked his way up to the offices and classrooms at Quad, then teaching as an instructor at Moraine Park Technical College. He is now an associate dean at WCTC and has been an inspiration to finish my education even when things were tight, or the economy was bad. He saw it as a way that someone can attain and continue the American dream, which is exactly what I want for my wife and future family. His example became one for me to follow and one that I continue to follow.

Q: What has your experience been like as an online student?
A: I've benefited enormously by being able to finish my degree online in the comfort of my own home and do much of the coursework on my own schedule. This is especially important as I work second shift and live about 230 miles away from campus. The online option means that I can still benefit from the coursework but yet be able to do it in a way that works with my schedule and still balance commitments to work, school and family.

At the same time, I won't lie and say that's always been an easy experience — online courses are more difficult, particularly when they're asynchronous. Many people still think that online courses are easy or breeze-through and consequently online learners don't have "real degrees.” I do want to be honest. It requires a lot of tenacity and discipline and drive to follow through, as it's all too tempting to cut corners, procrastinate and/or slack off. With courses going online due to COVID, it's becoming clear that the material is just as rigorous as if I were in a classroom.

Q: What’s next?
A: I am continuing my education at the University of Cincinnati by way of their online Master of Science in information technology program.

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Jon Rzeznik didn't take the traditional route to his degree. Jon Rzeznik

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Working mom proud to achieve her bachelor’s degree goal

goersab — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:18:53 +0000

Working mom proud to achieve her bachelor’s degree goalgoersab July 20, 2020

Conlon graduated after career change, facing personal obstacles

Abbey Goers

Danielle Conlon was a salon owner and hair stylist when she decided to go back to school. Working long hours, she developed arthritis. Her hands cramped up on a regular basis. Standing all day became difficult. And she felt she was missing out on her children’s lives.

“I knew finding a job that paid as well would be difficult considering my specific skill set. But it was time for me to find a new path,” she said.

Conlon applied to ��Ͽ� in June 2017. She planned to finish her management degree, which she started at Lakeland College in 2005.

Then she discovered she could incorporate her business experience and interest in technology in the online information and communication technology program.

Conlon in her commencement regalia. / Danielle Conlon

“I did some research as to what the ICT program entailed, what kind of jobs I could get with that degree, and I liked what I saw,” she said.

Conlon also spoke with Senior Lecturer Evan Sveum, the program director. “I like to talk to incoming students to find out who they are, where they’re coming from, what their goals are,” Sveum said. “Danielle was a little different, coming from a career change. Her attitude is – I’m going to do this. Get out of my way.”

Struggling to find a balance

Conlon started her online degree while transitioning to close the salon. She also started a new job as co-manager at a large retail store near her home in Oconto. Working seven days a week between the salon and the store, Conlon kept up with her schoolwork and relied on her husband and children to take care of chores at home.

In January 2018, Conlon officially closed the salon. It was both heartbreaking and exciting for her. “When one door closes, another always opens. I knew I was in the hallway leading to the next door. What I didn’t know was how long that hallway would end up being and the toll it would take on me and my family,” she said.

Under poor management and high stress at work, Conlon was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and placed on medication. She was exhausted, mentally and physically. Her grades began to slide. She stopped paying her bills. She sobbed in private, not wanting her family to see her struggling.

Conlon with her family. / Danielle Conlon

“I felt like a failure,” she said. “I lost my confidence, my self-discipline. I finally reached out to my mom for help. She told me that I couldn’t go on like this and I had to do something.”

Conlon’s doctor told her to take some time off of work, and she was approved for medical leave. During that time, Conlon’s employer notified her that her position was being eliminated.

“Yay! Never had I been so happy to lose a job,” she said.

A new outlook, a new career

In October 2019, Conlon was hired at RGL Logistics, a third-party distributor for Georgia Pacific, supplying businesses and medical facilities with cleaning, paper and sanitizing products. Conlon was promoted to Customer Service team lead in March, before graduation.

“Then COVID-19 hit,” she said. “We are an essential business. Business increased by 125%, which meant we were operating at 225% capacity, pushing out loads of product faster than we could get the product in.”

Despite the long hours, there was one major difference from her last job – Conlon enjoyed the distributor’s management and appreciated the praise and empathy she received.

Surging ahead in her studies

In the ICT senior capstone, students work in consulting teams to find solutions for real business clients. With misidentified roles, Conlon’s team’s group dynamics were less than desirable. But she surged ahead, completing much of the technical aspects on her own.

Ultimately, the client was unsatisfied with the consulting team’s work. Conlon contacted Sveum to learn what she could have done better. She wanted to learn from the poor experience and walk away with something she could use later, turning the shortcomings into a new strength.

Sveum recognized Conlon as a leader. “Leaders make themselves known through process and progress,” he said. “I would like to bring her back as an alumni consultant for future student teams. It was a pleasure to know her.”

Conlon continually seeks ways to improve her position and is pursuing certification as a Salesforce administrator. She plans to look for a related career upon receiving certification.

Stronger together

When the virtual commencement was announced for May 9, Conlon was devastated. She had been so excited to walk across the stage to receive her diploma. And when graduates were asked to submit photos for a virtual presentation, Conlon missed the deadline due to pressures at work.

Conlon and her daughter Jaidan. / Danielle Conlon

Seeing her mom disappointed again, Conlon’s 16-year-old daughter, Jaidan, sent a message to Chancellor Katherine Frank, asking if her mom could still submit her photo.

“I know that it would mean a great deal to her, and I am so, so proud of her for pursuing her goals and going back to school,” Jaidan wrote to the chancellor. “It has been hard for my brother and me, but she is our role model.”

Thanks to her daughter’s forethought, Conlon’s photo was added to the presentation. “Never, in a million years did I think anyone, especially a 16-year-old, would take it upon herself to reach out like she did,” Conlon said.

“These last three years were not only difficult for me – my family sacrificed a great deal as well. But these sacrifices made us stronger. Without my family’s love and support I may not have this degree.”

Conlon strives to set a good example for her kids and demonstrates that hard work is worth it.

“The thing is, all of that hard work we put into achieving our dreams makes us appreciate them so much more,” she said. “I am so proud of myself for keeping with it, despite the many trials and tribulations that threatened to interfere with my journey.”

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Conlon graduated after career change, facing personal obstacles danielleconlon_hero.jpg

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Hero Caption: Online ICT graduate Danielle Conlon (front, right) with her family.

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Alumni couple look to future with cybersecurity scholarship

polingj — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 19:51:37 +0000

Alumni couple look to future with cybersecurity scholarshippolingj July 9, 2020

Landsverks, 1952 graduates, see a need for more training in the field

When alumni Don and Donna Landsverk decided to create a scholarship at University of Wisconsin-Stout, they considered how they could make the world a little better place for the generations to come and help students.

Through Stout University Foundation, they created the Landsverk Endowed Family Scholarship, which will go annually to a computer networking and information technology major who is pursuing a certification or concentration in cybersecurity.

The octogenarians focused on the digital age, which was about 40 years into the future when they graduated from Stout Institute in 1952.

“Cybersecurity is going to be a growing field,” Don said. “We’re trying to push to see that qualified people have the wherewithal to work on cybersecurity.”

The Landsverks, of White Bear Lake, Minn., became more acutely aware of the importance of cybersecurity through a friend who was one of Don’s co-workers. The friend, a colonel, has a son who serves in intelligence and security in the military and most recently was promoted to four-star general.

“We’d like to put hackers out of business,” Don said. “We saw that, with my military background and my association with these people, there needs to be some scholarships in that area.”

Don served in the Korean War and remained in the Army Reserves until 1983, a total of 31 years.

��Ͽ� has the programs to support the Landsverks’ goal. In 2017 the university was named a Center of Academic Excellence for Cyber Defense, the first in the UW System. The designation helps higher education institutions with computer-related programs prepare the U.S. against cybersecurity threats.

Students at U.S. Center of Academic Excellence institutions like ��Ͽ� can receive a national cybersecurity certification by taking 13 required courses as part of their undergraduate program.

The first Landsverk scholarship for $1,000 was awarded last fall to Chase Heim, of Rockford, Ill., a CNIT major who will be a junior this fall. The recipient this year will receive $1,300.

The award was presented as part an annual scholarship event hosted by the Foundation at which 418 students received $812,000 in scholarships. The Landsverks attended the event and spent much of the evening getting to know Heim.

“The award was definitely a help to Chase and his family,” Donna said. “It’s rewarding for Don and me to know that the endowment is going to help people go through Stout and come out cybersecurity qualified.”

The Landsverks, married for 68 years, are thankful for the education they received at ��Ͽ� and their life that has followed.

“I think it’s really a neat way to give back after you’ve had a good life,” Donna said. “If you’ve been given many opportunities and many things through your life, you should also give back to other people so they can enjoy the same things. The scholarship is one of the areas we can help.”

Met in psychology class

Donna was raised in Cloquet, Minn., and Don in the village of Nelson, south of Menomonie. They met their first year on campus in a psychology class.

“She was in the row right in front of me. I had passing thoughts that we’d get married someday,” Don said.

That day came Jan. 12, 1952, a few months before they graduated, Donna in home economics education and Don in industrial arts education. They were married at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Menomonie two days before semester final exams.

When Don was drafted into the service in 1952, Donna taught in Hinckley, Minn. He was stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., and she followed and taught home economics in Yelm, Wash. Don taught in Pepin one year and then returned to ��Ͽ� to work on his master’s degree, before he went to work for 3M in 1956 in St. Paul as a packaging engineer.

He was at 3M for 34 years and earned his master’s in industrial arts from ��Ͽ� in 1960.

Don and Donna have three children, Kathryn, Karen and David, along with four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. David earned a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from ��Ͽ�. Donna had two uncles, a sister and brother-in-law who also graduated from ��Ͽ�.

Around 1950 ��Ͽ� had roughly 900 students and four main buildings. The Landsverks’ class of 1952 helped lay the cornerstone for the school’s first stand-alone library, now the north portion of the Vocational Rehabilitation Building.

“You really got to know the instructors because you had labs with them for two hours at a time. They influenced you too. A lot of our instructors had buildings named after them,” Don said. “The school had a family atmosphere, and there was a lot of social life on the weekends.”

Female students had a 10 or 10:30 p.m. curfew, they recalled. “You didn’t have to have a curfew for men because the school knew that if the women were back in the dorms the men would be too,” Donna said.

The Landsverks remain proud Stout graduates and are pleased to be able to give back to the school where they have many great memories and that helped them start their life’s journey on the right foot.

“It was a good environment. We can’t say enough for the school. If we had to do it all over again, we would,” Don said.

###

Photos

Don and Donna Landsverk, of White Bear Lake, Minn., met at ��Ͽ� and were married in 1952, the year they graduated. They have been married for 68 years.

The first ��Ͽ� Landsverk Endowed Family Scholarship was awarded in fall 2019 to student Chase Heim, center. Don Landsverk, right, and his wife, Donna, started the scholarship with their family, including son David, left, a ��Ͽ� alumnus.

Don and Donna Landsverk, who were married a few months earlier, were proud ��Ͽ� graduates in the spring of 1952.

Alumni Don and Donna Landsverk hope to make the world a little better place for the generations to come and help students. Landsverks

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Graduate triples her resume power with three bachelor’s degrees

polingj — Fri, 08 May 2020 13:15:05 +0000

Graduate triples her resume power with three bachelor’s degreespolingj May 8, 2020

She took extra credits, went an extra year after internship broadened her career outlook

Like many of the 1,183 students who graduate May 9 at University of Wisconsin-Stout, Nenagh O’Leary had many stretches when the going got tough.

“No doubt there were times almost every semester where I was overwhelmed and maxed out,” she said.

To say that O’Leary knew how to dig deep to stay on track is putting it mildly, however. O’Leary is graduating not just with one Bachelor of Science degree but with three of them — diplomas in business administration, digital marketing technology, and information and communication technologies.

That’s three times the resume power after a fifth year in school and 167 credits, or about 45 more than what’s typically needed for an undergraduate degree at ��Ͽ�.

After a small family celebration on commencement day at her family’s home in St. Paul, she is eager to see where her multilevel education will take her. ��Ͽ� is holding commencement virtually because of the pandemic.

“Having these degrees has broadened the possibilities for me,” she said.

“I see our world changing every day from technology and the information we find online and through social media. With the way things are going I think pursuing degrees in digital marketing technology and ICT has to be one of the one best decisions I have made,” she said.

She sees benefits in all of her degrees.

“I have learned so much (in digital marketing) about analytics, SEO and coding, all of which I truly have an interest in. Business administration has given me insight into all the areas of a business and how they work together to keep a business afloat. And ICT has taught me about the systems a company uses to keep their business afloat. I feel as though the three degrees go hand in hand nicely.

“I can’t wait to see what career field I end up in,” she said, although she acknowledged that her passion at the moment is in digital marketing.

The 2015 graduate of Como Senior High School in St. Paul didn’t come to ��Ͽ� with any intention of getting three degrees. In fact, she hadn’t picked even one major when she enrolled but soon settled on business administration.

The summer after her sophomore year changed everything. She had a marketing internship at Wagner SprayTech in Plymouth, Minn., which makes paint applicators. She loved it.

Then, she put together a plan to go after the other two degrees.

“Once I got involved in detail marketing, I decided to continue my education into digital marketing technology. Additionally, Wagner had been trying to implement their own SAP (software) system into their company, and I grew interested in their implementation process as well as furthering my education into the information communication technologies program.”

She continued to work for the company remotely during the school years and returned for a second internship in summer 2018.

“I started their Instagram account, and it now has 26,100 followers. I learned so much about the power of marketing online through banner ads, emails, social media and so much more and have built an amazing network through Wagner. I truly enjoyed every second of my internships,” she said.

Then, it was back to the classroom to finish her academic odyssey. She admits to being self-motivated and following her mother’s maxim that “busy people are successful people.”

Kevin W. Tharp, associate professor in the digital marketing technology program, predicts a bright future for O’Leary.

Tharp saw O’Leary nail a presentation at Thomson Reuters in Eagan, Minn., one of the program’s corporate partners. O’Leary did it in a room filled with professionals while improvising when a technical glitch rendered her PowerPoint useless.

“It is a very high intensity environment for a student to volunteer to be a part of. After the first two slides that introduced the presentation, the rest of the presentation was unavailable. She took about 10 seconds to consider her options and then simply announced that she would do the presentation without the information in the slides and proceeded,” Tharp said.

“Nenagh gave one of the most impressive presentations I have ever seen. She demonstrated a mastery of the concepts of the class, how they related to the audit she had done for her partner organization and a set of recommendations for how her partner might address the issues that she had identified in the audit. Honestly, having the technology fail may have been the best thing that could have happened to her because it showed not only that she knew her stuff but that she had the poise to instantly adjust to the situation and give an amazing presentation of extremely complicated content,” Tharp said.

O’Leary eventually accepted a Career Services co-op position with Thomson Reuters, although it later was canceled because of the pandemic.

Hard work coupled with support

Along with Tharp, O’Leary credits professors like Mark Fenton, Kris Isaacson and Evan Sveum “to name a few who continued to root for me and continued to encourage me throughout my programs. There were times when I wanted to throw in the towel, and I’d express my frustrations to a professor. They’d drop everything to help me work through the assignments,” she said.

O’Leary is proud to finish with a 3.0 grade-point average.

Some classes applied to more than one major. Still, she had many semesters with an overload, 18 credits. She also had more than one campus job at times, including as a digital marketing tutor and as a marketing assistant in the office at the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management.

“It filled my schedule to the max, but with a strict schedule I was able to balance everything out perfectly,” she said.

Coming from the Twin Cities metro area, O’Leary soon fell in love with the ��Ͽ� campus and Menomonie, which has 16,500 residents.

“I have had an amazing time at Stout over the past five years. I made lifelong friends, I have met some of the kindest professors and have earned an amazing education. Moving from the Twin Cities to Menomonie was a change. However, it just felt like home. I would do it all again,” she said.

###

Photos

Nenagh O’Leary

Kevin W. Tharp

Like many of the 1,183 students who graduate May 9 at University of Wisconsin-Stout, Nenagh O’Leary had many stretches when the going got tough. Nenagh O'Leary

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Class of 2020: Bryce Parr

polingj — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 18:59:19 +0000

Class of 2020: Bryce Parrpolingj April 21, 2020

Communications major grew as a person, learned from taking risks

Name: Bryce Parr
Hometown: Mondovi
Major: Professional communication and emerging media

Involvement: Stoutonia newspaper staff, including editor-in-chief 2019-20

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in earning your degree? One of the most challenging things during my time in school was learning how to take risks to set myself up to grow. If I've learned anything — and hopefully I have! — we tend to hold ourselves back more than anything. We need to accept that failure happens sometimes, but inaction just guarantees it. I could go on about cliches like "believe in yourself," but at the end of the day pulling the trigger and applying for that scholarship, internship, program certification or whatever challenge is in front of you is the biggest step in personal and professional development. Many of the staffers I've hired have told me, "I didn't think I would be any good at this job," despite having prior experience and qualifications. Just take the risk. We learn from failure, and without it, we can't grow!

What will you appreciate most about your ��Ͽ� experience? I look back at all the connections I've made with people in my program and outside. I've made so many connections with art students, community members and professors, mostly through my time reporting with the Stoutonia, that are incredibly valuable to my personal and professional life. I hang on to those connections because I never know when they might be able to give me a helping hand or an opportunity to offer my own expertise.

What’s next in your life? I plan to work in content production. I have some communications consulting jobs, writing jobs and other content-focused positions I'm pursuing but nothing concrete yet. I'd also like to move out of the Midwest.

###

Communications major grew as a person, learned from taking risks Bryce Parr

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Mitchell Ogden

Teaching Interests: Digital Humanities Hmong Studies Diaspora and Transnational Studies Film Studies American Literature Writing Pedagogy and Writing Across the Curriculum New Literacy Studies Asian American Studies Writing Center Pedagogy and Administration Service Learning/Community Engaged Pedagogy

Full Name: Mitchell Ogden

Job Title: Professor / Director / Advisor

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College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: English, Philosophy & Communication Studies Department Honors College

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Curriculum Vitae: Mitchell Ogden CV (445.12 KB)

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Degree: Ph.D. English

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Degree: B.S. Chemistry

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

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