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Students, staff turn community into a canvas during Murals in Menomonie

giffeyt — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Students, staff turn community into a canvas during Murals in Menomoniegiffeyt June 30, 2026

Muralists from around the U.S. and world join university artists and volunteers for public art event

From an artistic portrayal of the journey of Hmong refugees from Laos to Menomonie to an eye-catching image that captures the past, present and future of Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, students and staff members from ��Ͽ� Polytechnic had key roles in a just-completed effort to create 15 pieces of public art in and around Menomonie.

Murals in Menomonie drew hundreds of artists from across the United States and beyond for a five-day mural-making festival. Since 1993, members of The Walldogs – an international collective of muralists, artists and designers – have gathered annually in a new city to demonstrate their talents. From June 24-28, Walldogs from 30 states and four countries worked alongside local artists to create enduring images honoring the history and culture of the community as curious bystanders watched the process.

Among the murals was a vibrant image created in Wilson Park and designed by two ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students, graphic design and interactive media major Angelina Yang of Plover and interior design major Gao (Pretti) Zhong Thao of St. Paul.

Fifteen murals were painted during Murals in Menomonie, including this one devoted to the city's history.

The 8-foot-by-12-foot mural takes the form of a Hmong story cloth – a traditional style of embroidery that tells a story through images of everyday life, historic events and the natural world. Against a vivid blue background bordered by a triangular motif, the artwork details the journey of Hmong refugees from war-torn Laos across the Mekong River and ultimately to western Wisconsin, represented by a red barn, rolling fields, a farmers’ market and the familiar Bowman Hall Clock Tower.

Yang and Thao learned about Murals in Menomonie from Wade Lambrigtsen, a ��Ͽ� Polytechnic alumnus and lecturer who also owns Vintage Sign Shop in Menomonie. Lambrigtsen, who served as mural coordinator for Murals in Menomonie, reached out to the Hmong Stout Student Association last spring to see if any members were interested in submitting a design for the project. A mural honoring Hmong heritage had been one of the most popular options voted on by members of the public during the planning stages of Murals in Menomonie.

Volunteers paint a mural resembling a traditional Hmong story cloth.

Student gains experience in art, life

Though neither had experience making murals, Thao said she and Yang were eager to take part in the project. “This opportunity doesn’t come very often,” Thao said while taking a break from painting alongside a half dozen volunteers. “It was very exciting, and we wanted to do something to represent the community.”

Thao and Yang brainstormed the elements of the mural – which range from the mountains of Laos to the bandshell in Wilson Park – and then Yang created a digital image using Adobe Illustrator. Next, working with Lambrigtsen in his shop, they made a full-sized printout of the design, whose contours were then carefully transferred to a sheet metal surface with an electric pen.

For three days, muralists worked diligently to bring the artwork to life. While traditional story clothes are meticulous works of embroidery, this one was created with painstaking dabs of paint to create tiny figures and scenes.

Yang and Thao were joined by more than 20 volunteers in downtown Menomonie’s Wilson Park, where the mural took shape. The completed mural is expected to find a home – at least temporarily – at the Dunn County Historical Society’s Rassbach Museum.

��Ͽ� Polytechnic Student Pretti Thao, left, co-designer of the Hmong story cloth mural, poses with Chancellor Katherine Frank.

“I feel ecstatic. I feel great having the whole community here,” Thao said. “I hope this inspires other people to take part in learning our history.”

In addition to the artistic skills she’s developed, the project required Thao to communicate a great deal with other artists, something she expects will help her in professional life as an interior designer.

“I feel like it’s more than an experience on my resume,” she concluded. “It’s a life lesson.”

Camilla Estes, a veteran Walldog who operates a mural business in Paducah, Kentucky, said she was privileged to help the ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students with their mural.

“The best thing about Walldogs is that so many strangers can come together and create so much love and beauty,” Estes said.

Among the ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students and staff members who helped with the story cloth mural were Evangeline Thao, a graphic design and interactive media major from Hudson; Maiyer Xiong, a graphic communication major from Eau Claire; Ghiatight Xiong, an information and communication technology major from Eau Claire; Addison Vang, an applied math and computer science major from Rosemount, Minnesota; and university employees Michael Moua, TRIO Student Support Services, and Heidi Smith, Office of Research & Sponsored Programs. Chancellor Katherine Frank even grabbed a paintbrush to help while visiting the mural sites spread throughout downtown Menomonie.

Chancellor Katherine Frank joins other volunteers to paint a mural portraying ��Ͽ� Polytechnic's past, present and future.

Campus mural embodies polytechnic tenets

Murals in Menomonie involved the creation of 15 murals, 13 in Menomonie and one each for the nearby communities of Boyceville and Ridgeland. Many immortalized historic individuals, events or institutions, including Swiss Miss hot cocoa (invented by Charles Sanna of Menomonie), the Menomonie Blue Caps Base Ball Club, and the Knapp, Stout & Co. lumber business, co-owned by the father of university founder James Huff Stout.

Stout’s most enduring legacy – the educational institution he founded – is now depicted in a mural on the east side of the Administration Building, facing Clock Tower Plaza. Painted just weeks after the word “Polytechnic” was officially added to the university’s name, the mural encompasses elements from the institution’s 135-year history: bold block letters reading “STOUT,” the logos of both the Stout Institute (1908-55) and Stout State University (1955-64), the contemporary triple-banded “S” logo and the official designation as “Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University,” and pillars bearing the institution’s enduring values – Honor, Industry, Learning and Skill. Painted archways bearing the phrases “Forward from our founding” and “Forever to our future” frame a panoramic depiction of campus landmarks.

The artwork was designed by muralist Tom Seibert of California, who has taken part in about a dozen Walldogs events over the years. Seibert’s business, Murals for Schools, specializes in institutional murals like this one. Seibert said the mural was created in trompe l’oeil style (French for “deceive the eye”) and will likely become a popular selfie spot.

��Ͽ� Polytechnic alum Billie Walleen prepares to add her handprint to a mural dedicated to her family's longtime Menomonie business, Bolo Country Inn.

Frank lent a hand to the campus mural as well, praising Seibert’s design. “When we saw Tom’s expertise at creating pride through his murals, we knew we didn’t have to speak to a single point in ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s 135-year history,” Frank said. “Tom has given us a mural that celebrates the legacy of our graduates and employees in a campus location that deeply resonates with our alumni and many others, while also inspiring future innovation in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and beyond through Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University.”

Lambrigtsen said three years of planning went into bringing the Walldogs to Menomonie. Numerous community sponsors, including ��Ͽ� Polytechnic, supported the Murals in Menomonie effort, as did hundreds of volunteers. Among them were at least 10 former ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students and dozens of others connected to the university.

“I think the best part was seeing the community come together, seeing how people stepped up to help,” said Lambrigtsen, who added that the newly created artwork will attract admirers for years to come.

An art auction held June 27 at the Memorial Student Center to celebrate the conclusion of Murals in Menomonie raised nearly $34,000, one of the highest fundraising figures in Walldogs history. The funds will be held in an endowment to support mural upkeep.

The new mural on Clock Tower Plaza joins several others painted by students on campus in recent years. Students in the Graffiti and Street Art summer class have designed and created four large-scale murals on the east side of the Applied Arts Building, including one painted in early June under the leadership of Assistant Professor Mary Climes.

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Muralists from around the U.S. and world join university artists and volunteers for public art event Hmong story cloth mural part of Murals in Menomonie

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#StoutProud: Wade Lambrigtsen ('00), Lin Boland ('25), Megan McDowell ('25) and Lily ('27)

��Ͽ� Polytechnic alumni and students are using public art to celebrate local stories, strengthen community connections and inspire future generations.

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Project unveiled June 2 praised by chancellor, mayor and appreciated by painters in new Graffiti and Street Art course

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AASCU’s Emerging Leaders Program names Engen to national cohort

goersab — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:20:44 +0000

AASCU’s Emerging Leaders Program names Engen to national cohort goersab June 29, 2026

Special assistant to the provost selected as one of 45 distinguished higher education professionals to participate in yearlong program

For more than a decade, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) has prepared the next generation of higher education leaders to be effective, compassionate, resilient, accountable and courageous to help all students reach their goals.

��Ͽ� Polytechnic Special Assistant to the Provost Chris Engen has been named to this year’s 45-member national cohort, from institutions across more than 20 states.

The ELP program supports the development of mid-senior career higher education professionals as they strengthen their capabilities, broaden their networks, and contribute to the future of their institutions and the students they serve. Participants explore key topics, including strategic communication, project management, organizational change and the development of a personal leadership approach.

Engen is grateful for this professional development opportunity and honored to be representing ��Ͽ� Polytechnic among a distinguished group of colleagues from other regional and national public universities. “ELP provides a unique, impactful setting to build upon and leverage my previous experience while gaining new knowledge and skills for application to our current initiatives. I look forward to exchanging ideas and best practices with the other ELP cohort members,” he said.

A 30-year U.S. Army veteran (colonel, retired), Engen held a variety of leadership, staff, and faculty positions within the Army’s professional education and training system. Later joining federal civil service, he directed a center that provides workforce education and training within the U.S. Department of Defense.

Seeking to pursue a follow-on career in higher education, Engen joined ��Ͽ� Polytechnic in 2021, first serving as the Veteran Services coordinator before his current role in the Provost’s Office, which he began last year. He now manages a portfolio of cross-functional projects and initiatives involving interest holders within the university’s Academic Affairs and across campus, while continuing to provide assistance to Veteran Services.

“Chris has an impressive resume of achievements. His skills in project management and systems-thinking, coupled with his dedication to student success, are an asset and have helped move institutional work forward while strengthening relationships across the ��Ͽ� Polytechnic community,” said Provost Glendalí Rodríguez. “Chris’ interest in pursuing professional development, targeted to the higher education sector, was a clear next step, and I was pleased to endorse his application to the ELP.”

Each ELP cohort member leads a campus-based project or initiative over the course of the academic year, working with a designated advisor. The project will have an impact on the campus community and align with the participant’s professional goals.

With the dynamic changes occurring in the higher education sector and ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s commitment to the Baldrige framework, Engen’s project will entail a collaborative review of the university-wide systems for student support and services to identify and act upon opportunities for improvement.

“This long-term project considers the continuing evolution of enrollment across all modalities – in-person, hybrid and fully online – and aims to provide an easily navigable student support and learning experience regardless of enrollment type through agile and streamlined university organization and processes,” he said.

Malcolm Baldrige Award

��Ͽ� is the first-ever higher education recipient of this prestigious award.

The ELP program began on June 23 with an in-person seminar in Washington, D.C., and will be followed by a series of interactive virtual sessions held throughout the year.

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), based in Washington, D.C., is a higher education association that represents the sector of over 500 regional public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to serving today’s students, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development.

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Students, staff turn community into a canvas during Murals in Menomonie

Muralists from around the U.S. and world join university artists and volunteers for public art event

AASCU’s Emerging Leaders Program names Engen to national cohort

Special assistant to the provost selected as one of 45 distinguished higher education professionals to participate in yearlong program

From Norway to Wisconsin, children want to be social media influencers when they grow up

Professor Matt Simoneau investigates kids' global fascination with careers in social media

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The Provost's Office, working with the deans, department chairs, directors and others, oversees the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Welcome, and thank you for your interest in ��Ͽ� Polytechnic. With our focus on applied learning, career preparation, and collaboration, students graduate from our institution ready for their next steps in work and life. We offer a wide array of specialized programs, and work closely with business, industry, and non-profit institutions to ensure our curriculum is up-to-date.

Our outstanding faculty and staff are dedicated to ensuring that our students leave the University with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful.

Our facilities, with three times more laboratories and studios than traditional classrooms, enhance our focus on applied learning. Our programming, with more than 90% of our students completing a co-op, internship, or other out-of-classroom experience, guarantees readiness for careers. Finally, the infusion of general education courses throughout our programs of study ensures that students are ready not just for their next job, but for future career changes, and their role as contributing citizens in society.

The Provost's Office has oversight of the Division of Academic Affairs, which encompasses the following areas at ��Ͽ� Polytechnic:

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From Norway to Wisconsin, children want to be social media influencers when they grow up

hugginsm — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:36:24 +0000

From Norway to Wisconsin, children want to be social media influencers when they grow uphugginsm June 22, 2026

Professor Matt Simoneau investigates kids' global fascination with careers in social media

Matthew Simoneau

This article appeared in Fortune, NewsBreak, and others, and originated from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

A second grader in Norway drew a YouTube logo when my colleagues and I asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. When we asked why, the child explained that YouTubers are famous and make lots of money.

When we asked second graders in Wisconsin this same question, we were surprised to often receive similar answers: Kids there also wanted to be YouTube influencers when they grow up.

I am a scholar of career and technical education. Since 2021, colleagues and I have spoken with a range of elementary, middle and high school students as young as 7 years old in the U.S. and Norway in 2024 to understand how children imagine their careers.

Our forthcoming research shows that social media has emerged as one of the biggest influences for young people’s career choice, second only to family, friends or teachers.

Over 60% of middle and high school students we surveyed from 2021-2024 said they wanted to be social media influencers or picked their future careers based on what they saw online. Other popular choices were professional soccer player, musician and actor.

Most young people will not go on to become successful social media influencers. Artur Debat/iStock Photos

Our process

In a separate January 2018 international study by the organization Education and Employers, 20,000 children, ages 7 to 11, were asked about their possible future careers and then explained how they learned about that job.

We decided to use a similar approach to understand children’s career dreams and influences.

In Wisconsin, we surveyed more than 80 different children, ages 7 to 11. We also conducted focus groups with more than 140 middle and high school students about their academic and career plans and what influenced their ideas.

We then conducted interviews in Norway with over 60 children in the same age range.

In both places, we gave kids simple prompts that included “When I grow up I would like to be … .” We also asked them, “How do you know about this job?”

We found that there is a disconnect between how schools are helping kids think about their possible future careers and what factors are actually influencing young people as they imagine their futures.

Influencer dreams

In some instances, students as young as 7 in Wisconsin and Norway simply drew the YouTube or TikTok logo, or wrote that they aspired to be an “influencer” without any idea of who or what they would influence.

They shared that YouTubers and influencers “gets lots of money” and that “they want to be famous.”

Students also drew pictures of footballers, musicians, actors and princesses. Some students shared career goals like becoming a wildlife biologist, pilot, engineer or filmmaker.

Older students were more likely to mention careers like nurse, electrician, engineer, teacher, welder, police officer and small-business owner – although becoming an influencer and content creator remained a common aspiration for teenagers and children.

We found that social media also had a positive influence on some students.

One student in a rural town said that online posts and videos encouraged them to want to become a marine biologist, even though the closest ocean is over 1,300 miles – or 2.09 million meters – away.

The limited role of schools

It’s common for middle and high school students to take online career interest surveys to help understand which jobs could be a good fit. Many schools also offer career fairs and job shadowing opportunities.

Most students, though, receive very limited individualized guidance on career paths from a school counselor.

But they generally do receive some kind of prompts to help them think about what sort of career they want.

Within roughly the past decade, 27 states began requiring personalized, multiyear educational plans that helps students as young as 11 years old develop their own education and career goals.

In 2015, for example, Wisconsin passed a new law that required school districts to provide academic and career planning services to students in grades 6 through 12. Students take an online career survey each year.

The students answer questions about their interests, and the online program then names a recommended career. The list typically includes traditional jobs like electrician or accountant, rather than something more modern, like content creator.

One potential reason is that many of the online career-planning programs schools use were created before social media became a central part of young people’s daily lives.

Some schools also have classes where high school students learn about different educational pathways and jobs. Yet these classes often meet only periodically, while high school students typically use social media every day. As a result, formal career education increasingly competes with a constant stream of online messages about work, success and the future.

Our focus groups with middle and high school students in Wisconsin revealed that few students find these online career planning programs at school helpful.

Students said they found career planning activities “redundant” and described them as “the same thing we did in middle school.”

One 17-year-old student in Wisconsin said the career survey was a “waste of time. The test told me I should be a truck driver.” This student took the survey when she had already been accepted into nursing school.

Students consistently said they learned more from conversations with teachers, counselors, family members and professionals than from online questionnaires.

While students are heavily influenced by social media, school career assessments typically don’t reflect this tendency. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

When dreams don’t match reality

Many young people now learn about careers through TikTok videos, YouTube channels, social media personalities and online communities. These influences can play a larger role in shaping career aspirations than formal school career-planning activities.

While many people aspire to make money online as influencers or content creators, nearly half of all online content creators earn less than US$15,000 a year.

I think that educators and families should recognize that young people are thinking about their possible careers – they are just more likely to rely on social media, rather than online surveys at school, to imagine their futures.

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Matthew Simoneau

Matthew Simoneau is the program director for B.S. Career, Technical Education and Training.

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University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic amends name to reflect longstanding applied, career focus

giffeyt — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:15:00 +0000

University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic amends name to reflect longstanding applied, career focusgiffeyt June 4, 2026

After 135 years of innovation, ‘polytechnic’ officially added to university’s name

Tom Giffey

Throughout its long history, the educational institution that bears the name of its founder, James Huff Stout, has continuously evolved and maintained its position at the vanguard of higher education. Over the course of 135 years, two things have remained constant. The first is the presence of its founder’s name. The second is a commitment to applied learning — what was known as “manual training” in the 19th century and is called “polytechnic education” in the 21st.

Now for the first time, these two constant factors will be combined into the institution’s name: What was founded in 1891 as the Stout Manual Training School and became University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1971 will now be officially known as University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic.

The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved the name change at a June 4 meeting in Milwaukee. The Regents’ decision is historic not only for ��Ͽ� Polytechnic but also for the Universities of Wisconsin as a whole: It marks the first time since 1971, when a merger created the current 13-campus system, that one of Wisconsin’s public universities has changed its name.

The new name reflects what ��Ͽ� Polytechnic truly is: A distinctive institution with a proudly held polytechnic identity.

“At a time when the relevance of higher education is being questioned by many, ��Ͽ� Polytechnic has proven its relevance and shown its impact on the state of Wisconsin and far beyond through a focus on our educational mission and the subsequent success of our graduates,” said ��Ͽ� Polytechnic Chancellor Katherine Frank. “Our distinctiveness as a university is now called out in our name, and we are proud to be ��Ͽ� Polytechnic.”

��Ͽ� Polytechnic students and faculty members examine a coffee table designed by 2024 graduate Micah Loder during a tour of Room & Board headquarters in Minneapolis.

Following the unanimous Board of Regents vote, the decision was lauded by Universities of Wisconsin leaders.

“Employers increasingly seek graduates who can contribute on day one, and ��Ͽ� Polytechnic stands apart by embracing the meaning of ‘polytechnic,’” said Universities of Wisconsin Regent President Amy B. Bogost. “This designation reflects the university’s fundamental commitment to applied learning.”

“The significance of the polytechnic name is that it clearly communicates the value proposition of a ��Ͽ� Polytechnic degree,” added Universities of Wisconsin Interim President Renée Wachter. “It represents an education intentionally designed to meet the needs of students, employers and communities now and into the future.”

��Ͽ� Polytechnic environmental science major Cayanna Erickson spoke about her research on zebra mussels in Lake Menomin at Research in the Rotunda March 11, 2026.

New name emphasizes polytechnic advantage

As a polytechnic university, ��Ͽ� Polytechnic is focused on applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences. The campus has three times as many labs as traditional classrooms. Each year, students take part in approximately 1,000 co-op and internship experiences, more than one-third of which lead to job offers. In fact, this spring 77.4% of ��Ͽ� Polytechnic students were hired before graduation, while in recent surveys 99% were hired or pursuing advanced degrees within six months of graduation. Those graduates’ average starting salaries – $59,000 for undergraduates, according to the most recent survey – are consistently higher than their regional peers.

In recent years, Blue Devil graduates have gone to work for hundreds of firms with household names or Fortune 500 rankings, including Amazon, Cigna, General Motors, Citigroup, Ashley Furniture, Andersen Windows, Boeing, Milwaukee Tool, Boston Scientific, Harley-Davidson, FedEx, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, Nike, Oshkosh Corp., Rockwell Automation, Target and 3M.

Labs at ��Ͽ� Polytechnic feature industry-standard equipment, such as this Stratasys powder bed fusion 3D printer in Fryklund Hall.

Over the past five years alone, 3M has hired 29 ��Ͽ� Polytechnic graduates, whose degrees range from manufacturing engineering to management and packaging to graphic design.

“��Ͽ� Polytechnic has been a valued talent partner for 3M Menomonie for more than 50 years,” 3M Menomonie Site Director Janice Neitzel said. “In fact, ��Ͽ� Polytechnic’s presence was a key factor in 3M’s decision to open the Menomonie manufacturing plant in 1974. We continue to value ��Ͽ� Polytechnic graduates for their strong foundational knowledge, hands-on experience, and readiness to contribute from day one across engineering, operations, supply chain, and other key functions.”

Andersen Windows also relies on a strong partnership with ��Ͽ� Polytechnic, having hired 37 graduates over the past five years from a dozen degree programs, including management and leadership, risk control and safety management, and computer networking and infrastructure engineering.

“Our relationship with ��Ͽ� Polytechnic provides Andersen with a reliable pipeline of career-ready talent across manufacturing, supply chain, IT and operations leadership roles,” said Stanley Lichucki, senior director of operations at Andersen. “The combination of applied learning and a strong internship-to-full-time pipeline strengthens our workforce while supporting long-term manufacturing competitiveness in western Wisconsin.”

The university’s polytechnic advantage means finding impactful solutions to real problems. Like conducting sustainable plastic research for John Deere. Creating equipment solutions for Ashley Furniture. Designing furniture for Room & Board. Developing award-winning packaging for Pringles. Mitigating the danger of space debris. Helping manufacturers adapt with AI. Measuring the economic impact of statewide conservation measures. Increasing access to cultural heritage objects through 3D imaging. Using AI to research products that meet the nutritional needs of GLP-1 users – and much more.

The Menomonie campus of ��Ͽ� Polytechnic, the only polytechnic university in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

Name evolves, mission continues

The name change is the culmination of a decades-long effort to enhance the university’s polytechnic identity. In 1974, just a few years after adding “University of Wisconsin” to its name, the institution was designated by the Board of Regents as a “special mission university,” dedicated to preparing students for a distinct array of professional careers focused on the needs of society.

In 2001, ��Ͽ� became the first university to win the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest award for performance excellence. A few years later, in 2007, the Board of Regents voted to officially declare ��Ͽ� as “Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University,” and in 2024 the board amended Regent Policy Document 1-1 to place ��Ͽ� in its own “Polytechnic University” category, further distinguishing its core mission and differentiating it from other universities in the system.

Op-Ed: The Unmatched Value of Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University

Chancellor Katherine Frank discusses the importance of polytechnic universities after the Board of Regents modified RPD 1-1 to recognize ��Ͽ�.

Fewer than 3% of the universities in the United States are designated as polytechnic. ��Ͽ� Polytechnic is the only one in Wisconsin or Minnesota on the list, which across the nation includes the likes of MIT, Cal Poly and Georgia Tech.

Since its founding in 1891, the university has had six different names:

Stout Manual Training Schools (1891–1908)
The Stout Institute (1908–1955)
Stout State College (1955–1964)
Stout State University (1964–1971)
University of Wisconsin-Stout (1971–2026)
University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic (2026-present)

The polytechnic tradition dates to the institution’s founder, James Huff Stout, a businessman, philanthropist, legislator and education reformer. Stout’s approach, as described during his lifetime, was decidedly polytechnic: “The best education is that which best equips a young person for practical life work” and that gives “the greatest usefulness and encourages the highest and best citizenship.”

Now, as ��Ͽ� Polytechnic, the university requests that members of the media and other outside organizations use University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic or ��Ͽ� Polytechnic rather than ��Ͽ� or Stout.

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Hero Caption: Visitors, including philanthropists Ronald and Joyce Wanek, tour the ��Ͽ� Polytechnic Robotics Lab in March.

Katherine P. Frank

Katherine P. Frank became the eighth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, after a distinguished career as an administrator and faculty member.

Before her appointment as chancellor, Chancellor Frank served from 2016 in two roles at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash., as Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Life and Vice President of Academic Innovation. She also held the rank of Professor of English.

From summer 2014 until spring 2016, she was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Northern Kentucky University. Frank served as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Indiana University East, Chair of English and Foreign Languages at Colorado State University-Pueblo, and a faculty member and administrator of programs involving student writing, faculty professional development, and student success.

Chancellor Frank, the first female leader of ��Ͽ�, grew up in Colorado and has a bachelor’s degree in English from Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. She has master’s and doctorate degrees in English from the University of Washington, Seattle. Frank’s research interests include Romantic and Victorian English Literature, rhetoric and composition, the scholarship of teaching, and academic leadership.

“I am delighted to join ��Ͽ�,” Chancellor Frank said. “Throughout the search process, I became increasingly impressed by the high-quality work and creative thinking exhibited by faculty, staff, and students at ��Ͽ�, as well as the strong, reciprocal relationships among the university, community, and regional partners. Everyone demonstrated dedication to the university and exhibited true focus on ensuring student success.

“As beautifully stated by one alumna, ‘Stout is where you need to be.’ I could not agree more and am honored to join this exceptional community of educators, learners, partners, and friends.”

“Dr. Frank has demonstrated throughout her academic career that she is a strategic, dynamic leader,” said UW System President Ray Cross. “She handles challenges extremely well. Her visionary perspective on the future of ��Ͽ� will serve the institution and the state of Wisconsin very well.”

Chancellor Frank and her husband, Joe Dvorsky, live in Menomonie with their three rescue cats. She is an outdoor activities enthusiast, including running, road cycling and mountain biking, and has a love of animals, travel, and adventure.

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Kahler receives May University Staff Appreciation Award

goersab — Sat, 16 May 2026 14:38:07 +0000

Kahler receives May University Staff Appreciation Awardgoersab May 16, 2026

Office of International Education financial specialist honored for dedication, dependability, efficiency

Patti Kahler, a financial specialist with the Office of International Education, received the University Staff Appreciation Award for May 2026.

The individual nominating Kahler stated, "Patti celebrated 40 years of service to the university this March, with most of her career dedicated to International Education. During that time, she has served under multiple directors and has developed exceptional institutional knowledge of historical practices, ��Ͽ� procedures and Universities of Wisconsin policies. She is consistently dedicated, dependable, and highly efficient, managing a large volume of complex responsibilities with accuracy and professionalism. She is well respected and valued by colleagues and peers across campus.

Kahler, left, receives the May University Staff Employee Appreciation award from Chancellor Katherine Frank.

"Patti has played a critical role in sustaining the operational continuity of the Office of International Education through periods of leadership transition, staffing changes, the global pandemic and evolving regulatory requirements. Her long-term stewardship of financial operations, personnel processes, and compliance functions has ensured stability and accuracy across international programs, study abroad initiatives and ESL operations. She is frequently relied upon to resolve complex issues, implement new procedures, and support special initiatives with minimal supervision, making her an indispensable resource to the unit.

"Patti consistently demonstrates a professional, supportive, and service-oriented approach when working with students, faculty, staff and external partners. She is approachable, responsive, and solutions-focused, balancing attention to detail with a genuine commitment to helping others succeed. Her calm demeanor, institutional knowledge, and willingness to assist colleagues make her a trusted and respected presence within the Office of International Education and across the university."

Each employee of the month receives a certificate of recognition and a gift presented by Chancellor Katherine Frank. The award, in its 21st year, was established by the Chancellor’s Office and is co-sponsored by the University Staff Senate.

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Engineering seniors design portable toy tractor manufacturing machine to engage kids in making process

goersab — Tue, 05 May 2026 13:45:00 +0000

Engineering seniors design portable toy tractor manufacturing machine to engage kids in making processgoersab May 5, 2026

Capstone concludes three-year professorship, collaboration with Urban Forestry Board

Abbey Goers

While Wisconsin farmers are out in their tractors preparing their fields, engineering students at ��Ͽ� have designed a portable manufacturing cell – a semi-automated assembly machine – to produce wooden toy tractors for area children.

The cross-disciplinary Taft Wooden Toy Assembly System group is made of five mechanical engineering and manufacturing engineering seniors: Owen Coon, of Appleton; Ben Gurka, of Beloit; Kierce Hemauer, of Menomonie; Ryan Kahl, of Menomonie; Aili Klein, of Lakeville, Minnesota; and Dominick Widi, of Stillwater, Minnesota.

Owen Coon, Kierce Hemauer, Ben Gurka, Aili Klein, Ryan Kahl and Dominick Widi

The two-semester-long project concluded their Engineering Technology Capstone 2 course, under the guidance of Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche. The manufacturing cell is 40 inches wide, 38 inches long and 36 inches tall. Its height makes it accessible to elementary children, as Dietsche plans to transport the machine to area schools to demonstrate the toy manufacturing process. He can also show the cell on campus tours and at industry conferences. The machine is fully enclosed with safety features, allowing Dietsche to pause assembly and talk about the process.

Constructed to be able to fit in the back of Dietsche’s minivan, the two-part portable cell can be easily assembled and disassembled by one person, and its lightweight aluminum extrusion and plexiglass frame meets OSHA’s standards for a two-person lift. It can produce 20 tractors in an hour, including the main body, front and back wheels, and two dowel axles.

On May 1, the group showcased their system to engineering and technology faculty, as well as retired faculty members John Schultz and Professor Emeritus Jerome Johnson and City of Menomonie representative Megan Hines, environmental program coordinator with the Urban Forestry Board.

They presented again on May 4 to faculty, peers, industry partners, family and community members as part of the Senior Design Experience, which blends the university’s polytechnic tenets of applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences.

The wooden toys, ducks and tractors are constructed from ash tree lumber provided by the City of Menomonie’s Urban Forestry Board.

An interactive toy manufacturing experience for kids

Challenges for the Taft Wooden Toy Assembly System group began on day one, as they essentially needed to redesign the previous group’s manufacturing cell from scratch. The previous design had broken and was not usable for testing.

However, this also gave them the opportunity to revamp the design in their own way. Their concept ideas in CAD included updating the sheet metal frame to a stronger aluminum extrusion and plexiglass frame. This was also a durability and safety consideration. The original sheet metal frame had sharp corners and was not as solid – features the group deemed unsafe, since the machine is meant to be accessible to children.

With Dietsche as their project sponsor, the group’s lead capstone instructors were Assistant Professor Nathan Spike and Senior Lecturer Glenn Bushendorf, to whom they presented their initial research and design concept for critique. The group was aided by Instrumentation Coordinator-Instructor Paul Craig and Lecturer Brandon Dick for coding and controls and Lecturer Mike Miller with sensors.

“The build phase brings a spark to see the fully functional machine. Our overall design has changed a lot. It’s two inches bigger and wider than our initial concept. The cell originally had seven doors, but after talking with Paul, we changed it to have one plated door on top. This cut down on the number of safety latches that we needed,” Hemauer said. “The machine also has an emergency stop button, and if the door is opened during production, the machine will stop.”

The wooden tractor components are fed by Dietsche through the top door into 3D-printed gravity-fed chutes. Then, like a mini-Henry Ford assembly line, five actuators – one for the body and one for each wheel – feed the components through the machine.

At first, the group designed the machine to be automated. “But we switched to have the dowels be manually inserted through the wheels, so kids can engage in the making process,” Klein said. “We also included a human-machine interface (HMI) touch screen for kids to give them an industrial feel. The screen shows images to guide kids through the steps of making the tractor.”

It was Hemauer’s idea of a Pez dispenser that evolved into the bolt-action idea of the manual insertion of the dowels, similar to how a ball is launched in a pinball machine. The insertion of the dowels is a press-fit operation, with no glue involved.

In their research, the group found that the pull force of a 6- to 10-year-old child is 22 pounds. They made the pull factor of the wheels 60 pounds for added safety and durability, knowing children would try to remove the wheels. They also imagined children would attempt to sit on and ride the tractor, although it is only 6 inches long and 3 inches high. With extra-strong dowels, made of oak, and chamfered wheels for structural integrity, the tractor can support up to 200 pounds.

A controls box mounted on the front of the machine houses the circuit board. They also added a plaque commemorating the professorship project, as well as ash wood brackets to cover the metal brackets on the exterior casing, giving the machine a warmer appearance.

The group enjoyed the cross-disciplinary project and understands the importance of the experience as they prepare to graduate and enter the workforce. “Working across majors helps you see other people’s point of view and their strengths,” Gurka said. “We’re building communication skills and the confidence to ask each other questions. It’s being able to admit when you don’t know something and being able to fall back on each other for knowledge.”

A collaboration connecting people to people

The project concludes Dietsche’s three-year G.A. Taft Manufacturing Engineering Endowed Professorship, in which various groups of students designed toys with first-graders, created AI rapid prototypes of toys with kindergartners and built a two-wheel toy assembly system to produce a wooden duck, including its body, wings, wheels and dowel axle.

Professor Emeritus Jerome Johnson gives a brief history of the collaboration during the capstone presentation.

The collaboration between the engineering and technology department and the city’s Urban Forestry Board began nearly a decade ago with the support of a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grant. As the city’s ash trees were dying and trees were being cut down, the grant funded the cutting, acquiring, milling, and kiln-drying of the ash wood. The repurposed wood was then used in student projects, creating benches for the City of Menomonie parks.

The projects were fostered under the guidance of Johnson and Nancy Schofield, a former ��Ͽ� professor and member of the Urban Forestry Board, who has since passed.

“Students wanted to see something that they built be used out in the city. Students became leaders and produced projects I never imagined possible,” said Johnson, who was honored as Citizen of the Year by the Menomonie Urban Forestry Board in 2021.

Professor Kevin Dietsche presents Environmental Program Coordinator Megan Hines with a toy wooden tractor and duck.

Students produced more than 20 city benches from the repurposed ash wood between 2018 and 2021, when Johnson retired and Dietsche stepped in to take his place. “This project has impacted how I teach. It follows a high-impact practices model (HIPS), which reinforces the importance of partnerships and hands-on activities, creating a whole team of student leaders,” Dietsche said.

“This project is something special. We’re able to take something dead and dying and give back to the city, with an end goal of showing kids the engineering process – from mechanical and technical to packaging. The real key is connecting people to people,” he added.

Dietsche plans to continue similar projects with the addition of artificial intelligence and circular design practices in the research and development, as well as construction and repair processes.

Graduates from ��Ͽ�’s mechanical and manufacturing engineering programs reported 99.5% employment rate within six months of graduation and an average starting salary of more than $70,000, according to the latest university First Destination Report.

��Ͽ�’s Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering is home to five ABET-accredited programs that also include computer and electrical engineering, engineering technology and plastics engineering, as well as a sixth bachelor’s program in packaging. A master’s in manufacturing engineering is available on campus or online.

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Cornellier receives April University Staff Appreciation Award

goersab — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:30:57 +0000

Cornellier receives April University Staff Appreciation Awardgoersab April 29, 2026

University Housing custodian honored for surpassing the bar of care for residence hall

Carrie Cornellier, custodian in University Housing, received the University Staff Appreciation Award for April 2026.

The individual nominating Cornellier stated, "Carrie has been a consistent force in CKTO as the Curran-Kranzusch custodian. During my tenure at CKTO, Carrie has set and surpassed the bar of care for our facility. Carrie continuously ensures that spills, messes, vandalism and general facility issues are addressed. When she sees an issue in the building that needs to be addressed by Facilities, she completes work orders or informs other building staff so that issues are addressed in a timely manner and residents of CKTO enjoy a clean living environment.

Cornellier, left, receives the April University Staff Employee Appreciation award from Chancellor Katherine Frank.

"In addition to her custodial work, Carrie has also supported department task forces such as the Custodial Equity Task Force, where she has been vocal and informative about improvements our department could make or adjustments to systems that would improve the working conditions of our custodians. Carrie is wonderful and is a strong communicator to me, the Resident Advisors of her area, and the Hall Manager of CK. Working with Carrie to address and improve our community is a constant practice, and multiple staff have mentioned their appreciation."

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Professors reimagine philosophy, psychology classrooms to amplify intentional student engagement

goersab — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Professors reimagine philosophy, psychology classrooms to amplify intentional student engagementgoersab April 20, 2026

Bozzo, Zhao named Universities of Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars

Abbey Goers

Two ��Ͽ� professors will have a unique opportunity this year to collaborate with other exceptional Universities of Wisconsin educators, representing various disciplines of study.

Selected as Universities of Wisconsin 2026-27 Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars, Alexander Bozzo, Center for Applied Ethics director and assistant professor of philosophy; and Yuxuan Zhao, assistant professor of psychology, are among 23 faculty and instructors from 12 Universities of Wisconsin, nominated by provosts for their excellence in teaching and learning.

UW Teaching Fellows Assistant Professor of philosophy Alexander Bozzo and Assistant Professor of psychology Yuxuan Zhao.

During the fellowship, Bozzo plans to reimagine the philosophy classroom experience, drawing structure from a community forum he organizes. Zhao will create opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning within the psychology field, while encouraging critical reflection. Fellows and scholars each receive a $4,000 stipend from their university.

“Ongoing professional development is critical to our commitment as polytechnic educators. Each year, I am inspired by the student-focused projects put forward by ��Ͽ� faculty, and remain grateful for the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars program,” said Provost Glendalí Rodríguez.

In addition to discussing effective evidence-based teaching and learning approaches, UW Teaching Fellows will be guided through systematic research focused on improving student learning through a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project. The yearlong program begins in May and will culminate with a research presentation in spring 2027.

Transforming the formal model of a philosophy classroom

Bozzo has seen the university classroom change quickly and dramatically with a new generation of students and the emergence of new transformative technologies. As a UW Teaching Fellow, he’s looking forward to collaborating with other professors and experts on the scholarship of teaching and learning to further evolve his pedagogical practices.

“My ultimate teaching goals are to have students intentionally and rigorously engage with the material, to find it interesting and relevant to their lives, to clearly and critically communicate their ideas to others, and to come away with a richer understanding and excitement about it,” he said. “The formula for accomplishing these ends is changing, and I plan to use this opportunity to rethink and restructure my courses and methods.”

For instance, on top of class discussion, Bozzo would like to find additional ways to make students’ expression of their views, and the critical assessment of them, front-and-center, rather than the mere regurgitation of terminology and information. Bozzo plans to base this model on a program he organizes as the director of the Center for Applied Ethics – The Philosophers’ Café.

“In class, I would like to place greater emphasis on the conversation and the exchange of ideas. To this end, my project is to see how I can transform the formal model of the classroom to be more akin to The Philosophers’ Café. Students are interested in the ideas covered in class, and I want to teach to that interest and maximize engagement,” Bozzo said.

The Philosophers’ Café is a public forum series, where community members engage in open, friendly and respectful dialogue in an informal setting. Meetings are led by faculty, with topics ranging from traditional philosophical problems to pressing contemporary ethical issues.

Intentionally incorporating student feedback in the psychology classroom

As a new member of the ��Ͽ� community, Zhao has been deeply impressed by the creativity and energy that shapes teaching here. “Many of our undergraduate students engage in hands-on learning experiences that are often part of graduate-level study. In my teaching, I aim to build on this strength by advancing psychology education in ways that prepare students to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts,” they said.

Zhao strives to create opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning, while encouraging critical reflection on how these concepts operate within diverse social, cultural and political environments. As a UW Teaching Fellow, they hope to further develop inclusive and responsive teaching practices by actively listening to students’ experiences of belonging and representation in classrooms and lab settings.

“Understanding the influence of sociocultural context is essential when applying social science beyond the classroom, and as teachers, we do not always have full insight into the realities of our students,” Zhao said. “Through this opportunity, I plan to advance my approach of hands-on teaching by integrating student feedback more intentionally and continuing to learn alongside my students about their realities.”

They hope to foster a learning environment that is both experiential and reflective, preparing students to think critically and apply psychology in ways that are socially and culturally informed.

Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars is offered by the Universities of Wisconsin’s Office of Professional and Instructional Development, which supports the 13 UW Centers for Teaching and Learning in fostering a culture of teaching and learning excellence in Wisconsin.

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Bozzo, Zhao named Universities of Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars UW Teaching Fellows Xan Bozzo and Yuxuan Zhao

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Music to honor a master: Ukulele kits by engineering students are in homage to alum Kuboyama

goersab — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:34:32 +0000

Music to honor a master: Ukulele kits by engineering students are in homage to alum Kuboyamagoersab April 13, 2026

Cross-disciplinary groups also design toolless furniture connections, learn valuable customer perceptions

Abbey Goers

A small black case rests atop a filing cabinet in Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche’s office. He opens the case and begins strumming a ukulele. The soft music fills the office. Dietsche, an engineering technology instructor at ��Ͽ�, built the ukulele 15 years ago under the guidance of Kazukiyo “Jiggs” Kuboyama, a master in his craft who was honored by the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii.

In homage to Kuboyama, Dietsche tasked his own students to develop a process to build ukuleles in his New Product Development course this semester. “For me to do this is in honor of his tradition,” Dietsche said of Kuboyama, who was a 1957 ��Ͽ� industrial arts alum. He taught technology education in Oahu and passed away in 2019.

Professor Kevin Dietsche and Braden Kapitz watch as the CNC machine removes wood to shape a main ukulele jig.

The project grew to also include developing toolless bed connections, with one group expanding their design to work across different furniture types – a solution allowing for flexibility of use.

The engineering technology and mechanical engineering students worked in cross-disciplinary groups to research market trends and materials and to ideate preliminary designs before they were joined by engineers and designers from Ashley Furniture Industries, including industrial and product design alums Caleb Toft and Anna Lindner, as well as Emeritus Professor Jerome Johnson, who viewed the groups’ design presentations and provided insight based on their industry experience.

The groups then began their build process of the ukuleles and toolless connections in the Jarvis Hall Technology Wing Woods Lab.

“These projects are about teaching the students problem solving through the design process. The most difficult part is getting your first draft right. Once you’ve troubleshooted everything, you can build hundreds of models using your programming,” Dietsche said.

Creating ukulele building kits for beginners

The ukulele groups are meeting the challenge of making instrument-building kits more accessible to beginners. Two groups – Andrea Smith, of East Troy, and Brook Derks, of River Falls; and Konnor Kraft, of Plymouth, Minnesota, Alex Ogno, of DeForest, and Braden Kapitz, of Athens – researched ukulele construction methods, dimensions, and kerfing techniques, and how wood type and body shape affects sound quality and buildability.

Konnor Kraft shows a cardboard prototype and a CNCed jig for a ukulele.

“Traditional instrument construction requires a high level of craftsmanship, which can be difficult for those with limited woodworking experience. Our goal is to simplify the process so anyone can successfully build a ukulele using guided methods and fixtures,” Smith said.

The groups designed main jig blocks in SolidWorks to match the size and shape of a ukulele and then, using AI contour construction, they removed the inner material on a CNC machine to make the manufacturing process more consistent and repeatable.

Andrea Smith and Brook Derks discuss their ukulele design.

“We then steamed .08-inch-thick strips of ash wood for 45 minutes to make it malleable and clamped it to the inside of the main jig block for 48 hours to create the exterior curve of the instrument,” Kraft said. “The quality of the wood can affect how it curves, as well as how long it is steamed. We found that 45 minutes in the steamer was optimal for malleability, and that knots will affect the wood’s strength. It will weaken and split at the knot when curved.”

The groups also made kerfing supports (flexible, notched wooden strips glued to the inside of the ukulele body to strengthen the structure). “The top of our ukulele will be made of spruce for sound quality and the neck will be made of cherry wood for its vibrant color,” Kraft said.

Konnor Kraft cuts pieces for a ukulele neck on a bandsaw, assisted by TA Annika Schlueter.

Smith and Derks expect bending the wood sides and achieving consistent kerf cuts to be challenging, since both directly affect the shape and structural integrity of the ukulele. “Designing jigs that ensure accurate alignment and repeatability has also required careful planning. We’re looking forward to testing to see how well our designs perform and what adjustments may be needed,” Smith said.

She’s enjoyed researching everything that goes into making a ukulele and understanding how each component affects the final instrument. “It’s been especially rewarding to take that knowledge and apply my design skills to create something that actually works. Seeing the transition from research to a functional build has been the most satisfying part of the process,” Smith said.

Andrea Smith and Brook Derks ready their ukulele jig block for the CNC machine.

Simple, functional, attractive and mass-manufacturable designs

One of the toolless connections groups – Alex Dill, of Hartland, Aden Story, of Holcombe, and Bethany Winge, of Cottage Grove – first worked to identify ways that toolless assembly works in conjunction with a flatpack bed frame (a bed designed to be deconstructed into individual components). They then compared their drafted ideas to existing market solutions.

“We found that a flatpack frequently involves various methods that have self-aligning or self-maintaining joinery. From there, we began to brainstorm connection methods that involved self-contained components, or single-step customer assembly and disassembly items,” Dill said.

TA Annika Schlueter and Bethany Winge construct a frame for an epoxy mold pour.

From Toft and Johnson’s critiques, the group thought the most interesting was to remember how material affects customer perception and quality of an item. “For example, a nicely finished piece of stainless steel has a much more premium feel than injection molded plastic,” Dill said.

Dietsche required the toolless connection groups to produce their designs with three different manufacturing methods and materials. Dill, Story, and Winge’s thumbscrew and locking head device is intended to work across different furniture types.

Their methods and materials include: 1.) a 3D-printed component, designed in SolidWorks and printed by Story on his home 3D printer; 2.) a poured epoxy component, produced using a two-part casting rubber mix; and 3.) a metal component, based on availability and machinability, such as stainless steel and aluminum, and cut out by Dill on the CNC machine in the Machine and Subtractive Processing Lab in Fryklund Hall.

TA Annika Schlueter and Bethany Winge mix the two-part casting rubber for an epoxy mold pour.

“The epoxy pour makes everything more repeatable in the manufacturing process. And our 3D-printed component is very well designed and thought out. But I think the metal component would sell the best in the real world,” Winge said.

The challenging part is almost always coming up with a design, as it needs to be simple, functional, attractive, and most importantly, mass manufacturable, Dill said. “Professor Dietsche facilitates a phenomenal environment to learn about CNC programming and other shop processes. Being able to go out in the lab and make things while learning how on the fly has proven very fun and interesting.

“More people should take technical manufacturing classes, as they build an appreciation for how the world around us is made,” he added.

Aden Story holds a 3D-printed thumbscrew for toolless furniture assembly.

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

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

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Metcalf receives March University Staff Appreciation Award

goersab — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:21:10 +0000

Metcalf receives March University Staff Appreciation Awardgoersab March 25, 2026

University Housing custodian honored for making residence hall a home away from home for students

Angie Metcalf, custodian in University Housing, received the University Staff Appreciation Award for March 2026.

The individual nominating Metcalf stated, "Since joining as the Tustison - Oetting custodian during the 2024-25 academic year, Angie quickly addressed longstanding needs of the building, including long-term stains and grime from a period of subpar care. Angie has shown a warmth in how she completes her responsibilities and interacts with others. Angie has led seasonal efforts to create a welcoming atmosphere in CKTO, working with her co-custodian Carrie to decorate shared spaces in the building for occasions such as Halloween, wintertime activities and Valentine's Day. Angie recognizes the work she does leads to satisfaction from our residents and ultimately makes CKTO their home, through her work.

Metcalf, right, receives the March University Staff Employee Appreciation award from Chancellor Katherine Frank.

"Angie describes herself as 'not much of a talker,' but I have never had such wonderful, caring, genuine interactions as with her. Angie shares concerns and needs from her role as a custodian and is interested in the personal well-being of those she works with. I consistently have personal conversations where Angie and I can joke about work items in one moment, and learn she cuts her own hair (so darn well) the next. Angie exchanged holiday treats with staff in the building and, in doing so, took into account their concerns about food allergens. Angie just cares, and she is so wonderful for it."

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