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Doctoral student’s AI-enhanced artwork featured on chancellor’s seasonal greeting card

giffeyt — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Doctoral student’s AI-enhanced artwork featured on chancellor’s seasonal greeting cardgiffeyt January 8, 2026

Like her artwork, educator’s dissertation explores using AI to supplement student creativity

For more than 125 years, University of Wisconsin-Stout’s stately Bowman Hall and its distinctive clock tower have served as landmarks for the campus and the community.

This holiday season, they provided artistic inspiration for a doctoral student who designed an annual greeting card sent by ��Ͽ� Chancellor Katherine Frank to hundreds of recipients. The image — created with a combination of digital tools, including an artificial intelligence assistant — shows the familiar campus building reimagined as a glowing 3D blueprint.

Desiah Melby / Contributed photo

“I wanted the design to capture both my student experience and the character of ��Ͽ�,” explained Desiah Melby of Scandinavia, Wisconsin, who is pursuing an Ed.D. in career and technical education leadership. “My mind went to the clock tower — but I wanted to reimagine it to reflect the changes in education right now!”

Among those ongoing changes is the use of AI in higher education, which Melby is examining as part of her doctoral dissertation as well as in her professional career at Mid-State Technical College, which has four central Wisconsin campuses. Melby is a communications instructor at Mid-State, where she teaches courses in writing, literature, workplace communication and technical reporting while also leading institutional initiatives around AI integration in teaching, learning and faculty development.

��Ͽ�’s iconic Bowman Hall in winter.

‘A Blueprint for the Future’

“We are excited about this year’s design, which shows, through student work, what it means to learn at a polytechnic university,” stated Frank, who sends out the seasonal cards annually. “Desiah’s design is the result of applied research and learning. What she has produced tells a story about the tangible results of a polytechnic education that have an impact today through the card’s design and message, and will continue to impact students through the innovative educational experience that Desiah creates in her own classroom well into the future.”

This is the third year that ��Ͽ� students have been invited to submit designs for the chancellor’s seasonal card. Melby learned about the contest through a campus email, and she pursued the opportunity to connect her current academic pursuit with her personal curiosity and creativity.

“This design reimagines ��Ͽ�’s iconic Bowman Hall clock tower as a glowing, holographic blueprint — blending history with innovation,” Melby wrote in an artist’s statement. “The tower honors the university’s proud traditions, while the futuristic aesthetic reflects its role as Wisconsin’s only polytechnic and its forward-facing embrace of technology, creativity and applied learning.”

In addition to the artist’s statement, the card carried the phrase “A Blueprint for the Future” emblazoned on its front.

Melby’s creative process integrated both traditional and cutting-edge processes. After sketching an initial concept by hand, she refined the composition using a photograph in Adobe Illustrator. Next, she uploaded the image to Midjourney, a generative AI service, where she used iterative prompting to reach the holographic-style blueprint style she was seeking. From there, Melby brought the image into Photoshop, where she adjusted the color palettes, layout and background until she was satisfied with the result.

“For me, the refinement stage is always the most enjoyable: adjusting compositional balance, nudging elements and reworking details,” she said. “That’s the ‘play’ part of the process.”

Supporting creativity with technology

A close-up of the image created by doctoral candidate Desiah Melby for the chancellor's annual seasonal card. / Submitted image

Melby completed her M.S. education with an emphasis in curriculum and instructional design at ��Ͽ� in 2023, and soon after decided to pursue her doctorate at ��Ͽ� as well.

“My master’s experiences left me with a sense that my work wasn’t finished — I knew there were deeper questions I wanted to explore, especially around educational leadership, instructional design and emerging technologies,” Melby said. ��Ͽ�’s Ed.D. program was a “perfect fit,” she explained. She is now writing her doctoral dissertation and expects to graduate in May.

“Crucially, the program lets me focus on my professional passions: innovative pedagogy, workforce preparation and the evolving landscape of digital learning,” she said. “It has also informed much of the work I am doing both in my classroom and leading AI in teaching and learning at my college.”

As a full-time faculty member and committee leader at Mid-State, Melby is grateful that ��Ͽ�’s online model has allowed her the flexibility to integrate what she’s learning into her professional life. “Instead of education happening outside of my work, it has genuinely shaped the work I do every day,” she said.

Likewise, both her work in the classroom and her academic interests lie at the intersection of traditional and AI-enhanced methods. “My dissertation examines how integrating AI tools into first-year writing instruction influences student perceptions of writing, confidence and learning,” she said. “I created a curriculum model that integrates AI literacy, workplace use cases and ethics into writing instruction. Instead of replacing critical thinking, I believe that AI can serve as a scaffold — supporting brainstorming, revision and idea development — when students are taught to use it transparently, responsibly and with academic integrity.”

Melby said she is surprised that her design was chosen but is grateful for the opportunity to represent her educational journey at ��Ͽ� in a unique way.

“This project embodies the heart of my dissertation: student learning and creativity supported by technology,” she said. “I used digital tools to extend, not replace, my artistic intent — much like I ask students to use AI to extend their thinking and writing, not bypass it. The design is my practical demonstration of human creativity augmented by thoughtful technological choices, which is exactly the paradigm I believe education must embrace.”

Designer’s Statement
“This design reimagines ��Ͽ�’s iconic Bowman Hall clock tower as a glowing, holographic blueprint — blending history with innovation. The tower honors the university’s proud traditions, while the futuristic aesthetic reflects Stout’s role as Wisconsin’s only polytechnic and its forward-facing embrace of technology, creativity, and applied learning.
“I created this piece in collaboration with an AI design assistant, making the creative process itself a reflection of Stout’s identity — where human vision and emerging technologies meet. This choice is also deeply connected to my doctoral research, which focuses on how AI can enhance education and workforce readiness. By incorporating AI into my creative process, I extend my scholarly work into the artistic realm.”
Desiah Melby (’22)
Ed.D. Career & Technical Education Leadership Communications Instructor
Mid-State Technical College

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Like her artwork, educator’s dissertation explores using AI to supplement student creativity Seasonal card 2025 on white background

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Hero Caption: Using a combination of digital tools, Desiah Melby created this image of Bowman Hall that was used in Chancellor Katherine Frank’s annual seasonal greeting card.

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Inspiring Graduate: Karolyn Waldman, M.S. Career & Technical Education

giffeyt — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:25:00 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Karolyn Waldman, M.S. Career & Technical Education giffeyt December 23, 2025

Wausau West marketing and business teacher supports students' leadership skills

Inspiring Graduate: Karolyn Waldman (’25)

Hometown: Prentice
Degree: M.S. Career & Technical Education

After earning her marketing and business education degree from ��Ͽ� in May 2019, Karolyn Waldman wanted to further her education and returned to her alma mater for a master’s in career and technical education.

Waldman is a marketing and business teacher at Wausau West High School and serves as DECA & SBE (school-based enterprise) advisor, supporting students as they grow in their leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills and more.

“I love teaching at the high school level because my students are discovering their passions and beginning to choose classes that will lead them down a career path. Any time I am able to assist a student in that journey feels successful,” she said.

Waldman earned her master’s in career and technical education and crossed the commencement stage on Dec. 20 as one of 527 ��Ͽ� graduates.

“I hope to make an impact by inspiring passion in students and helping them grow into well-rounded individuals. I always strive to spread kindness and build experiences for students to impact others around them and in their school community,” she said.

Karolyn Waldman receives her graduation hood at ��Ͽ�'s fall 2025 commencement.

What drew you to ��Ͽ� for both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees?

Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I always thought that I would teach math or English. In high school, I took an accounting class and fell in love with the subject, which led me to take many more business classes. I really looked up to my marketing and business teacher in high school. Ultimately all of these factors led me to want to become a marketing and business teacher.

Karolyn Waldman at her undergraduate commencement ceremony. / Submitted photo

When I began looking at colleges during high school, I toured a few of the UW schools, as well as a few private colleges. When I toured ��Ͽ�, I knew it was the right fit. My tour guide was saying “Hello” to people all throughout the day on campus. Being from a small town in Wisconsin, I loved the idea that I could build relationships like this on campus and that my professors would know me.

I came to ��Ͽ� for my master’s program because I had an incredible experience at Stout for my undergraduate degree. ��Ͽ� was the obvious choice for a CTE degree. I was lucky enough to even have some of the same professors that I knew from previous classes. They go above and beyond. I am continuously impressed by how much they care about each and every one of their students.

How has ��Ͽ� prepared you to work in MBE and CTE?

I have fine-tuned much of my educational theory and learned many current CTE trends. Much of the work for my master’s degree required a lot of reflection on my role as an educator. I always value intentional reflection on my practice.

One of the assignments was to create a career tree. I had to look back at the different careers that members of my family and extended family had. This was an eye-opening experience and helped me to understand outside factors that may play a role when a student is choosing a career.

Karolyn Waldman and Professor Debbie Stanislawski. / Submitted photo

What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?

One of the challenges that I faced in earning my degree was finding the time to put forth into the work. I didn’t want to lack effort in the classes that I was paying to learn from. It’s difficult to be in classes and have a full-time job at the same time. I worked through this challenge by making sure to schedule intentional time to read the material and write papers.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

I’m proud of myself for pursuing and completing this degree. A master’s degree was something growing up that I never thought was possible for me, and research was never a strength of mine. I was always extremely intimidated by the idea of a thesis, and therefore always ruled out the idea of a master’s degree.

I’m grateful for the additional education, the professors that supported me along the way and my time at ��Ͽ�.

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A bright future: Marketing, business education students recognized for dedication, talent

goersab — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 15:15:00 +0000

A bright future: Marketing, business education students recognized for dedication, talentgoersab October 28, 2025

MBE, CTE alum Grinker receives Outstanding WMEA Educator Award

Abbey Goers

Surrounded by their peers and educators from around the state, three University of Wisconsin-Stout marketing and business education alumni and students were recognized at the BEcoME IT Conference, presented by the Wisconsin Educators of Business and Information Technology and Wisconsin Marketing Education Association:

Alum Traci Grinker received the Outstanding WMEA Educator Award and completed her term as WMEA president.
Ali Hruby received a $500 WEBIT Student Scholarship, presented to her by Shelby Dixon, ��Ͽ� MBE student representative on the WEBIT Board.
Kahlen Outzen received the Emerging Marketing Educator Award and was selected to serve as the upcoming ��Ͽ� MBE student representative on the WMEA Board.

MBE Professor Debbie Stanislawski, right, and students at the BEcoME IT Conference / Debbie Stanislawski

“It’s truly inspiring to see our students recognized for their dedication, talent and potential. This kind of acknowledgment not only reflects their hard work but also speaks volumes about the bright futures ahead of them,” said Assistant Professor Mike Mills, program director of family and consumer sciences education, marketing and business education and technology education.

Professor Debbie Stanislawski, program director, B.S., M.S., and Ed.D. career and technical education, believes the BEcoME IT Conference is a powerful reminder of how ��Ͽ�’s applied learning model prepares future marketing and business teachers for real-world success.

“Through experiences like planning DECA District events, judging at FBLA State, and engaging with professionals at conferences like BEcoME IT, our students build the confidence, skills, and networks they need to thrive as future educators and leaders in the field,” she said. “The conference was really one of those days that really reinforces ‘the why’ to what we do at ��Ͽ�.”

��Ͽ�’s School of Education and the teaching, learning and leadership department are committed to delivering high-quality teacher preparation programs.

“At a time when the value of education is often questioned and alternative licensure pathways are becoming more common, students recognize the importance of earning their Career and Technical Education Teacher Licensure through ��Ͽ�. Our programs prepare future educators not only for a job, but for a meaningful and lasting career in education,” Mills said.

Six ��Ͽ� MBE students were financially supported to attend the conference, held Oct. 16-18 in Wausau, with proceeds from hosting DECA Districts at ��Ͽ�.

Founded in 1965, WMEA’s mission is to create a culture of learning and sharing within marketing education, to support educators in their roles as professionals, and to advocate for the growth and longevity of the marketing education profession.

Traci Grinker: A career coming full circle

Grinker is a marketing and business teacher in the Medford School District, where she’s taught for 11 years. She’s also the DECA and graduation advisor and manages the Raider Cafe & Shoppe school store. Previously, Grinker taught in the Menomonie, Altoona and Colby school districts.

Traci Grinker, left, is presented with her Outstanding WMEA Educator Award by Mischell Fryar / Traci Grinker

Grinker is a two-time ��Ͽ� alum, having earned her bachelor’s in MBE in 2009 and master’s in career and technical education in 2021.

“I knew from kindergarten that I wanted to be a teacher, but I wasn’t sure what kind of teacher until high school, when I started to take marketing classes. It really is full circle because the person who inspired me the most to become a marketing teacher, Mischell Fryar, was actually the person to present me with the WMEA Educator Award,” Grinker said.

Fryar is also a double ��Ͽ� alum, holding an MBE and an M.S. in CTE. She is the WMEA treasurer and marketing teacher at Rhinelander High School.

Grinker hopes to inspire students to learn that marketing and business-related content applies to all students and careers. “I want students to gain the self-confidence to try something new, like a new class or to join our DECA/FBLA chapter,” she said.

As WMEA president, her three main roles were to manage the organization, organize meetings and provide valuable professional development opportunities to members, including the BEcoME IT Conference with the WEBIT organization.

“As president, I wanted to provide opportunities for our members to network with each other and provide an environment in which they are not afraid to reach out to fellow members and board members for any needs. The best part of our organization is the community that we have built. Our members are the most supportive group of people, and we are like family,” Grinker said.

Ali Hruby: Starting her teaching career strong

The $500 WEBIT scholarship will help Hruby pay for tuition, gas expenses for travel to and from her pre-student teaching placements and business-casual clothing. She will student teach next fall and graduate in December 2026.

Ali Hruby, left, is presented with her WEBIT scholarship by Shelby Dixon / Ali Hruby

“Reducing student debt will help me start my teaching career strong and give me the ability to invest in classroom supplies and materials that make learning more engaging for my students,” said Hruby, of Kennan, Wisconsin.

Hruby has had incredible teachers, professors, coaches, family members, and role models who have guided and supported her in becoming who she is today, she said.

“I want to give that same encouragement to my future students and help guide them to find their own version of success. Academically, I find so much joy in seeing students grow and reach those moments when everything ‘clicks.’ Watching the progress students make throughout the day, semester, year or even high school career is what I find the most inspiring aspect of being a teacher,” Hruby said.

Kahlen Outzen: Providing a student perspective

As the college representative for WMEA, Outzen will assist with conference planning and professional development for secondary and future marketing educators. She’ll also provide insight into what secondary and college students may feel more aligned with in the classroom.

Kahlen Outzen, center, is presented with her Emerging Marketing Educator Award by Traci Grinker and Mischell Fryar / Debbie Stanislawski

Also, as a student from a disadvantaged area where career and technical training were undervalued, Outzen hopes to provide WMEA with insight to understand different educational issues. “I hope I can be a resource for educators on the board who are not from an area like mine and provide some support from a student perspective,” she said.

“I enjoyed my high school CTE classes, so the fact that these classes were undervalued didn’t sit right with me. My MBE teachers, in particular, were ever-changing; this led to a lack of marketing and business education, as well as a lack of professional development, in my school,” said Outzen, who grew up near Milwaukee. “This lack of marketing and business education, and exposure to the business world, leads to a lack of opportunities for high school-aged children, something I would love to make an impact on.”

Outzen wants to introduce her future students to the world of marketing and business in a way that is interesting to them. “I want to be able to spark a passion in those I can, so that they can feel confident in their future careers,” she said. “When I graduated high school, I was unsure of what to do with my future and was, admittedly, very lost. I do not want that for my students. It’s OK to not know for sure, but I want them to know their options and feel more confident in life after high school, and more confident in their career choices, especially in the marketing and business fields.”

At ��Ͽ�’s School of Education, students are engaged right from day one in their teaching area of interest: art education; early childhood education; family and consumer sciences education; marketing and business education; math education; social studies education; special education; and technology education. The School of Education also offers postgraduate degrees in career and technical education, education, school counseling, and school psychology, as well as nine education certificates and certifications.

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MBE, CTE alum Grinker receives Outstanding WMEA Educator Award MBE Professor Debbie Stanislawski and students at a conference

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Debbie Stanislawski

Debbie Stanislawski is ��Ͽ�'s Program Director for Marketing and Business Education (MBE). In this role, she provides academic advising to all students in the MBE major, leads curriculum development and implementation, and teaches courses on assessment, curriculum design, and instruction. Debbie also oversees clinical experiences for aspiring educators. Additionally, she teaches leadership courses within the doctoral program and mentors graduate students in career and technical education, guiding them through their thesis and dissertation work. Before joining ��Ͽ�, Debbie gained valuable experience teaching middle and high school business in Wisconsin and Illinois. Her time in the PK-12 education system ignited her passion for preparing future educators. Debbie's research interests include instructional technology, particularly in exploring how educators at ��Ͽ� integrate generative AI into their coursework. She is also deeply involved in research focused on the comprehensive preparation of future teachers for their roles in career and technical education. In her free time, Debbie enjoys kayaking, hiking, training hunting dogs, and traveling.

Full Name: Debbie Stanislawski

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Curriculum Vitae: Debbie Stanislawski CV (253.85 KB)

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Degree: Ph.D. Professional Studies

University: Capella University

Degree: M.S. Instructional Technology & Telecommunications

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Degree: B.S. Business Education

University: Winona State University

Degree: Wisconsin Teaching License #250 Business Education (Grades 6-12)

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Mike Mills

Mike Mills is an Assistant Professor of Technology Education. Mike is passionate about Career and Technical Education and what it can provide students. In addition to teaching in the School of Education, Mike will also be doing work outreach and curriculum for fab labs.

Mike joins us from South Dakota where he spent 17 school years teaching high school cabinetmaking/woodworking. During that time Mike also spent 4 years serving as the State Director of SkillsUSA South Dakota. Mike is originally from Osakis, MN which is in the Alexandria, MN area. After graduating high school, Mike attended college in Utah and graduated with a B.S. in Technology Education from Southern Utah University in 2005. During college, Mike worked to gain industry teaching endorsement in cabinetry by working at a cabinet door shop.

Mike completed his student teaching at Uintah Basin Applied Technology College in the high school cabinetry program. Prior to completing his Bachelor of Science degree, Mike graduated with an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in criminal justice from Southern Utah University. After completing his second year of teaching, Mike started his Master of Science degree in Educational Technology and graduated in 2009 from Dakota State University. In August 2023 Mike graduated with his Doctor of Education degree in Educational Practice and Leadership from the University of North Dakota, where he specialized in higher education.

Mike is excited to be transitioning to higher education where he will be able to work with future teachers and leaders in Technology Education, and Career and Technical Education.

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Degree: Ed.D. Educational Practice & Leadership (High Education Specialization)

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Degree: M.S. Educational Technology

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Degree: B.S. Technology Education

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Degree: A.A.S. Criminal Justice

University: Southern Utah University

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Two-time ��Ͽ� grad leaves mark as nontraditional student turned college president

giffeyt — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 16:21:22 +0000

Two-time ��Ͽ� grad leaves mark as nontraditional student turned college presidentgiffeyt October 22, 2025

Mid-State Technical College leader honed skills at ��Ͽ�

Tom Giffey

Shelly Mondeik followed a nontraditional path to becoming a college president – a path that ran through ��Ͽ� and led her to be named one of Wisconsin’s top female leaders.

Mondeik earned an associate’s degree after graduating from high school and immediately went to work in the medical field. Over time, she developed her natural affinity as an instructor and mentor and ultimately began to teach at a technical college. As her career progressed, she realized she needed to further her own education.

“When I had my checklist, ��Ͽ� hit all the boxes,” Mondeik said. “They were able to provide the balance that I needed, not only for my family at home but also my work family – all the people that I was supervising.”

Mondeik said she was drawn by ��Ͽ�’s strong reputation, as well as a delivery mode that allowed her to take classes on weekends while still having time to fulfill her roles as a mother and spouse with a full-time job. As a student, Mondeik said she benefited from both ��Ͽ�’s experienced faculty as well as the cohort model, which helped create synergy among her fellow students. She earned her bachelor's degree in career and technical education in 2006, then forged ahead to earn her master’s in the same field two years later. “I was so happy with my bachelor education, I thought ‘Why would I go anywhere else?’”

Shelly Mondeik, second from right, speaks to students from Mid-State Technical College, which has four campuses in central Wisconsin. / Submitted photo

The back-to-back ��Ͽ� degrees helped propel Mondeik to become dean of public safety and then vice president for learning at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau before she was named president of Mid-State Technical College in 2017.

The technical college has more than 10,000 students on campuses in Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, Marshfield and Adams.

“I very much believe that becoming president was because of the education I received at ��Ͽ�,” Mondeik said. “They prepared me well.” In particular, through case studies and role-playing, ��Ͽ� instilled the skills necessary to provide consistent leadership, she said. Furthermore, her experience as an adult learner returning to college in her 30s contributes to the decisions she makes as leader of an institution where many students have also followed nontraditional routes.

Mondeik’s leadership has attracted attention far beyond Mid-State’s four central Wisconsin campuses. She was named Central Region 2024 Chief Executive Officer by the Association of Community College Trustees, and for both 2023 and 2024 was listed among the Top 50 Women Leaders of Wisconsin by Women We Admire. The most recent list included a range of female business, education and nonprofit leaders, including fellow ��Ͽ� alum Krista Hoglund, health insurance company executive.

“When I got that recognition,” Mondeik said, “it did make me reflect and I did smile, because it was some validation that I have had a positive impact and people have noticed.”

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Hero Caption: Shelly Mondeik, who holds two ��Ͽ� degrees, became president of Mid-State Technical College in 2017. / Submitted photo

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Inspiring Graduate: Kristen Ziegler, M.S. Career & Technical Education

goersab — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 19:10:23 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Kristen Ziegler, M.S. Career & Technical Educationgoersab December 22, 2022

'I was able to obtain dual credit from the courses I took at Stout to count toward my professional development.'

Inspiring Graduate: Kristen Ziegler (‘22)

Hometown: DeForest
Degree: M.S. Career & Technical Education

For years, Kristen Ziegler dreamed of obtaining her master’s in career and technical education, with a goal of teaching in a post-secondary setting. But as an educator, wife and mom, she knew she needed a program that was fully online and affordable.

“Now, I’m living the dream as a program director and educator of CTE at Blackhawk Technical College,” said Ziegler, who graduated from ��Ͽ� with her master’s in CTE on Dec. 17.

Ziegler graduated with her associates degree in dental hygiene at the age of 21 and never thought she’d return to the classroom. She worked in the industry for 17 years.

Kristen Ziegler receiving her master's hood / ��Ͽ�

“I knew I had a greater purpose and began my journey of obtaining my bachelor's degree and now, my master's degree. Nearing 40, with a total of 11 years as a college student, my educational journey has never ended and will continue to grow as I lead and teach the next generation of dental professionals,” Ziegler said.

“During my time at ��Ͽ�, I have had to wear many hats and find the balance to be successful. One of the most important hats we will wear is our graduation hat, which represents the sacrifice, dedication and commitment needed to have the honor of wearing it. A great education is possible, and our journey is never done,” she added.

How has your time at Stout added to your professional experience?

The professors in ��Ͽ�’s School of Education were amazing and wanted their students to succeed.

Many of the courses in my program were required by the college I teach at, and I was able to obtain dual credit from the courses I took at Stout to count toward my professional development.

Kristen Ziegler and Chancellor Katherine Frank / ��Ͽ�

What was the online program like for you?

The MSCTE program was a well-developed online program already in place pre-pandemic.

I found comfort in my education during these trying times and found it was a secure and comfortable outlet.

I stayed organized, motivated and accountable for my own educational experience. When the world was uncertain during the pandemic, my education was not. In fact, being an online student during these trying times provided me with stability when everything around us was unpredictable.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

What I am most proud of is that I proved to myself that obtaining my master’s degree was possible while juggling the needs of my family and career. I completed graduate school with a 4.0 grade point average over five years, taking one class per semester. While it took me longer, the pace allowed me to succeed and avoid student loan debt. This was truly a dream in the making. As I close out my 11th year as a college student and third degree, I know my educational journey isn’t over. Rather, it is just blossoming.

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CTE Summit focused on challenges, opportunities in ‘tacit knowledge’

goersab — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 15:01:53 +0000

CTE Summit focused on challenges, opportunities in ‘tacit knowledge’goersab July 20, 2021

Keynote speaker sees ��Ͽ�’s polytechnic tradition as asset to faculty, graduates, potential employers

Abbey Goers

Some knowledge lives at the surface of people’s lives. It can be more easily taught and understood because it’s found in the physical realm of books or documents. But like the tip of an iceberg, this knowledge is only a small fraction of what people know, or more importantly, of what people need to learn.

“Tacit knowledge” is the knowledge that lives below the surface. Hidden like the vast iceberg below the waves, it is the know-how that lives in people’s experiences and feelings and is more difficult to impart.

M.S. CTE Program Director Deanna Schultz at CTE Summit, 2016. / ��Ͽ�

How can “tacit knowledge” be passed on to help others be successful? And what makes career and technical education programs distinct in its value of practical knowledge learned through practice?

These questions were explored at University of Wisconsin-Stout’s sixth annual CTE Summit, hosted virtually by the Emerging Center for Career and Technical Education Excellence on June 22-23.

The summit featured international presenters from Australia, Guam, Singapore and Switzerland, as well as keynote speaker University of Minnesota Professor Emeritus Theodore Lewis, who presented from his home in Trinidad and Tobago.

What is tacit knowledge?

Lewis, a ��Ͽ� alum with degrees in B.S. and M.S. industrial education, now technology education, presented on “The Tacit Knowledge Challenge for Global CTE/TVET (technical and vocational education and training).”

Keynote speaker and alum Ted Lewis / Ted Lewis

He described tacit knowledge as something people gain through experience or through interactions with others who own it. It is created through practice and, like muscle memory, it resides in the body, brain and senses.

Lewis expressed concern about what knowledge leaves an organization in the heads of departing people. “There needs to be a more secure storage mechanism for crucial knowledge and a more efficient means of transfer than just dialogue,” he said.

He explained that within CTE programs and higher education institutions, administrators, faculty, students and industry partners can collaborate in key ways to impart tacit knowledge:

Collaborate with experts in course planning and connect students with experts in their field
Consider experience-based credit for students in lieu of coursework
Consider work experience as a qualification for faculty in lieu of academic credentials
Consider work experience for candidates seeking enrollment in lieu of prior academics
Encourage field-based research by faculty and students
Provide field-based courses and workplace-based assignments

Tacit knowledge at ��Ͽ�

M.S. CTE Program Director Deanna Schultz sees ��Ͽ�'s experiential learning and required internships as a means for students to receive tacit knowledge, benefiting graduates as they move into their careers.

Deanna Schultz / ��Ͽ�

“Intentional learning that takes place in classroom projects, labs or the workplace gives students opportunities to reflect upon their learning and helps them develop,” she said. “Much like a craftsman who passes along secrets of their trade, faculty and staff pass along their tacit knowledge in the contextual learning opportunities they provide for students.”

Lewis agrees. He listed the university’s labs, experiential learning and industry experiences as making all the difference in employers looking more favorably at graduates. As an alum, Lewis believes ��Ͽ�’s polytechnic status makes it a driver of university learning.

“Polytechnics, by tradition, are action places, marrying theory and practice,” he said. “Tacit knowledge has been part of the tradition and is a mark of distinction, in keeping with the polytechnic idea.”

The art of ‘pan-boiling’

Lewis became interested in tacit knowledge as a technical training officer at the national sugar factory in Trinidad and Tobago in the late 1980s.

The final stage of sugar-making is the most important since there are expensive penalties if the grains do not meet international standards, he explained. In this stage, sugarcane juice is boiled in large vacuum pans, so that it crystallizes into sugar. The process is monitored by “pan-boilers,” who specialize in sampling the syrup to determine when the crystals reach the right consistency.

“Historically, pan-boilers learn their art through apprenticeship, older heads showing the newcomers in the heat of factory operations,” Lewis said. “This transfer of art is usually done in a cloistered way and kept within tight, unionized groupings. It is a classic case of tacit knowledge, transferred on the job with nothing written down.

“As a technical training officer, I was intrigued by this tradition of workers operating essentially in secrecy, on such a critical aspect of factory operations,” he added.

Lewis recognized that the pan-boilers’ knowledge would benefit factory engineers and scientists. For example, he explained, in the engineering aspect, sugar is boiled under vacuum conditions, which facilitate lower boiling temperatures. “Or we would have caramel instead of sugar,” he said.

With full participation of the union, Lewis developed training and a comprehensive reader on the basic engineering and science behind sugar boiling. He also engaged the chemical engineering faculty at a nearby university to develop a Sugar Technology course for pan-boilers.

“The course made for a more complete pan-boiler, one steeped in tacit aspects of sugar boiling, learned on the job,” Lewis said, “but also in aspects of boiling as seen through the eyes of engineers and scientists.

“I came out of the factory experience impressed by the guild-like approach of pan-boilers and intrigued by the notion of tacit knowledge.”

Student presentations

CTE Summit, 2016 / ��Ͽ�

The summit also included research presentations by students in ��Ͽ�’s M.S. CTE and Ed.D. CTE programs: Brigitta Altmann, Plover; Garrett Kaminski, Oshkosh; Rachel Krueger, Onalaska; Michael Selover, Rockton, Ill.; Tonya Wagner, Viroqua; and Ryan Ubersox, Waunakee.

Wagner’s dissertation, “Developing the Talent Pipeline for Women in Information Technology Through Increased Enrollment in Middle-Skill Information Technology Degree Programs,” was selected by ��Ͽ� faculty as the top dissertation and submitted to the University Council for Workforce and Human Resource Education.

Wagner interviewed four women about their experiences and perceptions in their information technology careers. She concluded there are not enough IT workers in the current talent pipeline to meet industry demands to produce innovative solutions and products or to meet the needs of a diverse global population.

“Women are an undertapped resource for both meeting employment demand and helping to increase innovation through increased diversity,” Wagner said.

��Ͽ� is recognized nationally and internationally for its CTE programs that prepare quality educators. Career and technical education programs include a bachelor’s, master’s and educational doctorate, as well as a CTE Leadership Certificate.

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Master’s program graduate expands career with new position, mission

powersp — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:25:06 +0000

Master’s program graduate expands career with new position, missionpowersp January 21, 2021

Correll, AAFCS national teacher of the year, works with school districts at CESA Dist. 1

Kayla Correll knew she was ready to venture into the next phase of her career, and she wanted a reputable online program to earn her Master of Science degree in career and technical education.

University of Wisconsin-Stout fit her needs, providing flexibility for Correll, of Franklin, to move her career forward.

“It was exciting for me to return to school,” said Correll, who earned her undergraduate degree in family, consumer and community education from UW-Madison in 2011. “I was ready to venture into the next season of my career. I was excited for the next step and ready to jump into a leadership role. A master’s in career and technical education was a clear path for me, given my background as a CTE instructor.”

Correll taught family and consumer science education at Greendale High School in Greendale for nine years. Before she finished her master’s, she was hired at the Cooperative Educational Service Agency Dist. 1 in Pewaukee as the CTE coordinator.

Kayla Correll and her two children, Charlie and Chloe. / Contributed photo

CESA 1 serves 45 school districts in southeastern Wisconsin. In her role, Correll writes the Perkins Grant for a consortium of 20 districts. The grant provides funding for CTE curriculum, helps with data reporting on CTE pathways to the Department of Public Instruction and facilitates professional development for CTE educators in southeastern Wisconsin.

Correll graduated on Dec. 19 from ��Ͽ� after starting the M.S. CTE program in the spring of 2018.

AAFCS national teacher of the year

While earning her master’s she continued working at Greendale High School, served as the adviser for the ProStart Competition team that won the statewide culinary competition in 2019 and 2020 and also had her daughter, Chloe, age 1.

In June, Correll was awarded the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences 2020 National Teacher of the Year award. The group recognized a program Correll started at Greendale that allowed students interested in the hospitality industry to take a series of pathway courses, earn two nationally recognized certifications, earn 12 credits at a local technical college, participate in youth apprenticeships and earn college scholarships through state and national culinary competitions.

Kayla Correll / Contributed photo

��Ͽ� has a School of Hospitality Leadership that offers programs in hotel, restaurant and tourism management, golf enterprise management and real estate property management.

“It was hard to leave my teaching position. I loved Greendale High School,” Correll said. “However, I wanted to continue to move forward in my education and career to be able to effect change in CTE at a regional and state level. I wanted to continue my journey in education, and the program at ��Ͽ� was a great fit for me.”

At ��Ͽ�, the professors in her program created syllabi and explained up front what the learning outcomes and projects would be. This helped Correll stay focused and organized so she could excel while also managing a full-time teaching position and motherhood.

Role model

While she was working on her online master’s degree, Correll said there were times when as a mother she felt frustrated because she was writing a paper for a class that she had to finish and didn’t have as much time to spend with her son, Charlie, age 4, as she wanted.

“In those moments I felt so guilty, but I knew earning my degree would also benefit him in the end,” she said. “I wanted to be a role model for him.”

Correll would envision herself in her cap and gown walking across the commencement stage, knowing Charlie would see her and be proud of her accomplishment.

Even though a virtual graduation was held on Dec. 19 at ��Ͽ� instead of an in-person one because of COVID-19 restrictions, Correll dressed in her cap and gown and took pictures with Chloe and Charlie and posted them on her social media.

“I wanted to show my kids how much we value education and how excited we are about education,” said Correll, whose husband is Zachary Correll.

Deanna Schultz / ��Ͽ� photo

Deanna Schultz, program director for the M.S. CTE program and an associate professor, was a mentor to Correll. “She made a big impact on my education,” Correll said. “She is involved in so many different areas of CTE including at the state level. Her character and leadership inspire me to do more in my field and make an impact like she has.”

Schultz said Correll was an excellent student, very responsible and eager to learn. “She demonstrated characteristics of a quality CTE leader throughout the program,” Schultz said.

The CTE coordinator concentration in the M.S. CTE program is specifically designed with courses that meet the DPI requirements to obtain the CTE coordinator license, preparing graduates to move into positions like the one Correll has at CESA 1, said Schultz, who is also the interim associate dean of the College of Education, Hospitality, Health and Human Sciences.

A large focus of education in Wisconsin is on academic and career planning for students, Correll said. CTE allows students to get experience and learn skills that help them plan their futures. “It’s essential to provide opportunities for high school students that help them prepare for their careers,” Correll said.

Kayla Correll knew she was ready to venture into the next phase of her career, and she wanted a reputable online program to earn her Master of Science degree in correll1.jpg

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Alum named Minnesota career and technical education teacher of the year

powersp — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 18:49:17 +0000

Alum named Minnesota career and technical education teacher of the yearpowersp December 1, 2020

Weiler says ��Ͽ� prepared her to enter the classroom ‘on day one’

Sonja Weiler remembers graduating from University of Wisconsin-Stout and being ready to start her teaching career.

“I felt I was prepared to walk into a classroom on day one,” said Weiler, who earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing education in 1999. “The faculty prepared you to be ready.”

Weiler, of Elk River, Minn., returned to ��Ͽ� earning her master’s degree in career and technical education in 2013.

Earlier this month the Minnesota Association for Career and Technical Education named Weiler, marketing education instructor at Elk River High School, Teacher of the Year.

MnACTE is the state professional association for career and technical education and an affiliate of ACTE, the largest national association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for careers.

Sonja Weiler photo / Courtesy Bella Solle Photography

Nominated by the Marketing Education Educators and MnACTE, Weiler was selected to represent Minnesota. The award recognizes the finest teachers at the middle/secondary school level who have demonstrated innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to the improvement of CTE in their institutions and communities, according to a news release from MnACTE.

The award was presented to Weiler virtually on Nov. 2 in conjunction with the state CTE Works Conference Nov. 3-4.

Weiler, a native of Anoka, Minn., said she was thankful and humbled to receive the award.

Carol Mooney, a professor emeritus and former program director in the Master of Science career and technical education program, taught Weiler as an undergraduate and graduate student.

“Working with students like Sonja is just about the best experience a professor could have,” Mooney said. “Sonja was and is self-directed, engaged and involved in her classes and student organizations. Sonja was and is very pragmatic.

“She’s fun, positive, upbeat and committed to providing students tools to guide them in their career exploration and development. She’s the type of graduate that makes ��Ͽ� Stout Proud,” Mooney said, adding that the award “is a big deal for her and ��Ͽ�.”

Weiler, who has taught marketing education at Elk River High School for 22 years and also advised the DECA organization, decided to become a teacher because she wanted to positively affect youth.

“You’re helping to guide students in future career decisions,” she said, noting with COVID-19 teachers have a greater impact on students’ lives as they help students understand that eventually the pandemic will pass and they must think about their futures. “We’re needed now more than ever. We need to be there for young people to guide them.”

Weiler believes in innovation and entrepreneurship in her teaching.

A project she just completed is the creation of the “Swagon,” a mobile store pulled by a vehicle to sporting and community events. This allows the Elk River High School DECA Depot to reach more customers with their spirit gear, particularly now when schools are closed due to the pandemic.

Her spouse, Rob, is a 2000 ��Ͽ� graduate in what is now known as hotel, restaurant and tourism management. They have one son, Drew, 15.

The future of CTE is bright, Weiler said. Workplaces need the skills taught in CTE classrooms.

��Ͽ� prepares CTE teachers for K-12 school districts through its undergraduate education degrees in family and consumer sciences, marketing and business education and technology education. ��Ͽ� also offers a bachelor’s degree in career, technical education and training, preparing students to teach in post-high school settings such as community colleges, public and private technical colleges and industrial training programs.

The university’s Master of Science in career and technical education is for educators and industry professionals interested in gaining technical skills and advancing their careers. The Doctorate of Education in career and technical education prepares leaders who contribute to the vision, direction and administration of secondary or postsecondary educational programs.

Sonja Weiler remembers graduating from University of Wisconsin-Stout and being ready to start her teaching career. Sonja Weiler

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Professor co-authors textbook on career and technical education

powersp — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 19:36:00 +0000

Professor co-authors textbook on career and technical educationpowersp July 13, 2020

Schultz, with UNLV colleague, writes new chapters on community colleges

University of Wisconsin-Stout Associate Professor Deanna Schultz uses a copy of the textbook “The History and Growth of Career and Technical Education in America” in a CTE issues course she teaches.

When asked by author Howard R. D. Gordon to co-author the fifth edition of the book, Schultz, program director for the ��Ͽ� Master of Science in career and technical education, was thrilled.

The new edition was published earlier this year by Waveland Press Inc., a publisher of college-level textbooks, from Long Grove, Ill. For information about content and pricing go here.

“It is one of those fundamental textbooks that provides background and history in our field,” Schultz said. “It’s been used in classes across the country. I was very flattered when Dr. Gordon asked me to work with him on this. This is the first time it is available electronically as well as in print.”

Schultz met with Gordon in 2017 at a National Association of Career and Technical Education research conference and helped update and write the textbook in 2018.

��Ͽ� prepares CTE teachers for K-12 school districts through its undergraduate education degree in family and consumer sciences, marketing and business education, and technology education.

��Ͽ� also offers a bachelor’s degree in career, technical education and training, preparing students to teach in post-high school settings such as community colleges, public and private technical colleges and industrial training programs.

Life experience helped with writing

Gordon first developed the textbook for his CTE students about 20 years ago. He is a professor and program coordinator of career and technical and postsecondary education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Schultz specifically worked on chapters about the history and trends in community colleges, women in CTE and special populations in CTE. She suggested edits throughout the textbook as well as some of the PowerPoint slides and test banks included. The book includes a resource list of videos and podcasts.

“Dr. Gordon is one of the most delightful people I’ve ever worked with,” Schultz said. “He is caring and very much a mentor.”

Gordon helped her understand the process of writing a textbook and getting it published, Schultz said, noting this is her first book.

“It was so much fun,” she noted. “We teach in the same field. We had great conversations.”

Schultz has taught with the book since about 2007, which helped as she was writing and editing. “I was comfortable with the content,” she said. “It is a great textbook for what we teach.”

She has her doctorate in education with a concentration in community college leadership from Oregon State University, which helped with the chapter on community colleges. Schultz has a Master of Arts in educational technology from the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. Her undergraduate degree is in accounting from the University of Northern Iowa, and she has her teacher certification from UW-Whitewater.

Life experience also helped. Schultz has worked as a high school business education teacher and was a regional career readiness consultant for an Iowa Area Education Agency. She also was a coordinator for Alaska’s statewide tech prep consortium.

“Through various jobs I’ve experienced so many things we have talked about in the book,” Schultz said. “I feel very proud of the work we’ve done. We put a lot of effort into it.”

Her experience at ��Ͽ� also helped inform the book. “��Ͽ�’s history is rooted in career and technical education with its manual training programs and teacher training in manual arts and domestic science, which are now known as technology education and family and consumer sciences,” Schultz said. “This was always in the back of my mind, and I was able to incorporate historical ��Ͽ� photos in the instructor resource materials.”

Book praised by educators

James Greenan, professor and chair of CTE in the department of curriculum and instruction at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., wrote the book’s foreword. “It is a must resource for CTE students, teachers, counselors and administration at all levels (K-12),” he wrote. “As an instructor, I can attest to the book’s effectiveness in graduate-level CTE courses related to masters-, doctoral-, or license-level CTE students. Dr. Gordon and Dr. Schultz have created an exceptional resource for the CTE field through their stellar inquiry and scholarship.”

Cindy Miller, Eastern New Mexico University assistant professor of CTE and director of the bachelor’s applied arts and science program, wrote a review praising the book. “I am very impressed with the quality and depth of information provided,” she noted. “Thank you for producing a book that signifies the importance of CTE in our society today and for years to come.”

CTE is facing a shortage of teachers, the book notes. “The people who choose to be CTE teachers have a passion for teaching a variety of different things,” Schultz said. “They want to make a difference in people’s lives. It takes a lot of commitment.”

Along with the undergraduate programs, the university’s Master of Science in career and technical education is for educators and industry professionals interested in gaining technical skills and advancing their careers. The Doctorate of Education in career and technical education prepares leaders who contribute to the vision, direction and administration of second or postsecondary educational programs.

University of Wisconsin-Stout Associate Professor Deanna Schultz uses a copy of the textbook “The History and Growth of Career and Technical Education in Americ Deanna Schultz

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Speaker: Collective impact leads to community change

powersp — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 15:46:27 +0000

Speaker: Collective impact leads to community changepowersp June 25, 2019

CTE Summit on campus included panel discussion on the subject

Sylvia Cheuy equates collective impact to that of growing a bamboo tree.

The first few years the tree develops a root system so that when mature it can grow many feet in a matter of days.

Cheuy is a consulting director of the Tamarack Institute, a consulting group from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, that helps organizations and citizens equip themselves to make lasting change in their communities.

She was the keynote speaker at the Career and Technical Education Summit held June 20-21 at University of Wisconsin-Stout. The fourth annual summit was created because ��Ͽ� recognized that workforce development and career and technical education needs to be viewed through a wide community lens and through the engagement of many partners.

Collective impact is a cross-sector approach to solving complex social and environmental issues on a large scale.

For success in collective impact, there needs to be a common agenda with continuous communication, and those involved must be willing to collaborate over a long-term commitment, Cheuy said.

“It starts to happen when we all have a say and role to make the goal happen,” Cheuy said.

A panel consisting of groups showing collective impact spoke as part of the summit.

Panelists included Karen Katz, operations lead of the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health; Stacy Eslick, executive director of Reach Higher Wisconsin; Chelsea Powell, deputy director of Higher Expectations in Racine County; Andrea Gabel, director of Sector Strategy Development with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp; KT Gallagher, Dunn County Health Department director; and Cristy Linse, director of the Initiative to Create the ��Ͽ� Center for the Study and Promotion of Health and Wellbeing.

The initiative at ��Ͽ� started about 11 months ago, Linse said. She has had more than 100 cups of coffee as she talks with people and meets stakeholders about the initiative. “Communication is really listening to people,” she said.

The goal of the center is to establish partnerships that increase opportunities for students to engage in applied learning and research and to develop relationships that promote the accessibility and visibility of ��Ͽ� academic programs to the community.

“We have many specialists on our campus, and we want to make sure the community has access to them,” Linse said.

“We always have a next step in our project,” Linse said. “We work together toward that.”

Keeping momentum going is a challenge for collective impact, Cheuy said, noting that working together as a connected force can create community change.

Her company embraces the words of Margaret Wheatley, a writer and management consultant. “All change, even very large and powerful change, starts from very small conversations held among people who care,” Wheatley has said.

UW Stout offers a Bachelor of Science in career, technical education and training, a master’s and doctorate degree in career and technical education. The university also has an Emerging Center for Career and Technical Education Excellence, whose mission is to offer programs and services to support and promote career and technical education in partnership with educational institutions, government agencies, business and industry, other nonprofits and professional associations.

###

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Sylvia Cheuy talks about the collective impact to make lasting change in communities during the ��Ͽ� Career and Technical Education Summit.

A panel discussion took place on collective impact. Panelist Cristy Linse, at right, director of the Initiative to Create the ��Ͽ� Center for the Study and Promotion of Health and Wellbeing addresses the summit.

Panelists speak on collective impact around Wisconsin.

Sylvia Cheuy equates collective impact to that of growing a bamboo tree. sylviaweb.jpg

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