MSOE’s Homecoming Weekend brought the campus to life with a vibrant mix of tradition and fun. Alumni, students and families dove into high-energy dodgeball matches, filled sidewalks with colorful chalk art, and raised steins at a lively Oktoberfest celebration.
Dear Alumni and Friends,
As I prepare to transition from President to President Emeritus of Milwaukee School of Engineering, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on the past nine years. Serving as MSOE’s fifth president has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together.
When I arrived in 2016, I was inspired by MSOE’s legacy of academic excellence and hands-on learning. Together, we built upon that foundation with bold ideas and transformative action. From launching the nation’s first undergraduate computer science degree focused on artificial intelligence, to opening the Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall, we positioned MSOE at the forefront of technological innovation.
Our campus has evolved in remarkable ways. We’ve created vibrant spaces for learning and living— Hermann Viets Tower, Mellowes Hall, the Spitzer Dining Commons, and the Welcome Center—all designed to enhance the student experience. We expanded our nursing facilities, built Raiders Stadium and Raiders Field, and established the We Energies STEM Center, ensuring our students have the tools and environment to thrive.
This year, we launched the Next Bold Step campaign, the largest in MSOE’s history. With a goal of $125 million, this initiative will accelerate innovation, support our students and faculty, and bring to life the Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center. I am excited to continue supporting this campaign in my new role, helping MSOE reach new heights.
None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our Regents, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, students, and corporate and community partners. Your passion and commitment have shaped MSOE into the remarkable institution it is today. I am deeply thankful for your support and friendship.
As my wife, Moira, and I step into this next chapter, we do so with confidence in MSOE’s future. The university is in strong hands, and we look forward to supporting and cheering you on as you continue to innovate, inspire and lead.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of this incredible journey. It has been an honor, a privilege, and a joy.
Sincerely,
John Y. Walz, Ph.D. President
“ … Dr. Walz has elevated MSOE’s national pro le, helped instill the MSOE Mindset as a di erentiator for our graduates, and cemented MSOE’s place among the nation’s elite technical universities.”
DR. JAMES C. RAHN, MSOE REGENT AND KERN FAMILY FOUNDATION PRESIDENT
FEATURE
6 Work-in-Progress: Engineering Innovation Center Breaks Ground
Construction began this summer on MSOE’s new Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center, which is part of the university’s Next Bold Step campaign.
14 Extraordinary Together
MSOE celebrates Dr. John Walz and his legacy as the fifth president of the university.
MSOE Space Raiders designed, built and operated an autonomous lunar mining rover to compete at the annual NASA Lunabotics Competition hosted by NASA’s Artemis Program at Kennedy Space Center.
ON THE COVER: President John Walz, Ph.D. and his wife, Moira, made a lasting impact on Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Construction is underway for the Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center (EIC). The building will be home to MSOE’s Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management; Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering; and Mechanical Engineering departments, and the User Experience program. The existing building’s balcony, curved walls and staircase are being removed to prepare it to be attached to the new EIC.
The flagship publication of Milwaukee School of Engineering. With stories inspired by our mission and vision, Dimensions shines a light our students, faculty, alumni and campus events, all while highlighting the values that unite us.
Editor
JoEllen Burdue
Managing Editor
Annette Pirrung
Creative Director
Kristin Dunn
Graphic Designers
Peg Houghton, Marley Mendez
Production Manager
Leigh Ann Hass
Contributing Writers
Seth Corrigan, Jillian Kokott, Greg Off, Rachel Schmidt, Dr. John Walz
Images
Front Room Photography, Dr. Patrick Jung, Make48, MSOE Space Raiders, Greg Off, Ben Paulson, Bryan Pechacek, Jang Vuong, Mollie Zacharias
Use, reproduction or storage of the name, address or other information about any individual identified within this magazine is strictly prohibited and constitutes misappropriation of corporate property.
Address correspondence to Dimensions Magazine 1025 N. Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202 marketing@msoe.edu or (414) 277-7117
FALL/WINTER 2025–26
Volume 40, No. 1
President John Walz to assume role of President Emeritus; Dr. Eric Baumgartner named sixth MSOE president
President John Y. Walz, Ph.D. has announced his retirement and transition from President to President Emeritus of Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Walz is only the fifth president in MSOE’s 122year history and has guided the university since 2016. In his new role as President Emeritus, he will focus his efforts on fundraising and external outreach to support the university’s Next Bold Step campaign and long-term strategic priorities.
As part of a thoughtful succession planning process by the Executive Committee of the MSOE Board of Regents, MSOE Executive Vice President of Academics Eric T. Baumgartner, Ph.D. has been named the next President of MSOE. Baumgartner has served the university since 2017 and will assume his presidency on Jan. 1, 2026. LEADERSHIP
Under Baumgartner’s leadership, MSOE will continue to expand its graduate and continuing education programs that respond to the priorities of the businesses and industries it serves; expand alumni engagement; expand business outreach and partnerships; and continue with initiatives that further strengthen the university’s financial stature.
Turn to page 14 to read more about Walz’s legacy and impact. Inauguration plans are under way for this spring for Baumgartner. Stay tuned to msoe.edu for more information.
MSOE earns accolades
from U.S. News, Wall Street Journal and Forbes
MSOE’s undergraduate engineering programs overall were ranked #9 in the United States in the 2026 U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings. This ranking is one of 11 honors the university received in the annual assessment of colleges and universities.
MSOE’s other national U.S. News rankings include:
• #9 Undergraduate Engineering Programs overall among engineering schools whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s (tie)
• #6 Civil Engineering (tie)
• #11 Mechanical Engineering
• #212 in Undergraduate Computer Science (tie)
• #214 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (tie)
Regionally, MSOE was recognized as:
• #2 in the Midwest (tie)
• #4 Best Value School (Midwest)
• #1 Best College for Veterans (Midwest)
• #2 in Most Innovative Schools (Midwest)
• #7 in Undergraduate Teaching Programs (Midwest) (tie)
• #41 Top Performer in Social Mobility (Midwest) (tie)
In addition to U.S. News, MSOE was named to the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best U.S. Colleges list, affirming its place among the nation’s top universities. In addition to this overall ranking, MSOE stood out in two key categories: #17 in the U.S. for High Paying Salaries and #101 among Best Value Schools. The university also appeared on Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges list for an 18th straight year and was recognized for its business, engineering and nursing programs by Colleges of Distinction.
Dr. Chris GauthierDickey named head of the Dwight and Dian Diercks School of Advanced Computing
MSOE is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Chris GauthierDickey as inaugural Head of the Dwight and Dian Diercks School of Advanced Computing and the Direct Supply Chair of Applied AI and Software Innovation. GauthierDickey brings a distinguished record of academic leadership, research innovation, and a deep commitment to excellence in computing education.
In his new role, GauthierDickey will lead the school’s strategic initiatives, including expanding applied AI education, strengthening industry partnerships and enhancing experiential learning opportunities. He will also oversee the continued development of MSOE’s high-performance computing infrastructure, including Rosie, the university’s NVIDIA-powered supercomputing cluster. GauthierDickey also holds the Direct Supply Chair of Applied AI and Software Innovation, which is funded through a generous philanthropic gift from Regent Bob Hillis, his wife, Jenny Hillis, and Direct Supply.
#9 Undergraduate Engineering Programs in the U.S. (tie) - U.S. News, 2026
GauthierDickey has outlined an ambitious vision for the Diercks School of Advanced Computing to support MSOE’s goal of being a national leader in applied AI education. Key initiatives include integrating AI across all university disciplines, providing handson experience with advanced GPU clusters like Rosie and strategically hiring to build AI expertise.
Previously, GauthierDickey served as chair of the Department of Computer Science in the Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Denver.
EXPANDING OUR REACH
New articulation agreements offer expanded transfer pathways
MSOE has long established partnerships with area community and technical colleges to offer a smooth transition pathway into its majors through various articulation agreements. Building on those relationships, MSOE has recently introduced guaranteed admission agreements: new pathways that provide students with even greater clarity and assurance as they plan their next steps.
Some of MSOE’s newest partner schools include:
• College of Lake County (Illinois)
• Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC)
• Madison Area Technical College (Wisconsin)
• Western Technical College (Wisconsin)
Students earning an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate in Engineering Science (AES) from these partner institutions can seamlessly transition into MSOE’s bachelor’s degree programs in computer science, electrical engineering, software engineering and mechanical engineering.
“These agreements give students a clear, streamlined path to MSOE, helping them transfer with confidence, stay focused on their goals, and take advantage of all that MSOE has to offer,” said Dr. Kelsey Johnson, director of academic partnerships.
MSOE.EDU/TRANSFER
Dr. Richard Galling ’75 appointed chair of MSOE Board of Regents
MSOE Regent Richard Galling has been named chair of the MSOE Board of Regents. Galling is president emeritus and senior advisor to Hammes Company Healthcare LLC, which he co-founded with John Hammes in 1992. The company is the nation’s leading health care facility development and project management company.
Galling received a B.S. in Architectural and Building Construction Engineering Technology and Honorary Doctor of Engineering from MSOE and is a licensed architect and Professional Engineer in Wisconsin. Galling is a board member and chairman of the development committee for the Three Harbors Council of Scouting America and has served on the board of the Milwaukee Rescue Mission for the last nine years and as president. Galling was named an MSOE Corporation member in 2013, and became a Regent in 2015.
MSOE also welcomes Dr. Joseph Rencis ’78, ’80, professor and associate dean of the School of Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide, and Rebecca Seidel ’93, senior vice president and president of the Cardiac Ablation Solutions Operating Unit at Medtronic, to the Board of Regents, and Matthew Olsen ’11, managing director at Mesirow Financial, to the Corporate Board.
MSOE.EDU/NEWSROOM
Largest incoming class in MSOE history welcomed to campus
854 incoming students were welcomed to campus this fall to start their MSOE journeys. This signified the largest incoming class size in MSOE history. With the largest class, the demand for MSOE housing was at an all-time high. This, coupled with a greater desire to live on campus by upperclassmen, led MSOE to partner with nearby apartment complex Juneau Village Towers to offer housing to students. Juneau Village Towers is a 27-story apartment building located east of Raiders Field and five minutes from campus.
ENGINEERING INNOVATION CENTER BREAKS GROUND WORK-IN-PROGRESS:
Construction is o icially underway on the new Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center.
The new building is a centerpiece of the Next Bold Step campaign to support MSOE’s mission of becoming the national leader in applied artificial intelligence education. The Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center is scheduled to be completed ahead of the fall 2027 semester.
To kick off this new development, MSOE hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking on Saturday, July 12, 2025 during its annual Summer in the City alumni reunion weekend. More than 100 MSOE alumni, Regents and dignitaries attended the groundbreaking, marking the first of many bold steps.
Dr. John Walz, MSOE president, kicked off the groundbreaking and was followed by remarks from Dr. James C. Rahn, past chair
of the MSOE Board of Regents and president of the Kern Family Foundation; Dr. Dwight Diercks ’90, MSOE Regent and senior vice president of software engineering at NVIDIA; and Ruth Dobberpuhl, MSOE mechanical engineering student. Dobberpuhl spoke as a voice for MSOE students and shared her excitement for a place to connect with her peers.
“MSOE engineering students need a space that encourages collaboration, supports hands-on learning and reflects the innovation happening here every day,” said Dobberpuhl. “We need study areas that are comfortable and functional, labs that are equipped for the challenges of tomorrow, and modern features that support the way we learn, build and grow. The Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center turns these needs into reality. It will create an environment where students can connect, explore and solve problems together.”
The Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center will be located at the corners of Milwaukee and State Streets on MSOE’s campus in downtown Milwaukee. The new facility will be connected to
Clockwise, from top right: MSOE Regents and dignitaries broke ground for the new building; Dr. James C. Rahn, Dian and Dr. Dwight Diercks, and Ruth Dobberpuhl; former location of the Photonics and Applied Optics Center in the Science Building; the exterior of the Science Building and Engineering Center is being prepared for the new building to be built and connected.
The Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center will be funded entirely through philanthropy as part of the Next Bold Step campaign. As of Nov. 10, $64 million has been raised toward the $76.5 million needed for construction.
nextboldstep.msoe.edu
the Allen-Bradley Hall of Science and the Fred F. Loock Engineering Center, bringing MSOE’s engineering disciplines together under one roof. The facility will promote innovative modes of education and support the growing needs of MSOE’s students.
Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors serves as the project developers and VJS Construction is the construction manager.
Official construction began in September 2025. The first phase included demolition activities on the north sides of the existing Fred F. Loock Engineering Center and Allen-Bradley Hall of Science. The fourweek demolition phase included interior wall demolition on the ground, first and second floors, mass demolition of the north side of the buildings, and exterior demolition of the patio. This demolition makes way for the construction of the new building. []
INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT’S NEXT ON THE CONSTRUCTION FRONT? FOLLOW ALONG AT MSOE.EDU/CONSTRUCTION TO READ CONSTRUCTION UPDATES AND SEE A LIVE WEBCAM CAPTURING THE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY.
GALACTIC GLORY
Space Raiders shoot for the moon at NASA Lunabotics Competition
MSOE Space Raiders reached for the stars at the annual NASA Lunabotics Competition hosted by NASA’s Artemis Program at Kennedy Space Center. The nationwide competition invites top university teams to design, build and operate autonomous lunar mining rovers that simulate real-world excavation tasks critical to establishing a sustained human presence on the moon.
In the qualifying round, they earned 10th place out of 36 teams and advanced to the finals. “We went into the competition with our goal being top ten,” said Ruth Dobberpuhl, president of Space Raiders and mechanical engineering student. “The entire team was ecstatic when they announced MSOE’s position, even other teams and judges were excited to hear our progress over previous years.”
In the finals at Kennedy Space Center, the MSOE Space Raiders were recognized for being among the highest power efficiency in the competition and receiving the top score on their project management plan.
“Overall, we faced lots of setbacks during the competition, but we worked through them and reached our goal,” said Dobberpuhl.
The MSOE Space Raiders delivered one of their strongest performances yet in the 2024–25 season. Their rover received recognition for its advanced dust ingress mitigation and robust energy-efficient design. MSOE also received high marks in systems engineering and project management. The season not only demonstrated the team’s technical excellence but also reinforced their reputation as a leading force in student-led space innovation.
MSOE Students compete at Make48’s Women in STEM event
Four MSOE students had the opportunity to compete in Make48’s first-ever Women in STEM event. The all-female challenge brought in teams from across the U.S. for a weekend of rapid ideation and hands-on prototyping, all completed within a 48-hour period.
MSOE’s team Raiders in Construction—Olivia Beals, Amelia Brandt, Tahlia Fish and Alexis Fleegel— competed at the Kansas City Art Institute along with six other teams. The four students are also members of MSOE’s student organization Women in Construction.
The challenge theme for this first-ever event was “The Great Escape.” Teams were tasked with designing creative and functional solutions to make the ultimate “she shed” experience. The teams had access to expert tool technicians along with hightech equipment for building their prototype.
Raiders in Construction had to create a sales sheet, produce a one-minute marketing video and pitch their idea to a panel of judges along with their completed prototype. Although the team
did not win, they learned valuable skills that are applicable to their education and experiences
Students make waves at the annual Fall Career Fair
More than 1,900 students lined up outside of the Kern Center to meet with employers and universities at the Career Fair in October. Over the course of the two-day fair, 340 companies set up shop to discuss internships, co-ops, full-time jobs and graduate school opportunities with students.
AROUND CAMPUS
MSOE students use AI to create man-made glaciers
Computer science and machine learning students
Ben Paulson and Brett Storoe traded in their laptops for snowmobiles in Santiago, Chile over the summer. The two saw their project come to life by witnessing the ice stupas they helped form with the power of AI through a partnership with Nilus, a Chilean-based startup dedicated to the conservation of water resources by utilizing AI to bring back glaciers.
The Nilus Project is focused on restoring highmountain ecosystems by creating ice stupas. Ice stupas are conical, man-made glaciers that are used for storing winter water. They are formed by channeling water from higher altitudes through underground pipes, and then sprinklers spray water into subzero air to create these ice formations. In the summer when water is scarce, the ice melts to increase water supply for communities. The project is a nature-based solution to combat the effects of climate change.
An MSOE AI Club research group comprised of Sydney Balboni, Thomas Benzshawel, John Cisler, Paulson and Storoe created an algorithm
that can efficiently determine where glaciers could be built across Earth. This algorithm utilizes weather data to know when to open the sprinklers for optimal glacial growth. The group also created a customized Swarm RAG approach that allows meteorological experts to analyze changing weather data over years of large datasets.
During their summer trip in Chile, Paulson and Storoe visited the Nilus office and spent a day hiking and snowmobiling to see the ice stupas they had spent so many hours working on and had previously only seen as photos and data sets.
“It was surreal,” said Paulson. “The scale hits you—eight towers of ice, each 4–5 stories, with the constant hiss of the sprinklers. After a year of screens and plots, it was a reality check in the best way.”
This rewarding experience was fueled by MSOE courses and opportunities that prepared the AI Club research group to tackle the project.
“MSOE classes prepared me for this work by staying grounded in hands-on examples. We all felt well-prepared for these challenges given the labs and open problems we tackled each week across all our classes and the Deep Learning track,” said Paulson. “I’d say the most important aspect of MSOE’s culture is encouraging this type of work. Professors always encourage going the extra mile with projects outside of the classroom, and they even aid students pursuing these interests.”
Storoe and a new AI Club research group are continuing work on this project.
Faculty/staff achievements
Sheku Kamara ’00, Applied Technology Center, was inducted into the 2025 TCT Hall of Fame.
Dr. Ahmed Sayed, Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, received the 2025 Karl O. Werwath Applied Research Award.
Sarah Stelsel, STEM, won STEM Forward’s 2025 Excellence in STEM Award – Individual for her work to develop innovative, hands-on programs at the We Energies STEM Center.
Dr. Chris Taylor, Diercks School of Advanced Computing, assumed the role of chair of the ABET Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC) at the annual meeting. He also received the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB) Fellow Award.
Dr. Gerald Thomas, Diercks School of Advanced Computing, developed Introduction to Decision Process Theory, a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), with Wolfram Technologies.
Dr. Wujie Zhang, Physics and Chemistry, was re-elected as chair of the City of Milwaukee’s Board of Health.
Record-breaking Welcome Week
Welcome Week was one for the record books! The class of 2029 is MSOE’s largest incoming class to date with 854 students from 35 states and 22 countries! About half of the class (51%) is from Wisconsin, 21% are student-athletes and 321 of them are Project Lead The Way (PLTW) students. MSOE welcomed these new students to campus with a variety of Welcome Week events, including a carnival, bingo, a beach day, tie dying, Y2K night on the ice rink, game night, and a bonfire featuring a concert from student bands the night before classes started.
AROUND CAMPUS AT THE
Dave Clay’s Industrial Atmospheres
Jan. 16 – April 26, 2026
Gallery Night Opening, Jan. 16, 2026, 5–9 p.m.
Artist’s Talk at 7 p.m.
Milwaukee native Dave Clay is an artist, software architect, engineer and musician. Now hailing from Seattle, he works in a variety of media including digital collage, metal, large-scale interactive sculpture and painting. Among his diverse body of work, Clay’s industrial landscapes stand out as particularly novel and captivating. Though he works in a high-tech field, he is both drawn to and moved by the most elemental of industrial processes.
Clay’s industrial paintings are at once exquisite, shadowy and other-worldly. They provide a virtual sensory experience, in which we not only see, but can almost feel the heat and smell the steam and smoke of the mills, foundries and forge shops he captures. These industrial landscapes and interiors provide an amazing opportunity for the Grohmann Museum and its patrons as a compelling start to the 2026 exhibition season.
“My industrial landscape paintings portray altered and atmospheric visions of real steel mills and furnaces,” said Clay. “The subjects of these paintings are the strange and beautiful machines at the foundation of our modern society. The paintings evoke the heat of molten metal at the heart of the steel mill, a place alien in complexity yet a fundamentally human construction. I want to give my paintings the weight and physicality of heavy industry while elevating the ethereal quality of these chaotic, living foundries.”
Wilkommen
AI IN ACTION
Interns create efficient processes with AI at Husco
Reagan Burkemper, junior computer engineering student, and Evan Schubert, senior computer science student, spent the summer applying their artificial intelligence (AI) skillsets during their internships at Husco, a company specializing in hydraulic and electro-mechanical control systems for the automotive and off-highway equipment industries.
Over the course of the 12-week internship program at Husco, Burkemper and Schubert tackled projects that utilized AI to streamline processes. Schubert was tasked with creating a chatbot that generates recommended solutions for technicians. Previously, technicians and operators needed to manually go through logs to determine how to fix issues. Now, they can get their answer in seconds with the chatbot.
“Technicians can go into this chatbot and say ‘Hey, I’m at this production line, and I’m having problems with this object,’ and then enter a short description of the exact problem the production line is having,” explained Schubert. The chatbot then searches the database to find the most relevant maintenance logs that have already been solved and generate its recommendation to fix the issue at hand. “It’s going to help save a lot of time without having to manually go through that database.”
Burkemper’s project also provides a time-saving solution with the help of AI.
Each month, her colleague receives an excel file spanning nearly 3,000 rows and 56 columns detailing warranty claims. Burkemper worked on training an AI model that sifts through all the data and predicts the failure code and settlement amount while cleaning up the data to make it easier for her colleague to work with.
“I really liked my Husco internship,” said Burkemper. “It was a lot of freedom, and I really liked that I got to figure out projects myself.”
Left: Blooms II, 2025, Oil on panel, 24 x 36 in.
Below: Rolling Mills, 2023, Oil on panel, 24 x 24 in.
Left: Dr. Eckhart Grohmann (center) enjoyed a visit with Hessen Cultural Minister Timon Gremmels (left of Grohmann) and other representatives from Germany.
Senior Evan Schubert (left), computer science student, and junior Reagan Burkemper, computer engineering student, put their AI skillsets to work at their Husco internships.
Extraordinary Together: Celebrating the Presidency of Dr. John Walz
fter nearly a decade of transformative leadership, Dr. John Walz is retiring as president of Milwaukee School of Engineering, leaving behind a legacy defined by innovation, collaboration and student-centered progress, he will next serve the institution as President Emeritus.
From day one, Walz’s focus was clear: elevate MSOE while staying true to its mission. Early in his presidency, he collaborated with a cross section of faculty, staff, alumni, Regents and students to launch a bold strategic plan that laid
the groundwork for what would become a period of unparalleled growth. From new degree programs to state-of-the-art facilities, Walz’s vision propelled MSOE into national conversations around academic excellence and innovation.
“Building on the presidents who preceded him, Dr. Walz has elevated MSOE’s national profile, helped instill the MSOE Mindset as a differentiator for our graduates, and cemented MSOE’s place among the nation’s elite technical universities,” said Dr. James C. Rahn, chairman of the MSOE Board of Regents and president of the Kern Family Foundation. “He has transformed MSOE’s campus and culture, and his impact can be seen and felt across the university. Certainly, the physical campus has been greatly improved but even more important has been Dr. Walz’s commitment to building a culture of trust, collaboration and belonging between and among leaders, faculty, staff, alumni, and students.”
Walz says his proudest accomplishments fall into three areas: developing the institution’s comprehensive strategic plan, Extraordinary Together; spearheading campus enhancements that directly benefit student outcomes; and building a leadership team he describes as “talented
and committed.” As he prepares to pass the torch, he’s confident the university is in strong, capable hands.
Among his most notable accomplishments was the creation of a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a focus on
“Dr.
Walz has elevated MSOE’s national profile.”
DR.
JAMES C. RAHN, MSOE REGENT AND KERN FAMILY FOUNDATION PRESIDENT
artificial intelligence. At the time, this made MSOE one of only two institutions in the nation, alongside Carnegie Mellon, to offer such a program at the undergraduate level.
To support this degree, broader technological growth and MSOE’s goal to be the leader in applied artificial intelligence education, Walz collaborated with alumnus Dr. Dwight Diercks ’90 to develop the Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall. This cutting-
edge academic space opened in 2019 and now stands as a centerpiece of MSOE’s AI-forward curriculum. That curriculum began with the computer science bachelor’s degree and has quickly grown to include graduate and undergraduate programs in machine learning, AI and analytics in business strategy, cybersecurity, data science, AI for emerging applications, and a broad array of professional education courses.
Under Walz’s leadership, MSOE’s campus underwent a dramatic transformation. Signature projects include Diercks Hall, the Spitzer Dining Commons, the Welcome Center, University Terrace, Raiders Stadium, Raiders Field, We Energies STEM Center at MSOE, Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music, the expansion of the Ruehlow Nursing Complex, and the transformation and expansion of two residence halls (Hermann Viets Tower and Mellowes Hall) that reimagined student housing with modern, inclusive design and living-learning communities.
Dr. John Walz joins MSOE alumni cheering on the Milwaukee Brewers during the annual spring training tailgate in Arizona.
Dr. John Walz and Moira, his wife, in the Mozee Motorsports Formula Hybrid Team car.
Dr. John Walz and MSOE Regents Dr. Kathy Ruehlow ’72 and Dr. Kendall Breunig ’79 get ready to cut the ribbon at the dedication of the Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music.
“While I think the campus looks much better, what I really like is that all of the projects were designed to either expand our academic offerings or better attract and support our students,” Walz explained. “For example, one student told me that the reason he came to MSOE was because of Diercks Hall.”
“ The future of MSOE is extremely bright. It has been a true honor serving as president of this great institution.”
DR. JOHN WALZ
At the heart of each initiative, Walz prioritized inclusion and belonging to ensure students felt a strong sense of community across campus. This has been true since day one, when he named increasing the number of women in engineering as a key priority during his inauguration speech. He worked to expand cultural programs, multicultural affairs, women’s athletics teams and music programs. His vision became a reality in 2024 with an incoming class of 35% female, marking an all-time high for MSOE.
Walz’s time in office wasn’t without challenges. Like leaders around the world, Walz faced the unprecedented disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was incredibly difficult, especially for a university like ours that is built on handson education,” he said. “But it clarified our priorities: protecting our community
came first.” He recalls being moved by how quickly faculty and staff came together to ensure both safety and academic continuity. “It really gave me confidence that there was no challenge too big for us. As the title of our strategic plan says, we are truly extraordinary together.”
When asked to reflect on moments that illustrate what MSOE means to him, Walz shared two stories.
“Not long after I started, I attended an athletic event in the Kern Center and was introduced to a recent engineering graduate who had played on one of our varsity sports teams and was working for a local company,” Walz said. “When I asked how things were going in the working world, her answer was ‘Are you kidding? If I can make it through MSOE, I can do anything.’”
“The second moment really speaks to how people view our graduates. It was a remark made by former Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett who said whenever he had a meeting to address a problem in the city, he always felt better when there was an MSOE graduate at the table,” said Walz. “Both conversations helped me understand what this place is all about.”
Of course, not every memory is tied to academics or leadership. Living on campus with his wife and daughter provided its own share of lighthearted moments. “I
remember the time our Ring camera caught someone wearing a deer head—they’d clearly had a lot of fun at a Bucks game— swaying at our back door, lost,” he laughed. These moments, he said, reminded him that university life is full of surprises.
As Walz transitions into the role of President Emeritus, he’ll remain involved with MSOE. His focus over the next 18 months will be supporting The Next Bold Step, the $125 million fundraising campaign aimed at accelerating innovation across MSOE. In March 2025, Walz helped launch this campaign, which is anchored by the $76.5 million Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center and supports the new Dwight and Dian Diercks School of Advanced Computing, student scholarships, faculty development, and more. Groundbreaking for the Engineering Innovation Center was held in July, with completion expected by fall 2027.
“I am really looking forward to this as we have an incredible group of alumni and supporters. It’s always a joy engaging with them about MSOE,” he said.
Walz is also committed to supporting his successor, MSOE’s Executive Vice President of Academics, Dr. Eric Baumgartner, whom he describes as “an outstanding choice.”
“I will provide whatever support Eric needs,” Walz said. “The future of MSOE is extremely bright.”
“It has been a true honor serving as president of this great institution for the past nine-plus years. Everyone, from Regents and administrators to faculty, staff and students, has been incredibly supportive of me and my wife, Moira.”
With a legacy built on vision, collaboration, and an unwavering belief in MSOE’s mission, Walz leaves a university transformed, and poised for even greater things to come.
WATCH A RECORDING OF DR. WALZ’S LAST LECTURE AND SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM HIS TIME AT MSOE AT MSOE.EDU/PRESIDENT-WALZ
Senior design project keeps cycling racers safe
Bike races are one of Wisconsin’s many staple summer activities. Tour of America’s Dairyland (ToAD) is an entity that hosts 11 competitive cycling events in the state of Wisconsin each summer. For each race they host, ToAD puts up several hundred metal barriers that separate pedestrians from riders. Often times the barriers become misaligned, and they can turn into dangerous, blunt objects that pose a risk for cyclists traveling near them at high speeds. ToAD approached MSOE and asked for a senior design team to help solve this issue.
Mechanical engineering seniors Hoyt Leitzke, Collin Bergerud and Jason Graham were up for the challenge.
The team set out to find a barrier solution that was cost effective, simplistic and prioritized rider safety. After researching different avenues and consulting MSOE faculty on different design iterations, they came up with a plastic connector that keeps the race barriers connected, reducing the risk of exposed, sharp edges.
“Early prototypes were made via additive manufacturing by 3D printing with TPU,” the team explained. “We moved on to 3D printing molds of the part to pour silicone of different ‘Shore A hardness levels,’ which is how squishy it is, to find the right balance of rigidity and cushion.”
The team created a test method to gauge the safety of the different solutions they developed to enable them to have quantitative results to show which design was the best overall.
“My favorite part of this project was testing the prototypes. It was so assuring to be able to see that the engineering time we put into developing the product was paying off in a meaningful way,” said Bergerud.
The project was well received by ToAD and USA Cycling, who are interested in testing the prototype in actual races this summer. The group is hoping to get their design patented. “Our next steps are to follow through with filing a patent so our intellectual property is protected and can be shared to get more traction and business moving forward.”
This plastic connector designed by mechanical engineering seniors keeps bike race barriers in place.
From classroom to community: servantleadership at MSOE
Gene Wright, assistant professor in the Rader School of Business, has been named the next Pieper Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Servant-Leadership at MSOE. “My responsibility is to encourage and promote the preparation of future Servant-Leaders for service in their professional and personal lives,” said Wright. To that end, Wright pledges to integrate the servant-leadership mindset into the MSOE student experience through workshops, roundtables, project-based experiential learning and other events on campus and in the community. He is also committed to working closely with the Wisconsin Servant Leadership organization.
This fall, MSOE was proud to host Milwaukee City Wide in partnership with Wisconsin Servant Leader. This biannual gathering is designed to create spaces for leaders from all walks of life (business, education, nonprofit and community) to reflect, learn and lead by serving. Featured speakers included Annmarie Baumgartner (pictured above), Greater Milwaukee Foundation; Tim Hanley, Deloitte; and Rachel Hunter ’20, Husco.
COLLABORATION ABROAD
MSOE faculty travel to India
Drs. Olga Imas ’99, Patrick Jung and Kelly Ottman traveled to India this summer where they focused on teaching, faculty development, research and developing relationships. The group visited and networked with the Hyderabad Institute of Technology and Management (HITAM), exploring potential future collaborations between MSOE and HITAM.
Imas, director of applied AI education and professor, taught an introduction to AI course to a group of 180 third-year computer science students. The course covered the history of AI, fundamentals of machine learning and deep learning, generative AI, ethical considerations, and approaches to how AI systems reason. The experience offered meaningful conversations with HITAM students about the future of AI, international career opportunities and interview preparation.
Jung, a professor in Humanities, Social Science and Communication, conducted interviews with several people at HITAM and gained a deeper understanding of the culture and society of India. He plans to incorporate these interviews in his Cultural Anthropology course at MSOE.
In addition to time spent at HITAM, Ottman, professor, Rader School of Business, led a two-day Leadership Summit for the Indo Universal Collaboration for Engineering Education (IUCEE) in Goa, India. Over 120 university owners and leaders participated, including 30 engineering focused universities, who brought their top leadership teams to participate in experiential learning focused on faculty/staff and student engagement.
A FOOT IN THE DOOR
Milwaukee high school students gain familiarity with MSOE through internship program
Students at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School are getting first-hand experience at MSOE. The school’s Corporate Work Study Program allows students to spend one school day a week at partner companies across Milwaukee. MSOE has participated the past two years supporting four students each year across multiple departments on campus. Students range from freshmen to seniors in high school.
Rafael De La O Jr., (pictured above) a freshman software engineering major, spent his senior year work study at MSOE supporting the Raider Shop. His experience taught him about the retail world and how a university bookstore operates. De La O’s tasks included stocking the store, completing inventory and working the store floor. He was already interested in attending MSOE and his experience through the work study program solidified that for him, including getting hired on as a Raider Shop student worker.
“At first, I was really nervous just because it was a new environment but now working here as a freshman, I feel like I’ve had a head start,” said De La O. “Knowing the area made me feel more comfortable early on before I knew I even wanted to come here. Right away they [Raider Shop staff] all came to me and helped me out whenever I had a question or needed help with anything and they’ve just been so nice to me since my first day.”
Dr. Olga Imas is joined by her “Introduction to AI” students at HITAM.
Oliver O’Hagan becomes an official Raider at his signing ceremony.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE ON THE ICE
Men’s hockey supports the community
In addition to their practices and season preparation, the MSOE men’s hockey team is taking extra time to support the community during the preseason.
The team added six-year-old Oliver “Ollie” O’Hagan from Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, as an official member of the team. MSOE partnered with Team IMPACT, an organization that matches NCAA athletic teams with children battling serious illness or chronic diseases, to add Oliver to the roster.
Oliver was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia last year. He was joined by his parents, Brittany and Bob, as well as his siblings, Jameson, Beckett and Eleanor as he signed his team contract, got his very own “committed” poster and received his official MSOE hockey sweater.
The entire men’s hockey team and coaching staff joined Oliver and his family for his own personal media day photoshoot after he put pen to paper. He and his siblings posed for photos just like the Raiders do, and spent a day on campus cheering on Raiders Athletics.
“We were very excited to get Oliver and his family involved,” said senior forward and team captain Jack Karges. “There was an obvious boost in energy that day that can definitely be attributed to his presence on the ice with us. It helped us realize that maybe
some of our bad days and the things we may complain about aren’t that much of a struggle at all. It’s inspiring to watch him and his family push through this together and remain positive which really rubs off on our team after getting to know them.”
“The experience of being part of MSOE’s hockey team through Team Impact has been incredibly welcoming and encouraging for our son, Ollie,” said Brittany O’Hagan. “Everyone has treated him like a true teammate and made him feel so special. Last year, when he spent a lot of time in the hospital, he loved feeling the support and love from his hockey team. We’re so thankful to have been paired with MSOE!”
The Raiders also partnered with Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (WASA) and Wounded Warriors Project to host a group of athletes on campus for a two-day adaptive sports clinic at the Kern Center in October.
More than a dozen warriors from Wounded Warrior Project came to Milwaukee to participate in a variety of sports including wheelchair rugby, wheelchair lacrosse and sled hockey. Members of MSOE’s hockey team and WASA took to the ice and joined the athletes in helping them get equipped with their sleds and going through hockey drills.
MSOE sophomore forward Ethan Mann introduced the team to the WASA organization the previous year when they volunteered at a basketball event. Mann had already been involved with the organization since his freshman year of high school.
“We wanted to bring more volunteering opportunities (to our team) and decided to set up an event here at MSOE to try a bunch of different sports,” said Mann. “Being able to create new experiences for people who are trying new sports, being active, trying something they’ve never done before, it’s really awesome to be involved in those first-time experiences.”
Raiders crowned conference champs
Building on their successful seasons, the Raiders men’s cross country and soccer teams claimed conference titles this fall.
Men’s cross country claimed their fifth-straight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Championship behind seven all-conference finishers. Joseph Hillyer was recognized as NACC Freshman of the Year and head coach Bill Massoels earned his seventh Coach of the Year honor.
On the pitch, the men’s soccer team claimed their second-straight NACC Conference Tournament Championship defeating Aurora University 1-0. With the win, the Raiders clinched an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. Four Raiders were named to the all-tournament team including junior forward Nico Picha as Tournament MVP. Seven Raiders were also recognized with allconference honors this season where the team boasted a 14-5-3 record.
SEE HOW THE RAIDERS FARED IN THE POSTSEASON AT MSOERAIDERS.COM
the trophy joined by his teammates.
Forward Jacob Bosse helps guide an athlete through a cone drill.
Two athletes glide on the Kern Center ice.
Men’s cross country poses with their championship hardware.
Senior defender Adrian Manchado hoists
Celebrating Five Years of Impact: MSOE’s We Energies STEM Center
“For us, it was the intentionality of creating a space that addressed belonging, equity and access, and that’s what you see today in this space.” Nearly ten years ago, Patricia Contreras, VP of community impact at Rockwell Automation, and her team were exploring what a community STEM Center in Milwaukee might look like.
Fast forward to today, the We Energies STEM Center at MSOE is flourishing in its fifth year thanks to the generosity of founding partners like Rockwell Automation, We Energies, Northwestern Mutual, American Family, Scott and Linda Haag, Milwaukee Tool, and community and foundation support.
For eighth grader Derick M. Holloway Jr., the STEM Center is more than just a place to build and create 3D models on computers. It’s a unique experience where he and classmates from Blessed Savior East Catholic School can have fun exploring the world of engineering.
“I am thankful for the ability to attend an MSOE workshop with my friends,” said Holloway. “This is a privilege not many middle school students have. I have learned working with a team on engineering projects can really be fun.”
For classmate Marsharee Nelson, it gave her a glimpse at the possibilities of a bright future. “I learned a lot during my MSOE experience. I realized I have the skills and competence needed to be an engineer,” she said.
Both students shared their remarks at the STEM Center’s 5th Anniversary event on Oct. 8, 2025. The event, organized by the Office of University Advancement and STEM Center staff,
included a program and open house centered around K-12 student robotics demonstrations and an interactive STEM on Site class.
The class provided a great opportunity for donors, community members and MSOE staff and faculty to experience the impact a STEM on Site program can have on K-12 students.
“Participants got to take on the role of students by applying the engineering design process to create an automated minigolf hole that could consistently score a hole-in-one,” said Sarah Stelsel, assistant director of STEM at MSOE.
Since opening its doors in 2020, the STEM Center at MSOE has served more than 26,000 students from hundreds of schools,
“I learned a lot during my MSOE experience. I realized I have the skills and competence needed to be an engineer.”
MARSHAREE NELSON, STUDENT, BLESSED SAVIOR EAST CATHOLIC SCHOOL
mostly in the city of Milwaukee.
Many educators from these schools share that the STEM on Site program is their only outof-school STEM experience. An experience that wouldn’t be made possible without the help of private support.
“Nearly half of the students we see will receive a STEM experience at MSOE this year because of philanthropic support,” said Liz Taylor, director of STEM at MSOE.
“These donors share our passion for STEM education and provide the funding where it is needed most for STEM outreach.”
1. Middle school students from Golda Meir showcase their STEM robotics projects.
2. Community members participate in a STEM on Site program.
3. Patricia Contreras, VP of community impact at Rockwell Automation, gives remarks during STEM Center’s anniversary celebration.
4. Elizabeth Taylor, director of STEM at MSOE, shares her appreciation for community support.
James Matejka ’59, ’62
In his final act of generosity, alumnus James “Jim” Matejka ’59, ’62 has left a portion of his estate to MSOE, giving generations of Raiders an opportunity to pursue excellence.
The planned gift of over $750,000 establishes the James R. Matejka Endowed Scholarship and will support students pursuing any engineering discipline at MSOE.
Matejka passed away in April, his legacy revealing a life committed to serving his beloved community and paying it forward to others.
Matejka learned and became interested in the electrical trade from his father, often accompanying him on jobs to run wires through tight crawl spaces. This early experience inspired him to enroll at MSOE in the late 1950s.
While he loved his time as a student at MSOE, his education was nearly derailed by financial struggles at home. Facing the possibility of dropping out, he explained his predicament to MSOE personnel. Their response would shape the rest of his life. He was offered a part-time janitor job on campus. Working after school hours and on weekends, it was enough to pay his full tuition.
After earning several degrees from MSOE, including a certificate for refrigeration service in 1958, followed by an associate degree in air conditioning technology in 1959 and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in 1962, he returned to his hometown of Geneva, Nebraska, doing electrical work with his father. In 1966, they incorporated the family business into Geneva Electrical Co. Inc.
Through the company, Matejka completed several large electrical projects in the state of Nebraska, including the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant near Grand Island and at York University (formerly York College). In Geneva, he did services for the courthouse, several businesses and private homes. He also performed a significant amount of electrical and HVAC work for Fillmore County Hospital.
According to family friends William and Mary Burgess, after his passing, uncashed checks for his service from residents and widows in Geneva were found in his home.
The Burgesses said his reason for giving back was simple and heartfelt: he wanted to “take care of my school like they took care of me.” A fitting legacy for a man who understood that sometimes the greatest opportunity can come from a simple helping hand.
Mark your calendar! MSOE Giving Day 2026 ursday, April 16
FACES OF PHILANTHROPY
Nick Haemel ’02
“My gift is about giving future MSOE graduates every advantage they need to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.”
In the two decades since earning his computer engineering degree, MSOE Regent and alumnus Nick Haemel ’02 remains invested in the future of his alma mater. His most recent commitment supports the new Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center. Haemel and his wife, Anna, will name a space inside the state-of-the-art facility, which is set to open in the fall of 2027.
“The state-of-the-art spaces in this new center will not only improve students’ individual learning experience, but also create opportunities for meaningful collaboration for students in different engineering disciplines. It will support
hands-on experimentation and create an environment where students feel energized to learn,” said Haemel.
Through his role as VP of medical imaging and system software at NVIDIA, Haemel’s work has been instrumental in the development of the first artificial intelligence platform for medical devices, building vision capabilities for autonomous vehicles and developing graphics gaming software stacks such as the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
Over the years, he’s witnessed the incredible breakthroughs being made by MSOE students when given access to innovative spaces that integrate hands-on learning and AI resources like Rosie the supercomputer.
“This progression shows how MSOE’s curriculum and facilities
Campaign Update
As of Nov. 10, 2025, MSOE’s Next Bold Step fundraising total has surpassed $95,033,732 – 76% toward an aggressive $125,000,000 campaign goal.
are empowering students to push the boundaries of what is possible, preparing them to innovate at the forefront of AI in any field they choose to pursue.” Haemel sees this powerful progression growing when the new Engineering Innovation Center opens.
“I’m proud to be supporting this project and excited to give future generations of MSOE students the opportunity to study in a space that matches the excellence of their ambitions.”
If you would like to support the Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center or the Next Bold Step Campaign to Accelerate Innovation, please contact Greg Casey at casey@msoe.edu or visit nextboldstep.msoe.edu.
Recipients of MSOE’s Alumni Awards were celebrated for their outstanding career achievements with a special reception and dinner during Homecoming weekend in October. Congratulations to Dr. Joe Rencis ’78, ’80 (left), Alumni Advocate for Equity and Inclusion; Dr. Travis Thul ’06 (center), Alumnus of the Year; and Eric Gardner ’15 (right), Alumnus of the Last Decade. Read more about our award winners at msoe.edu/alumni-awards.
2000s
D’Mico Johnson 03 MGMT, IT director, Steele Solutions, South Milwaukee, Wis.
Jennifer Nebbia 09 BUS moved halfway across the country and in the process left her role as a business process manager at MolsonCoors. She is now a senior technical business analyst working for NVR Inc. in Frederick, Md.
Five alumni were inducted to the MSOE Alumni Wall of Distinction on Nov. 7, 2025 in recognition of their professional contributions and dedication to their industry. Induction to the Alumni Wall of Distinction is the most prestigious honor alumni of the university can receive. Congratulations to all our recipients! We asked each of them to share how their MSOE education and experience influenced their distinguished careers and success.
Q. What are some key lessons or advice you received while at MSOE that you feel have helped you succeed throughout your career?
KK: I learned at MSOE how to set expectations, establish clear ownership, track milestones and use strong project management to deliver results.
FP: Problem solving at MSOE ingrained in me a process to take the time to understand the
problems, visualize potential solutions and develop those solutions based on a solid understanding of the governing principles.
RB: One of the most important lessons I learned was that the teachers I had were mostly from working industries—less theory and more hands on—this was a great disposition for me personally.
Q. Please share a special memory during your time as an MSOE student.
SH: I have fond memories of playing on the men’s soccer team and spending time with my teammates. The coaches we had were professional soccer players, some semi-pro. This meant I often times ended up organizing practices and served in the role of player-coach. We ended up winning the conference championship in my final year.
RM: One memory that stands out is the intensity and camaraderie of working on challenging projects with classmates. MSOE didn’t just teach us engineering—it taught us how to persevere through difficult problems and support each other through the grind. There were countless late nights in the lab working on our senior design project, troubleshooting stubborn code or hardware issues, where you’d look up and realize you were surrounded by people just as committed as you were. That shared experience created bonds that lasted well beyond graduation.
KK: One of my favorite memories was our senior design project. My team decided to create an encryption device for digital communication using a mathematical formula from chaos theory to make it extremely difficult to decipher. We were so protective of the design that, in our documentation, we stamped “Top Secret” over the algorithm rather than disclose it to our advisor—though we eventually had to share it in order to graduate!
MSOE Wall of Distinction: Meet the 2025 inductees
Pictured, from left: Robert Bettinardi ’82
Raja Mukerji ’98
Keith Kressin ’92
Dr. Frederick Perner ’67
Scott Hoffmann ’88
Q. We’ve heard from our alumni that earning an MSOE degree can be rigorous. What advice or words of encouragement might you give to an MSOE student?
KK: Engineering school is challenging—but so are most worthwhile things in life. The key is to persevere and follow your passion. I firmly believe that anyone who truly wants to be an engineer and is willing to put in the time and effort can succeed.
FP: Focus on the basics and try to get the widest range of experiences possible. I majored in power engineering and ended up with a career making things smaller and faster. Be flexible. Some good advice from Dr. Jorg Raue, one of my MSOE electrical engineering professors: “Continue to pursue your education until someone taps you on your shoulder and tells you have gone far enough.”
RB: Just be studious and go do it. It’s a lot of fun doing something you’re passionate about.
SH: Have a strong work ethic. I really believe this will continue to be a key differentiator for success in the future.
RM: The rigor you’re experiencing isn’t punishment—it’s preparation. Embrace that struggle; focus on understanding, not just completing assignments; build relationships with your classmates; and finally, remember that great engineering is about solving real problems for real people, not just elegant technical solutions. Stay curious about what problems are worth solving, and you’ll never lack for meaningful work.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS YEAR’S INDUCTEES AND THEIR CAREERS AT MSOE.EDU/WALL-OF-DISTINCTION.
Marriages
Megan Fugitt 18 AE got engaged to Gage Wright 19 ME in February 2024 and they were married in September 2025.
Isabel Maier 21 UXCD and Drew Knuth 22 IE were married Sept. 19, 2025 in West Glacier, Mont.
Rebekah Smith 22 BIOE and Kyle Hedblom 23 AE got married Aug. 23, 2025 in Ham Lake, Minn.
Alexander Thuerman 24 EE married Mya, his middle school sweetheart, on Aug. 1 after more than 10 years together.
Births/Adoptions
Quinn Niemczyk 20 NU and Trevor Niemczyk welcomed their second child William Leo on June 10, 2025.
In Memory
Emma Hoffman 46 NU
Pauline (Taylor) Jens 47 NU
Joseph Achtner 50 ACET
Melvin Eggleston 50 NRTT
Roger Kish 50 EE
Arlene (Sobczak) Biedrzycki 51 NU
Dennis Fink 54 NRTT
Richard Kennison 54 NRTT
Grace (Schroeder) Kortman 54 NU
Carole (Rowe) Burg 55 NU
Lois (Jacobson) Dybevik 55 NU
Robert Eliasson 55 NRTT
Nancy (Johnson) Urban 55 NU
Robert Greenblatt 56 ACET
William Conner 57 ME
Willard Doll 57 MET
Allen Kumm 57 EE
Richard Maas 57 MET
Cletus Pollack 57 NRTT
Gladys (Buse) Schroeder 57 NU
Ronald Koenig 58 INDT
John Oellerich 58 NRTT
Marshall Reckard 58 EE
James Steinbruecker 58 NRTT, 59 ACET
Carl Thompson 58 NRTT
William Gehweiler 59 EE
Robert Holly 59 MET
Jacob Kons 59 EE
Rita Lubenow 59 NU
Rachel (Adams) Mantey 59 NU
James Matejka 59 ACT, 62 ME
James Payette 59 INDT
David Stroupe 59 ACT
Alex Wallace 59 ECT, 64 EE, 76 MET
Allan Danner 60 FPET
Sharon Hoffman 60 NU
Joseph Jirsa 60 CT
Kenneth Klauck 60 EE
Karen (Everist) Lewis 60 NU
Jack Rubinstein 61 ME
Mary Ann (Udovich) Vikstrom 61 NU
Thomas Winter 61 ACT
James Borland, Jr. 62 EE
Alan Goodstone 63 EPET
Robert Kimber 63 EE
William Ault 64 EPET, 79 EE
Harry Bryson 65 EE
Norman Roberts 65 EE
Dennis Gross 66 EE
William Mack 66 EPET, 69 EE
Karen (Mueller) Goeglein 67 NU
Gary Henry 70 MET, 72 MET
Aloys Hospel 70 MSEM
Angeline Pence 70 IM
John Safar 70 ME
Dennis Walker 72 EPET, 77 EET
Roy Berndt 73 ICEET
Denise (Rusch) Krowiorz 73 NU
James Krueger 74 EE
Allen Darga 75 IM
Robert Ballard 80 MSEM
Paul Stockus 80 EPET
Caroline Joyce 81 NU
Michael Lentz 81 ABCET, 83 AE
Michael Washelesky 81 ABCET
William Rodewald 93 EET
David Johnsen 07 MSEM
Ryan Marcangelo 21 CM
Joseph (Joe) Meloy passed away on Sept. 7, 2025. Meloy dedicated his life to coaching and mentorship. In 1975, he embarked on his professional journey as MSOE’s director of counseling services, a role he held for 40 years. He also created and led MSOE’s golf program as coach for 46 years. In 1998, Meloy was inducted into the MSOE Athletic Hall of Fame.
Richard Ruth Sr. ’79 CET, ’81 EET, ’85 MSEM passed away Oct. 9, 2025. He was a longtime member of MSOE’s Corporate Board, having joined in 1989, and was recognized as Alumnus of the Year in 1990. He had been VP of RTE Corp-Cooper Power Systems and founded Barre-Ruth Electronics with Waukesha RTE founder Loren Barre.
A CAMPUS TRANSFORMED
The photo at left shows the heart of the MSOE campus when Dr. John Walz became president in 2016. Below, the image from 2025 shows just a portion of the dramatic physical transformation that took place during his tenure, including the expansion and renovation of Roy W. Johnson Residence Hall into Hermann Viets Tower (A); creation of the University Terrace (B); construction of Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall (C); and renovation of the softball field to Raiders Field (D).
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Save the Dates!
We’re kicking off the year with a great line-up of events and hope to see you there! Visit msoe.edu/events.
Jan. 24, 2026 Alumni and Family Open Skate
Feb. 25, 2026 Alumni Milwaukee Bucks Outing
Feb. 28, 2026 Alumni Tailgate in Arizona
April 16, 2026 Giving Day
April 20–25, 2026 A.I. Week at MSOE
April 24, 2026 Inauguration of Dr. Eric T. Baumgartner as Sixth President of MSOE
