Message from the chancellor

We have adopted the phrase Inspiring Innovation for UW-Stout since it captures the dynamic quality of our past, present and future. So, it is entirely appropriate to adopt the theme for this Outlook publication. It reflects the qualities of our graduates, women and men who have carved out successful careers, who have had an impact on their organizations, their communities and yes, this society. These successes are our successes as they reflect back on us, our programs, our faculty and staff, and the positive learning environment we have established here.

And let me tell you, it’s hard to narrow our story list to just these few pages. But keep your success stories coming. It makes our job producing this magazine harder. And we love it.

In this issue, you will read about two alumni who have achieved an almost rock star quality in their careers — reaching the pinnacle of their professions as leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs and affecting America’s pop culture along the way.

You also will read about alumni developing robotic technology and machine intelligence to keep troops off the battlefield.

On the lighter side, you will read about a couple getting married on our football field, an industrial designer who designed a cake pan for Martha Stewart, a teacher who taught a young Diana Ross, a toy designer who makes action figures, a graduate student who fights forest fires in remote mountainous regions, an author who uses monkey analogies to write about business, an entrepreneur who helped design an online resume builder, a murder mystery party planner and an exotic jewelry designer.

The breadth of your talents amazes me. And I learn from you.

Because we cannot possibly profile all the success stories we receive in just two issues a year, we also are launching an online alumni experts list — so we all can learn from each other. Check out our early efforts. Please contribute your knowledge to it.

I look forward to being inspired by future stories in Outlook as well as our new alumni experts list.

I am proud to serve as your chancellor. Best of luck in all that you do.