ALUMNI & FRIENDS MAGAZINE •SUMMER 2020
HONORING THE CLASS OF 2020:
THE ADAPTERS
ALUMNI & FRIENDS MAGAZINE SUMMER 2020
Contents 1 Letter from the President 2 Hands-on Learning in a Hands-off World 4 Joining the Fight 6 Celebrating the Class of 2020 10 Student Award Winner Profiles 22 The Pioneers: The First Mechanical Engineering Graduates 23 Donor Spotlight: Art Popehn 24 Leading the Way Campaign 25 Calendar of Events Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
PUTTING SAFETY FIRST Electrical students returned to campus in small groups this summer to complete make-up labs in newly configured spaces that allow for social distancing.
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT To the Class of 2020, We’ve never experienced times quite like these. During the past few months, we have seen a global pandemic shut down our world. We have watched as governors across the nation issued Stay at Home orders, closed businesses, and shuttered schools. Throughout higher education, we saw colleges shut down physical campuses and transition to distance education models. These last few months have not only challenged our nation, but impacted the final semester of your academic experience here at Dunwoody.
Graduates, you are finishing your education and entering the field during one of the most challenging environments many of us have ever experienced. Despite all this, I have all the confidence that you will succeed. You’ve already overcome so much. Midway through your final semester, the global pandemic forced Dunwoody to move all of its course work online. That temporary change turned into a semester-long switch as Gov. Walz extended the Stay at Home order. That meant missing the personal connections that comes with being on campus — the hands-on shops and labs and the ability to stop into the Elftmann Student Success Center and hang out with classmates. At the same time, the K-12 system moved to online learning, making many of you stay-at-home teachers and tutors for your children. The economy shut down, and some of your households felt the financial squeeze of layoffs or reduced hours. We all went through an emotional rollercoaster as we had to process daily COVID-19 response updates, infection statistics, the mounting loss of life, and confusing information about the crisis. At the very moment so many of us felt overwhelmed, you stayed committed to your dreams. You endured this crisis and found the fortitude to finish your education — a rigorous Dunwoody education.
STAN WALDHAUSER
This is not the first time Dunwoody alumni have met challenges. Founded in 1914, Dunwoody opened the doors to its current campus in 1917, just as the United States joined World War I. One year later, the Spanish Swine pandemic ravaged our country. After the Roaring Twenties, the nation went into the Great Depression, followed by World War II. During the next several decades, we faced the Korean Conflict, the nuclear arms race, the space race, the Civil Rights movement, and prolonged military action in Vietnam. These and many other events challenged this institution, our graduates, and our nation.
That’s why we all have confidence in you. Everything you did to finish this semester demonstrated the very discipline, dedication, and commitment that have now prepared you for success in a very different and difficult world. Now, the world needs you more than ever. We need you to keep industry moving, to help restart the economy, to fill the talent gap, and to drive growth. We need you follow in the footsteps of the Dunwoody alumni before you and go into the world and help repair what is now broken. To use your education to build a better world. Together we are Dunwoody strong! Together we can build a better world.
Rich Wagner, Ph.D. President, Dunwoody College of Technology
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HANDS-ON LEARNING IN A HANDS-OFF WORLD FACULTY, STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE THEIR BORN TO DO SPIRIT
The results were nothing short of inspiring.
“Faculty and staff mobilized quickly to implement hands-on education in a hands-off world,” Wagner said. “Their commitment to our students and their willingness to find new and innovative ways to deliver a high-quality education in an online world is testament to the Dunwoody difference.”
“The spring of 2020 has been a time in our history unlike anything we have ever experienced before,” President Rich Wagner said. “We have seen incredible tragedy and incredible strength.”
The College leveraged existing technology, including its Learning Management System, to deliver lectures, demonstrations, and one-on-one support, including tutoring, in online formats.
PREPARING FOR CHANGE
Faculty also prepared take-home kits with hands-on labs and activities, allowing students to continue learning by doing even while learning from home.
This spring, the faculty, staff, and students of Dunwoody College of Technology responded to the COVID-19 global pandemic the only way they knew how — by rolling up their sleeves, getting to work, and adapting to hands-on learning in a hands-off world.
In mid-March, in accordance with guidance from the Governor’s Office and the Minnesota Department of Health, Dunwoody made the decision to transition its on-campus instruction to a virtual format.
MARCH
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
COVID-19
Dunwoody then extended its Spring Break by one week, giving faculty and staff time to prepare for the switch to online learning.
“I am so grateful to have a world class group of faculty and staff who are committed to student success and who have worked tireless hours to provide the best possible education experience in these circumstances,” Wagner said.
3/4 Dunwoody activates a COVID-19 response team and begins implementing enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols. 3/12 Dunwoody makes the decision to extend Spring Break through Friday, March 20, and transition to virtual instruction beginning March 23. Travel study is suspended.
3/16–20 Faculty and staff spend the week preparing virtual lectures, building take-home labs and job boards and mobilizing online student support, including tutoring sessions. 3/19 Dunwoody transitions most staff to working remotely and begins conducting all meetings in an online format. 3/20 A project pick-up and drop-off area is installed at the West Entrance allowing students and faculty to complete hands-on projects remotely.
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All of these things allowed Dunwoody students to complete the spring semester on time. “Our students are incredible,” Wagner said. “We realize the challenges they are experiencing. And in this disruptive environment, and with all the challenges confronting them, they committed to stay the course and pursue an education that holds the promise of a job and a great career.”
LOOKING AHEAD At the same time, Dunwoody began preparing for the start of the fall semester and the return to hands-on activities in our labs, shops, and studios in safe and physically-distanced ways. The College is using guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control along with best practices from other colleges and Minnesota companies that are currently at work or preparing to bring their employees back to work.
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All of these things means Dunwoody will be operational and ready on August 17 for the start of the fall semester, with an education experience that will include: • Access to hands-on, in-person instruction in shops, labs, and studios • Distance learning experiences in lectures, supplemented with in-person classes to support students whose learning style fits better with classroom learning • In-person and virtual support for students struggling with topics and concepts to supplement their other courses The campus experience will be different as academic schedules are adjusted to limit the number of people in a class.
Dunwoody’s small class sizes, low student-to-teacher ratios, and large lab spaces gives the College the unique ability to restructure its physical environment in ways that will safely allow for handson activities in small group settings. “We are committed to providing a campus experience that will exceed all safety requirements to ensure we keep our students and employees safe, while still delivering the high-quality Dunwoody education we are known for in the midst of this new normal,” Wagner said. Dunwoody has already implemented new cleaning and sanitization procedures, new in-person protocols, and reimagined its learning and working environments. Enhanced cleaning and safety measures include: • Sealing the floors in areas of the buildings to make them impermeable and easy to disinfect, to prevent the spread of viruses. • Using a new backpack unit to spray a commercial grade disinfectant in all areas of the buildings, including classrooms, offices, labs, common areas, and restrooms. This disinfects the air, which helps kill any airborne virus. • Sanitizing surfaces by wiping down all areas of the building including computers, keyboards, desks, equipment, and elevator buttons on a daily basis. Frequently touched items in common areas are sanitized several times a day.
“The Dunwoody community is certainly living up to its ‘Born to Do’ motto,” Wagner said. “They’ve all taken action, decided to do, to prepare and to be ready for what’s on the other side of this crisis. We’ve been in contact with industry leaders from all of our programs. We continue to hear, jobs will be there. Manufacturing, construction, printing, automotive, computers, healthcare, engineering — all of the programs taught at Dunwoody will be in demand on the other side of this crisis. We remain committed to safely meeting the demand for skilled workers.”
• Installing Plexiglas shields in areas of the building as needed. • Installing touch-free handles at the doors of the West Entrance of the main building.
3/23 Manufacturing faculty and students partner with Eden Prairie-based Stratasys to produce face shields for front line workers in the medical field. 3/26 In response to Minnesota's Stay at Home order, Dunwoody restricts building access to only those with an essential need to be on campus between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
APRIL
• Determining traffic flow to maintain social distancing in hallways and common spaces.
4/1 Dunwoody Admissions launches online videos of Dunwoody’s labs and spaces to allow prospective students to view the campus remotely. 4/3 Dunwoody manufacturing faculty and students surpass 11,500 face shields produced and make plans to build injection molds to produce the plastic head piece as well. 4/3 The Graduation Awards Dinner is postponed.
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“I really think that this project brings out a lot of things that allow us to give our students a more real-world experience, which is really what Dunwoody is all about,“ said Brian Nelsen, Assistant Professor of Machine Tool Technology. “Plus we are getting to do something that really matters during this time.” To start the project, the team first had to develop a fixture plate that they could mount the sheets to, followed by a piece to hold the plastic in place. The students then used the four CNC mills in the College’s Machine Shop to produce the parts, which each took about three minutes to produce.
JOINING THE FIGHT Dunwoody has a long history of finding ways to help during times of need and during this current pandemic the tradition continues. Students and faculty from a multitude of academic programs have found ways to put their talents and skills to work in an effort to make a difference during this time of need.
Robotics & Manufacturing students and faculty partner with industry to make face shields The effort began in mid-March, when Dunwoody manufacturing faculty and students answered a call from Eden Prairie-based Stratasys to help produce face shields for workers in the medical field. The company coordinated the effort, which included more than 150 companies, universities, and even high-school robotics teams. Over the course of the next two months, the Dunwoody crew machined more than 20,000 face shields, which are desperately needed in the fight against COVID-19. “I’m proud of the faculty and students who have stepped up to help produce a piece of safety equipment our medical community so desperately needs,” said President Rich Wagner.
APRIL cont.
The polycarbonate face shields are being sent to hospitals for healthcare workers to use as part of their personal protection equipment.
The support doesn’t stop there. Faculty and students also built injection molds to make the plastic head pieces. This allowed them to produce upwards of 50 per hour. “I want to be a medical mold maker and make things for the medical industry, and this is just starting it a little early,” said student Ethan Miller, Machine Tool Technology.
Designing laser cut masks Members of the Dunwoody Architecture program put one of the College’s laser cutters to good use this spring when they designed a non-medical grade face mask that could be quickly produced in mass quantities. Led by Architecture Program Manager John Dwyer, AIA, the masks were then distributed out for free to organizations such as the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority to help keep residents in our community safe. Thousands of the masks were distributed to organizations in need and used on Dunwoody's campus for visitors who need one.
Faculty member using 3D printing expertise to help health care workers Dunwoody alumna and 3D Printing Adjunct Instructor Jazmine Darden, ’17 Engineering Drafting & Design, has found a way to use her skills and her positivity to help others.
4/8 The College announces its decision to postpone Commencement.
4/17 Dunwoody Student Affairs hosts the virtual dance party Dunwoody@Nite to engage with students and employees in a fun way.
4/9 The Governor extends the Stay at Home order.
4/21 Dunwoody implements new cleaning and safety protocols, including: using a backpack sprayer to disinfect all areas of the building and kill any airborne virus; installing Plexiglas shields in high traffic areas such as the main entrance, the Learning Commons, and IT; installing touch-free handles at the main entrance; and sealing floors to make them easier to disinfect.
4/14 Dunwoody hosts its first virtual Open House.
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For Darden, the project began back in April when she heard about the irritation caused by the masks first responders have to wear for eight to 12 hours a day. “Once I heard about the pain essential workers and front liners were having due to the elastic from medical masks, I knew I needed to help,” Darden said.
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a day, which far outpaces the 300 — 400 she could print in her basement. To pay for the project, Darden turned to GoFundMe to raise the funds needed for the new mold. And by May 1, Darden was able to raise $10,000, which was being used to not only pay for the mold, but also to produce 20,000 more ear savers, which were then donated all across the country. Locally, the ear savers have been donated to Children's Hospital, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, North Memorial Hospital, United St. Paul, Maple Grove Hospital, HealthPartners, Fairview, White Bear Lake Fire Department, grocery stores, and even hair salons. “It brings me to tears to see the generosity of people during these crazy times,” Darden said. “The 3D Printing community, sewers, and crafters have really stepped up to the plate to help out. People have been doing everything they can to donate whatever they can make.” For more information about the project, visit: www.IAMEarHero.com
She then got to work adjusting a design for the ear savers that she could 3D print and then donate to first responders and other essential workers. The ear savers, called I AM Ear Hero, allow people to secure mask around their neck, instead of behind the ears. “After a few iterations of design, I added the ’I AM’ messages on the ear savers to add a little light in this time of darkness,” Darden said. For the past two years, Darden has been spreading positive affirmations through her “I AM” project, which spreads messages such as “I AM GRATEFUL,” and “I AM BRAVE” on things like hats and keychains. Darden posted a message about the ear savers project on April 7 — and the response was instantaneous and overwhelming. “I shared a post with pictures of my ‘I AM’ ear savers and the response has been insane,” she said. “I had no idea there was such a need for them. I have been non-stop running 22 3D Printers in my basement in Minneapolis making ‘I AM’ ear savers.”
MAY
The response was so overwhelming, in fact, that Darden knew she had to find a quicker way to produce the ear savers. So Darden connected with a manufacturer, Taurus Engineering, that could help her create thousands a day through injection molding. Using injection molding will allow Darden to produce 10,000 ear savers
SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT: ETHAN MILLER Ethan Miller understands gratitude. As a past scholarship recipient, he doesn't take the generosity of others lightly. “The gift of a scholarship is not a small thing to me. The support in our education is a testament to the kindness and foresight to better the future.” Your support helps students like Ethan attend Dunwoody, make the most of their education, and use their talents to help others.
5/2 Dunwoody cancels two of its summer camps and makes plans to offer a third in a virtual format.
5/15 Dunwoody celebrates the last day of the Spring Semester.
5/4 The College enters the final two weeks of the spring semester.
5/18 Automotive students return to campus in small groups to complete hands-on labs in a safe, socially distanced environments.
5/6 Dunwoody implements its Preparedness Plan and its Return to Work procedures, covering: cleaning and sanitization, health screenings, Personal Protective Equipment, social distancing measures, communication, and training.
5/19 Dunwoody makes the decision to switch Commencement to a virtual event, planned for July 22.
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Dunwoody College of Technology
CL ASS of 2020
the MAKERS. AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE COLLISION REPAIR & REFINISHING Jonathan Jesus Andrade-Mejia AAS Neil Jin Manke AAS Maurian Misael Perez Gonzalez AAS Joseph Ray Silbaugh AAS Chase Jonathan Vescio AAS Isaiah Matthew Watts AAS
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNOLOGY Nathan Bachman AAS Zachary David Berg AAS Dylan Robert Boyd AAS Jeffrey Allen Demeules AAS† Connor Jacob Evans AAS Carter Christian Green AAS Benjamin John Hannon AAS Carlos Fernando Illisaca Mejia AAS † Steven Michael Jarvimaki Sr. AAS †** Adolphus Curim Johnson AAS Caroline Laura Johnson AAS Michael Allen Kruse AAS Daniel Lopez Mendoza AAS Brady Jerome Oldenburg AAS † Holden James Riippa AAS Jace Alan Ringer AAS Logan Alan Speed AAS David Alan Tinberg AAS Stephen Mathew Christopher Welter AAS
HONDA PROFESSIONAL AUTOMOTIVE CAREER TRAINING Corrado Anthony Cammisuli AAS †** Gregory Hugh Gahr AAS †*** Academic Excellence Award Fabulus T Moor AAS* Matthew Roger Plan AAS**
MOPAR CAREER AUTOMOTIVE PROGRAM William Paul Hoskins AAS Dawson Alan Omlie AAS † Aaron Wade Rivers AAS † Ismael Villela-Rebolledo Jr. AAS †
TOYOTA’S TECHNICIAN TRAINING & EDUCATION NETWORK Quinlan John Burke AAS Kevin Guy Kwan AAS Jason Perez Jr. AAS Ilya Aleksandrovich Petrikov AAS Seth Tyler Ratliff AAS Joshua Sunil Somaiah AAS Anthony Chuan Wang AAS**
BUSINESS APPLIED MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP Eric David Alexander BS †** David James Bergen BS †*** Academic Excellence Award Blake Henry Isetts BS †** Phi Theta Kappa Henry Jensen BS †*** Keith Leo Resch BS
APPLIED MANAGEMENT WITH MIS CONCENTRATION Michael William Hull BS †
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP Bryce John Bachman BS Derek James Fore BS †*** Andrew William Nelson BS †*
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY COMPUTER NETWORKING SYSTEMS Samuel Tedla Abeje AAS † Mohsen Mohammed Abunada AAS Ikran Mowlid Adan AAS Luis Alberto Becerra AAS Jacob Louis Besser AAS Theodore Robert Daly AAS* Ewane Nyame Esong AAS Dylan James Fieber AAS Thomas John Firminger AAS Bryson William Garcia AAS** Francisco Jesus Garcia-Jaimes AAS Koua Her AAS Ying Her AAS Jared Andrew Herr AAS*** Ryan James Irestone AAS †** Jacob Anthony Kosobud AAS Devin Spencer Long AAS † Joseph Alan Mako AAS** Dillon Donald Marquis AAS Paul Levente Mezey AAS** Kylan Allen Nelson AAS** Academic Excellence Award Chase Gunnar Olson AAS Reid Derek Olson AAS Sadia Elmi Omar AAS Brandon Daniel Rankila AAS Jesse Andrew Schloesser AAS*** Alejandro Omar Schwake AAS** Douglas Charles Snyder AAS Ethan Leo Streitman AAS Ryan Alan Switzer AAS Gia Phu Trinh AAS Louis Slater Willette AAS Brett Thomas Williams AAS* Phi Theta Kappa Mason Allen Wolfe AAS**
COMPUTER NETWORKING TECHNICIAN Aaron Burr Barnhouse AAS †** Adrian Paolo Ferrante AAS †** Justin Erin Gamst AAS Brandon Lee Millner AAS † Dario Vicente Ortega AAS † David Paul Tomlinson AAS Phong Xiong AAS Ger Moua Certificate Kyle Daniel Peltier Certificate Charles Robert Tufford Certificate
COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYSIS Sherwin Atef-Vahid BS † Edison Victor Duong BS Doua Her BS † John Thomas Moynihan BS †*** Samual Alan Wolters BS †
WEB DEVELOPMENT Trenton Louis Heille AAS †** Joshua Steven Rogers AAS †** Karen Angela Waldof AAS †**
WEB PROGRAMMING & DATABASE DEVELOPMENT Christopher C. Erickson AAS** Austin Joseph Griebler AAS Weslee Robert Kavanagh AAS William James Keator AAS John Nicholas Kozlak AAS † Nicklas Thomas Lemke AAS Mitchell Antony Marella AAS Will Stephen Pellegrene AAS Ian Joseph Sandigo AAS Elizabeth Ann Selton AAS* Marine Baiphone Sivongsa AAS † Amanda Jean Steinback AAS** Eric Thomas Stober AAS** Ethan Kong Meng Vang AAS
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the ADAPTERS. the PROBLEM SOLVERS.
CONSTRUCTION SCIENCES & BUILDING TECHNOLOGY ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTING & DESIGN Fatima Abdirashid Adam AAS Lubna Adel Ameen AAS Anne Christine Boesen AAS Maria Belle D’Angelo AAS Alisha Mathilda Dranselka AAS* Faiza Ahmed Hassan Duale AAS*** Robert James Durkee AAS* John David Hoch AAS** Corey Mitchell Holleman AAS David Donovan Jensen AAS †*** Tanner Jeffrey Konen AAS* Connor Daniel Kuhlmann AAS Abigail Elaine Kummer AAS*** Jacob Todd Madland AAS Raul Alejandro Navarro AAS Gregory Scott Niles AAS** Benjamin Charles Schuebel AAS Daniel James Shefland AAS John Charles Strawn III AAS** David Paul Thompson AAS*** Endre John Thorkelson AAS Caleb Scott Wessel AAS Huechi Yang AAS Michael Youderian AAS Caleb Jacob Donald Zabel AAS**
ARCHITECTURE Robert Daniel Bacon BARCH† Adam Thomas Booth BARCH †*** Megan Caroline Bur BARCH†** Samantha Lynn Christner BARCH†** Tressa Kay Koukal BARCH† Jacob Alan Larson BARCH †
Samuel Thomas LaSusa BARCH Safa Haroun Mohamed Mustafa BARCH Nicholas Primchan Ramsingh BARCH Nicholas Joseph Schurhammer BARCH Devyn Lee Smoter BARCH†*** Academic Excellence Award Laura Elizabeth Stene BARCH †
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT Jacob Michael Cisar BS †** Kyle Alan Dillie BS Laura Marie Haag BS Marshall James Lang BS Phi Theta Kappa Steven Lowell Olson BS*** Ty Phommachanh BS Anthony Roy-Kenneth Rush BS*** Phi Theta Kappa Alejandro Salcido BS †*** Rion Eddie Tenwah BS Elvis Thao BS Jennifer Lynne Viere BS ††*** Allen Walock BS †** Andrew Ryan Wegner BS Reid Winston White BS
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT Judah Simeon Aos AAS Mathew Warren Bentz AAS* Anthony Wayne Bordelon AAS †* Christian Rae Brooks AAS** Nathan Mitchell Burns AAS* Scott Michael Christensen AAS Spencer Charles Cossalter AAS Matthew Peter Dahlseng AAS Erik Dunn Flanders AAS Tavia Renae Fulliam AAS Allen Philip Giller AAS Aaron Delbert Glass AAS*
John Leo Guild AAS †** Phi Theta Kappa Jonathan Lloyd Haugh AAS** Hunter Blake Hill AAS Oscar John Hipp AAS Gavin Michael Jasmer AAS** Joseph Aloysius Kaeding AAS Evan Joseph Koch AAS Matthew Robert Krier AAS Alexander Lee Kukert AAS Nathan Daniel Lysne AAS Kevin John Maghakian AAS Jacob Randall Mahin AAS*** Alex Wayne McCleskey AAS Kyle Layne McDonald AAS** Nicholas Kelly Nygaard AAS †** Blake Alan Peterson AAS** Philip Gordon Rholl AAS Austin Miles Richardson AAS Braxton Lee Rootes AAS** Dylan Benjamin Scarpone AAS ††** Frances Mary Schmitz-Zweber AAS** Cody Robert Schoen AAS* Paige Justine Schultz AAS Community Service Award Jesse Michael Sherman AAS †** Thiago Adorno Silva AAS** Daniel Allen Stenzel AAS Charity Elizabeth Stevson AAS Nathan Daniel Swanson AAS †* Olivia Irene Taylor AAS Miles Bower Thomas AAS Brennon Carter Van Straaten AAS* Zachary Matthew Workman AAS Olivia Irene Youngquist AAS Joseph Steven Anderson Certificate Nicholas Hagen Anderson Certificate † Anne Nicole Andress Certificate † Zachary Allan Hartzler Certificate Alison Marie Kimber Certificate ††
ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE Dante Leigh Amato AAS Aaron Lee Anderson AAS Cameron Tyler Anderson AAS Michael Archer AAS Charlie Edwin Aucapina AAS Luke David Bogle AAS Gabriella Rose Brune AAS † Alex Raymond Carroll AAS Charles Edward Dolan O’Brien AAS †** Andrew Althouse Duncan AAS Michael Patrick Darrel Engen AAS † Samuel Clark Fellabaum AAS Hunter Robert Forsythe AAS Daniel Anthony Fox AAS †* Elliot Anton Gratz AAS †*** Stephen Patrick Hastings AAS †* Bennett Edward Hatterschide AAS Dylan Scott Hogan AAS Matthew James Hughes AAS †* Benjamin Erik Kampen AAS* Maximilian Wolfgang Kirchdorfer AAS ††** Micah James Lauderdale AAS John Gerald Lechner AAS †* Melinda Elizabeth Lorentz AAS † Kara Louise Lugowski AAS †* Phi Theta Kappa Samuel Christian Miller AAS Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamed AAS River William Morrell AAS Jared Richard Mullen AAS** Michael Joseph Notch AAS Daniel Arnold Nungesser AAS Jack James Olson AAS † Brynn Irene Pavlica AAS Reece David Poppie AAS Joseph Robert Pyne AAS †*** Max Edward Richter AAS † Bradley Robert Sawchuk AAS †***
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the DOERS. Henry Paul Soucheray AAS Wilson Strong AAS Jacob Jerome Sullivan AAS Tyler Johnson Swanson AAS Jacob T Symens AAS † Eric Jonathan Taylor AAS Thomas Steven Taylor AAS Dominic Anthony Uphoff AAS Noah James Zweber AAS
ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION DESIGN & MANAGEMENT Nicholas Michael Haut AAS*** Ian Dominic Herubin AAS Scott William Lohan AAS Robert Lawrence Nelson AAS* Matthew Joseph Powell AAS Samuel C. Ward AAS*** Adam David Wickard AAS Jared Daniel Zeleznikar AAS**
FACILITIES OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT Bradley Andrew Webster AAS †
HVAC INSTALLATION & RESIDENTIAL SERVICE Tyler Thomas Arth AAS Andrew Donald Fischer AAS Kelly James Flack AAS †** Jonathan Michael Gibson AAS †** Jason Michael Hand AAS †* David Daniel Heathfield AAS Elliot Jon Mortenson AAS Alexander Hogan Ruiter AAS Kasey Robert Schroeder AAS †* Alexi Alexander Stampp AAS
HVACR SYSTEMS SERVICING John Mitchel Bengtson AAS †** Jeremy Logan DeClark AAS ††*** Jameika Andrea Hall AAS Erick A. Hanson AAS †*** Academic Excellence Award Tyler Matthew Hummel AAS*** Alexander James Jacobson AAS Richard Johnson AAS Alexander R Newman AAS Cortelle Davis Pletcher AAS*** Nathan Tyler Severson AAS † Ivan William Stohl AAS †
INTERIOR DESIGN Twee Nguyen Andersen BS*** Madison Ann Bickel BS** Samantha Juniper Haak BS** Jacqueline N. Le BS †* Madison Elaine Mitchell BS
Kathryn Jean Reed BS** Kaycee Nicole Ronn BS Holly Yvonne Teipel BS †* Shannon Lee Wakeham BS** Cheyenne Mercedes Wiles BS Shoshana Tisara Yardley BS***
LAND SURVEYING Andrew Hunter Bell Certificate †† Jacob Gene Jirik Certificate Loren Alexander Miller Certificate † Ryan Wayne Ness Certificate †† Alec Christopher Regan Certificate Sasha Rae Schallert Certificate † Van Williams Zelenak Certificate †
SURVEYING & CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Cody Jaymes Meyer AAS Alexander Joseph Prisco AAS** Dillon James Tews AAS*** Collin Jacob Winslow AAS Hazel Annette Lauer Wolf AAS †***
DESIGN & GRAPHICS TECHNOLOGY GRAPHIC DESIGN McKenna Kay Chase AAS Colin Crosby Griffin AAS Casey Stephen Johnson AAS Devin Anthony Quast AAS †** Lucas Aaron Tarr AAS
PRE-MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES George Michael Borja AAS Calvin James Green AAS Elijah Otto Kraling AAS Michele Annette Stenzel AAS †*** Academic Excellence Award Cinthia Npheev Young AAS Madison Lee Zuzek AAS
HEALTH SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY Laura Beth Anderson AAS † Katelyn Elizabeth Ehlen AAS †*** Laurarose Willard Hillstrom AAS †** Shelby Marie Inskeep AAS †*** Academic Excellence Award Brooke Alizabeth Jennings AAS †*** Racquel Autumn Johnson AAS † Patrick David Koalska AAS † Michael Louis Kraft AAS † Giovanna Victoria Kruyer AAS Michelle Ann May AAS †***
Mickie Lynn Meyer AAS †*** Olivia Sharon O’Neill AAS †** Katylia Marie Pennie AAS †** Brandi Lyn Phelan AAS †
ROBOTICS & MANUFACTURING AUTOMATED SYSTEMS & ROBOTICS Justin Nathaniel Benke AAS † Richard Thomas Bennett V AAS Dillon Michael Branch AAS † Christo Dahmen AAS Noah Everette Daigle AAS †* Taylor Edward DuBois AAS Adam Steven Eliason AAS ††*** Liam Thomas Finnegan AAS Stephen Marshall Gates AAS †** Cody Allen Gorr AAS Andrew Mathias Hohn AAS ††*** Academic Excellence Award Talon Gabriel Kilgore AAS Hayley Jo LaZarre AAS † Benjamin Duncan MacGibbon AAS Matthew Robert Macho AAS Hannah Feifei McCormack AAS †* Cameron Steven Nasinec AAS ††** Jacob Carl Place AAS † Joseph Kenneth Shimizu AAS Kyle Richard Siewert AAS Joseph Taylor II AAS Griffin Halvorson Thomas AAS
DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURING 3D PRINTING Stephen Richard Exner Certificate †† Aaron James Frisell Certificate Jacob Joseph Miller Certificate † Ian Dunn Rasmussen Benser Certificate Emaly Frances Rubesch Certificate James Edward Vanderbosch III Certificate † Andrew Gordon VonThoma Certificate
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Tyler David Allen AAS*** Jackson Charles Harrington AAS † Nathaniel John Huspeni AAS** Nathan Hill Lang AAS †** Logan Mark Misura AAS Aaron Ross Pederson AAS* Christopher James Wilken AAS †***
ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY Michael Allen Banaszewski AAS † Ryan Scott Lindgren AAS † Joseph Michael Ryman Sr. AAS †**
ENGINEERING DRAFTING & DESIGN Jesus Alfonso Becerra AAS †* Erich Wilhelm Beckmann AAS †*** Academic Excellence Award Johanna Noreen Knaeble AAS †* Kyle Yue Seng Lee AAS †* Jesse Ray McConnell AAS** Andrew James Nelson AAS †*** Dakarai Trevon Oats AAS †** Ikechukwu James Okafor AAS ††*** Melvric Jay Peterson AAS Adam Henry Plantenberg AAS †** Jared Michael Porter AAS Camilo Enrique Rudolph AAS †* Noah Maxwell Ryan AAS † Taylor Christine Shermach AAS † Dameine Txwv Feej Vang AAS † Kelly Vang AAS †** Adam Patrick Zenk AAS †
INDUSTRIAL CONTROLS Matthew Forrest Boe Certificate †† Samuel Arthur Briese Certificate Ruben Javier Duran Sr. Certificate † Matthew David Kovalik Certificate Dillon Scott Levin Certificate †† Ian Price Smith Certificate
INDUSTRIAL CONTROLS & ROBOTICS Thomas Baccam AAS** Nathan Robert Black AAS ††*** Peter Massey Carver AAS †** Craig Allen Cloutier AAS †*** Derek Lee Day AAS † Anthony William Johannes AAS ††*** Daniel James King AAS Hunter Noah Lindstrom AAS Samuel Thomas Nogosek AAS † Santos Amado Verdinez AAS † Alexander Xavier Voineag-Vazquez AAS †
MACHINE TOOL TECHNOLOGY Faarij Salem Binmahfooz AAS Paul Joseph Cunnien AAS Jeremy Thomas Goude AAS † Richard William Grigoleit AAS †*** Benjamin Dale Heise AAS †* Austin Gerald Jelinek-Hill AAS Jason David Jorgenson AAS Hunter Keith Lemke AAS † Daniel Walter Malsom AAS Ethan Craig Miller AAS** Osman Ali Mussa AAS Anand Pouran AAS † Frederick Eugene Schroeder AAS*** Richirady Jimerny Somnang AAS †
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RIGHT SKILLS NOW FOR MANUFACTURING (CNC) Brian Jones Barnstuble-Horn Certificate † Kim Ronnie Blatcher III Certificate Juan Manuel Gonzalez Jr. Certificate †† Shastine Dee Holm Certificate Seth Anders Nelson Certificate † Samuel James Novak Certificate Michael David Pardo Certificate † Malvinx Jay Vue Certificate
WELDING & METAL FABRICATION Nicholas Alexander Andre AAS Nathan Paul Armus AAS Alainah Anita Bowlds AAS Taylor John Dodson AAS Andrew Richard Hansen AAS McCoy Michael Hinz AAS † Lee Lee AAS Cooper Thomas Welch AAS
WELDING TECHNOLOGY
Chad Alan Frerichs BS ††*** Mark Ryan Fujitake BS** Brady William Grummons BS †*** Phi Theta Kappa William Robert Hiniker BS †** Anh Nhat Huynh BS † Jeremiah David Janssen BS † Phi Theta Kappa Samuel Roy Johnson BS † Pao Lee BS Steven David Mitchell BS** James Daniel Myhrman BS †*** Joshua Thomas Palma BS Grace Shirley Patterson BS Ross James Skattum BS †** Vang Thao BS † Daniel James Treat BS †** Phi Theta Kappa Andrew Jarrid Unger BS †* Phi Theta Kappa David Michael Victor BS †*** David Nguyen Vo BS †** Eric Allen Wicklund BS* Matthew James Wortman BS †*** Academic Excellence Award
Nicholas Charles Baltazar Certificate Andrew Matthew Bannick Certificate Alaina Marie Beaulieu Certificate MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Megan Grace Burgstaler Certificate Isabella Marie Cutaia Certificate Tommy Dao BS Peter Richard Dillon Certificate George Wallace Ellis BS Michael Layne Gabbert Certificate Angela Christine Freeland BS † Connor Jacob Garber Certificate Eric Michael Frisbie BS †** Samuel James Garfunkel Certificate † Micah Stephen Hovland BS* Isak Alejandro Gomez Certificate Daniel James Hurd BS †** Joel Dean Grant Certificate † Student Leadership Award Tyler James Herberg Certificate † Benjamin James Larsen BS †** † Ian Nicholas Piehl Knowlton Certificate Michael Richard Rhode BS* Hunter Allen Leone Certificate Justin Michael Sapp BS** Ruth Kay Miller Certificate † Matthew Henry Schafer BS †*** Gustav Haldor Palmquist Certificate Academic Excellence Award Michael William Pavlik Certificate Jeremiah Garrett Schmulewitz BS Carter Jerome Roering Certificate Khamphin Sithiphanh BS †* Jack Eduardo Romain Certificate Christian David Wanek BS* Tyler Alexander Scrimgeour Certificate Paul Stephen Talpas Certificate Thea Ollanda White Certificate † KEY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Richard Allan Beddoe BS † Jeremy Michael Bokusky BS † Peter M. Coleman BS* Othello Nyon Neoh Collins BS † Michael John Cummings BS †*** Bithien Djalate BS † Eric Ervin Eichelt BS †* Dale Angelo Faraone II BS †
† Outstanding Attendance †† 100% Attendance
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Honoring the Class of 2020 For the graduating class of 2020, the changes necessitated by the global pandemic also meant that end of year projects, celebrations, and events — including Commencement — also had to transition to the virtual space. “The COVID-19 crisis may have taken away our celebration, but it has not taken away or undermined the significance of their achievement,” Wagner said. “It has only heightened those accomplishments — adapting to a sudden online education experience while facing the extreme challenges associated with schools closing, economies shutting down, jobs being lost and all of us staying home to keep ourselves and each other safe. In that context, our graduates decided they would not be denied what they have worked so hard to achieve. They decided that in the face of these overwhelming challenges they would stay the course, dig in, and figure out how to get to the finish line.”
* Cum Laude ** Magna Cum Laude *** Summa Cum Laude
Congratulations Class of 2020
Dunwoody will honor the Class of 2020 at a Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, July 22, at 7 p.m. The ceremony will be live streamed at DUNWOODY.EDU/COMMENCEMENT
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DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY — A LU M N I & F R I E N D S M AGA Z I N E — S U M M E R 2 020
STUDENT LEADERSHIP
AWA R D W I N N E R
DANIEL J. HURD
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
From his military service to his time as President of Dunwoody’s Student Government Association, Daniel Hurd has always been someone who is willing to step forward.
“Daniel is a strong student and works to make his education practical,” said Associate Professor Jonathan Aurand. “He is a good representative for Dunwoody College of Technology.”
It’s a quality that served him well during his years leading up to Dunwoody and one of the reasons he was selected as this year’s Student Leadership Award recipient.
For Hurd, he enjoyed the project-based learning, and how invested faculty were in the students and their success.
Dunwoody’s Alumni Association presents the award annually to a student who exemplifies leadership, scholastic excellence, community service, and school spirit. Hurd is also part of the first graduating class from the Mechanical Engineering program. After graduating from White Bear Lake High School, Hurd enrolled in the Navy and was an Honor Graduate of the U.S. Navy Center for Naval Engineering. He then went on to earn a diploma in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration at the Advanced Technology Institute in Virginia. “I loved the hands-on approach,” Hurd said. But after working in the field for a while, he decided it was time to return to school. This time, Hurd earned his Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Tidewater Community College and became a loan officer. It didn’t take Hurd long to realize that sitting behind a desk all day wasn’t the career for him. “I always knew I wanted to be an engineer,” he said. “Ever since elementary school I have felt that way.”
“It feels like the faculty and instructors at Dunwoody are more dedicated,” he said. “They are more committed to our education.”
"I LOVE ENGINEERING. SO YOU LEARN TO SACRIFICE BECAUSE I TRULY WANTED TO LEARN IT.” He also liked the variety that comes with Mechanical Engineering. “Every day is different,” he said. “That is one thing I didn’t enjoy about business school. But here we are learning new technologies all the time. There is so much variety.” Hurd especially liked working on both the wrench project, and then the trebuchet project in his Dynamics class. “Each group designed and built their own catapult, and the final challenge was to launch projectiles in the school parking lot,” he said. “It was a lot of fun, and it was certainly one of my favorites.”
But it wasn’t until he was in Minneapolis on a flight layover that he discovered Dunwoody.
While the projects may have been fun, the coursework was rigorous. For Hurd, managing his time and his workload was the biggest challenge, but one he always worked to overcome.
“I heard the commercial for the Open House and thought I should go check it out,” he said.
"I love engineering. So you learn to sacrifice because I truly wanted to learn it,” Hurd said.
It was a decision he never regretted.
Hurd recently accepted a Mechanical Engineering position with Marken Manufacturing, along with fellow graduate Matthew Schafer who also joined the company this May. The pair were hired after speaking with the company at Dunwoody’s Spring Career Fair.
From the beginning, Hurd said he enjoyed the hands-on approach and the friendships he formed within the program. “It went really well,” Hurd said. “We all came in with high hopes and while there was a few growing pains early on we all stayed positive and took everything in stride.” Hurd also found ways to connect with students outside his program as well. He joined the Student Government Association, serving as Vice President from 2016-2017 and President from 2017-2018, and became a Student Ambassador for the College.
At Marken, Hurd will be designing and building machines used to measure and cut different wires and hose, and he is excited about this first step forward into the engineering field. “I am excited about these new opportunities — and having my Sundays back,” he said. “I really do think Dunwoody elevated my life. It was the key that unlocked my future.”
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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
AWA R D W I N N E R
ELIZABETH RIVAS
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
In the three years since starting in the Mechanical Engineering program comfortable when I saw that they were really glad I stopped by at Dunwoody, Elizabeth Rivas has learned the power of “yes.” and asked for help. They never said they were too busy. They’d just stop what they were doing and say, ‘Yes, of course I’ll help you.’” From speaking up to joining in, Rivas is taking advantage of the opportunities surrounding her. Her involvement in everything from the Youth Career Awareness Program to Kate's Club and the Festival of Cultures, are just a few of the reasons why she was selected for this year's Diversity & Inclusion Award.
From there Rivas started taking advantage of other opportunities at the College. She joined Kate’s Club, which gave her the opportunity to talk with other female students and see what their experience is like.
Growing up in Willmar, Minnesota, Rivas didn’t know too much about Dunwoody until she got an invitation from the College to apply for the YCAP scholarship. And it wasn’t until she decided to tour the College that she really became interested.
As the only female in her cohort of Mechanical Engineering students, part of the second class that will graduate from the program, and a first-generation college student, Rivas is finding multiple ways to connect with peers at the College.
“Peggy [Quam] offered to give me a tour, and it really got my attention once I took a look around,” Rivas said. “I thought it was really nice of her to take the time to show me what Dunwoody is like. I just felt like she really wanted me there, and that’s how it started.”
“I hope I can inspire other females to join the field,” she said.
“DUNWOODY IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOUR HIDDEN TALENTS, THINGS YOU DIDN’T THINK YOU COULD DO.”
Rivas became a Student Ambassador, which allows her to meet with prospective students during Open Houses and learn why they are considering Dunwoody. “It’s something that I never thought I would be doing,” she said. “I’m not a talkative person, but I just went for it. Just to make a change.”
The change was a good one. And one that led to other opportunities as well. During the past two years, Rivas has talked with donors and the Board of Trustees and shared her experiences at the College, and she has gone on camera to demonstrate and Rivas had taken PSEO classes during her junior and senior year of high explain some of the projects she has been working on. school and always knew she wanted to do something with her hands. “I’ve just been saying yes to those kind of things,” Rivas said. “I wanted to be an auto mechanic at first,” Rivas said. “In high Rivas was also proud to display her heritage during the College’s school I took small engines and advanced small engines classes. annual Festival of Cultures. And even in my spare time I would watch my stepdad fix cars, and “You don’t really see Hispanic people at Dunwoody very often, I got interested. He taught me a lot of things.” and I just want to make my parents proud,” Rivas said. But Rivas also enjoyed learning about SolidWorks and when she Rivas still has one more year to complete before she graduates, but took a digital electronics and Intro to Engineering class, her interest she’s already looking ahead to her future. turned to Mechanical Engineering. “I just hope that I’m a good teammate,” she said. “I think that when “I joined First Robotics in high school as well, and it really made me there is a project where you work with different people, I just want want to do it as a career,” Rivas said. to make a good contribution to that team, to that project. I want When Rivas first started at Dunwoody she was quiet, shy, and didn’t to be able to work well with others and be that person that other want to ask for help. As a result, Rivas said she often felt lost, alone, people can come up to and ask questions.” and frustrated. And at Dunwoody, she is learning to be that person. “Something changed in me during my second year,” Rivas “Dunwoody is a place where you can find your hidden talents, said. “I just got tired of it and decided that I was going to ask things you didn’t think you could do,” Rivas said. questions during class and go to my instructors’ offices. I got more
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DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY — A LU M N I & F R I E N D S M AGA Z I N E — S U M M E R 2 020
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
ERICH W. BECKMANN
ROBOTICS & MANUFACTURING
Erich Beckmann has always been a designer, a maker, and a problem solver.
would be able to delve deeper into design software, CAD/CAM programs, and learn more about 3D modeling and prototyping.
From an early age it would not be surprising to find Beckmann and his brothers taking things apart in their garage and reconstructing them in different ways to create new contraptions or building forts out in the woods behind their home in St. Joseph, Minnesota.
Beckmann took this opportunity and ran with it.
Arguably one of the more creative modifications he remembers taking on was when they decided to turn their sandbox into a hot tub. Though the design may not have been entirely successful in the long run, it was still a fairly innovative idea for an eight year old.
"EVERYONE IS AT A DIFFERENT SKILL LEVEL AND STAGE OF LIFE. IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO APPRECIATE THE POINTS OF VIEW THAT PEOPLE BRING IN, APPRECIATE THOSE THAT YOU CAN BUILD A CONNECTION WITH, AND TEACHES YOU HOW TO ADAPT, MANAGE, AND COPE.” Beckmann has always tried to see things from new and different perspectives and has enjoyed being able to channel his creativity through a variety of outlets. In fact, in 2008 he completed an associate’s degree in Media Production from MCTC, gaining skills in audio, video, and digital media production. After working a few years for a video production company, he took on a number of hands-on job opportunities from large scale printing, to vending repair and installation, to carpentry. While each position was inherently quite different, they each allowed him to tap into his varied interests, challenged him to approach problems from new angles — and kept him busy, working in hands-on fields. Needless to say, Beckmann has always had a maker’s mindset and continuously seeks innovative ways to put his talents to use designing, building, and solving problems. And a few years ago, that drive led him to the Engineering Drafting & Design (MDES) program at Dunwoody. Having spent so much time putting pen to paper, designing and planning out projects freehand over the years, he was excited to apply his skill set in a different way. Through the MDES program he
“By nature, I am very competitive,” he said, “but the way I look at school in general — education directly benefits you, why wouldn’t you do the best that you can. Setting low expectations is like having a gift card and only using 60–70 percent and then throwing the card away — wasting money and, more importantly, potential. And the cliché saying is definitely applicable to education — you get out what you put into it.” He values hard work, and wants to be sure that if his name is on something, it is something that he can be proud of — not that he just put in the effort that was required to get the job done. And that level of commitment did not go unnoticed. “Erich has been a model student during his time in the program, shown in both the quality of his own personal work and as a dependable team member in group projects,” said Alex Wong, Assistant Professor of Engineering Drafting & Design. “In addition to his academic work within this program, one of his major milestones during school was getting one of the instructors started in filming lectures and demos in the machine shop lab last year, coming in to help and utilizing an additional skill set to his talents as a mechanical design student.” Building on previous experience and applying his skill set in new ways, Beckmann appreciated the opportunities to take on challenges and collaborate with others. “Working with your classmates offers a good representation of who you might be working with in the industry. Everyone is at a different skill level and stage of life. It gives you a chance to appreciate the points of view that people bring in, appreciate those that you can build a connection with, and teaches you how to adapt, manage, and cope.” That readiness to reach out and build connections also helped him secure an internship with Graco while attending Dunwoody, though he appreciates the extra steps his instructors Edo Krivdic and department Dean E.J. Daigle took to help facilitate the opportunity. “It is very apparent that the staff and faculty want you to get a job. The time and the effort that they put in — other places would not have put in that much effort.” Beckmann is excited to have accepted a full-time position at Graco as a Product Design Drafter, where he will undoubtedly continue to be a designer, a maker, and a problem solver.
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
DAVID J. BERGEN
BUSINESS
After 16 years of working in the Information Technology field, David Bergen decided it was time to take the next step in his career. Bergen graduated from NEI’s IT program with an associate’s degree shortly before it merged with Dunwoody. So when he began looking into his options for earning his Bachelor of Science degree, Dunwoody's Applied Management & Leadership program was an obvious choice. “NEI definitely set me up for success,” Bergen said. “And all of the values seemed to be carried over to Dunwoody.”
“I want to be the decision maker,” he said. “This new skill set is about making myself more marketable.” Some of the most valuable lessons Bergen learned, he learned from Adjunct Instructor Timothy Mendal. “Tim drilled it into us that ‘change is inevitable, but growth is optional,’” he said. “Now I see the holistic approach of what that means.” Bergen has been impressed by how the College pivoted this spring when it was forced to transition to a virtual education experience.
“I wanted to expand my career opportunities and diversify myself a bit,” he said, adding that his team at work has been supportive of his educational goals.
“There was a lot of preparedness at the College,” he said. “Dunwoody was prepared for a situation like this. I’ve heard from friends at other colleges, whose programs just shut down and now they are stuck. Here at Dunwoody we only lost a week. I’m extremely thankful that I chose Dunwoody and that the College had the ability to make this transition very smooth.”
“I had always thought about coming back to school, but I needed to get to a place where it made sense,” Bergen said. “Before deciding, I did quite a bit of research, and the credit transfer at Dunwoody made it a straight forward and easy process.”
Originally from Shakopee, Bergen now lives in Plymouth with his wife. Working full-time and balancing school and a family life hasn’t been easy, but Bergen said his wife kept him motivated and inspired.
When Bergen began his college career, a hands-on technical degree wasn’t originally in the plans.
“She kept me going and was a major factor in me being able to do this for myself,” he said. “She definitely kept me motivated.”
Bergen has been working in IT since graduating in 2002 and is currently a Senior IT Engineer at ME Global.
“I wanted to be a theater major,” he said, adding that he first tried out Concordia University in St. Paul and then Normandale before finding his way to NEI. In the end, Bergen said he needed something with more career stability, which is why he chose the IT field.
“I WANT TO BE THE DECISION MAKER. THIS NEW SKILL SET IS ABOUT MAKING MYSELF MORE MARKETABLE.”
“I wanted a career where I wouldn’t also be waiting tables, and I wanted more of a nine to five job,” he said. “I remembered His family and friends taking the time to check in and encourage someone from NEI coming to my high school, and I had an interest him along the way also helped keep him focus while he finished in computers and technology so I thought I would see where this up his degree. path takes me.” And Bergen didn’t just finish — he graduated with a perfect It’s a path he’s glad he’s on, and one he is excited to see where it 4.0 GPA — an accomplishment he credits to a high degree will take him next. of planning. During his two years at Dunwoody, Bergen has enjoyed his “It definitely required a high level of planning, setting aside time, classes and the different perspectives his instructors bring with them and then sticking to it,” he said. “But it was worth it.” to class. Those classes have also prepared him to take the next steps in his career, and Bergen is looking forward to taking on more of a leadership role in the future.
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DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY — A LU M N I & F R I E N D S M AGA Z I N E — S U M M E R 2 020
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
ERICK A. HANSON
CONSTRUCTION SCIENCES & BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
Erick Hanson served in the United States Coast Guard for almost 10 years after graduating from high school, but eventually he was ready for a change.
no reward. He powered through it. I would check on him at various points of the day and was met with a smile and a positive attitude.”
Part of his perseverance is due no doubt to Hanson’s military “I traveled and lived in many states and gained valuable life training. But he also genuinely enjoys all things HVAC. experiences,” Hanson said. “Time and my growing family led me to “HVAC-R is a secret, I think, in the trades and I am fine with it eventually pursue a career closer to home with less travel.” staying that way,” he said. “It’s a great field that allows you to have As he considered a career move, he knew he wanted something a very diverse and challenging career. Those challenges are what hands-on and settled on training to be a Service Pipefitter for make the rewards that much better.” Minneapolis Pipefitters Local Union #539. And that led him Not that the program was easy, but he had a good model to follow. to Dunwoody. “My wife is the mother to my three boys and the hardest working, most determined person I have ever met,” he said. “She has faced every challenge in her life head on and never backed down. She “I REALLY LIKED CREATING AND MAKING waited to get her degree and proved it can be done even while SOMETHING FROM NOTHING. WE LITERALLY being a mother, working, and being a military spouse. It gave me BUILT THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM.” no excuse to not set and achieve my own goals.” Hanson liked that it was a two-year fast track to a new career. Although he notes, “Ironically after I finish my apprenticeship, I will have attended some sort of schooling for six years.” But he then adds: “I will be working, though, and that’s what it’s all about.” And the hands-on aspect lived up to what he expected. “I have always been hands-on to some degree. That has grown in me even more over the last two years,” Hanson said. “The confidence you gain from quality training, education, and mentorship encourages you to ‘just try it.’” Hanson’s enthusiasm came across to his instructors. Bill Bobick, Instructor of HVACR Systems Servicing, noted that Hanson’s attendance and academic performance were excellent, and, just as important, so was his presence in the classroom. “Erick always has a question or comment that delves deep into the subject matter,” he said. “His participation in class is respectful and always on topic. The subject matter takes flight with people like Erick in the room.” Bobick also pointed to how as a first-year student, Hanson agreed to compete in the Minnesota’s Skills-USA competition, which Dunwoody’s HAVAC programs were returning to after a hiatus.
It also helped that he found that Dunwoody was welcoming of him as a Veteran and as an older student. “I never felt out of place in Dunwoody’s setting,” he said. “It was the most personable formal education I have received. I was always treated like an individual and a person. I have met some really great people. The instructors and students make you want to come to class every day.” In particular, Hanson notes that while he is a service tech, he really enjoyed the sheet metal unit with Kevin MacDonald. “I really liked creating and making something from nothing,” he said. “We literally built the solution to our problem. It’s a fast-paced challenging unit that rewards you at the end when you see what you were able to create in such a short period of time.” Now that he is graduating, Hanson is looking forward to adding to the skills he has learned by working full-time in the field while also continuing his education with the Minneapolis Pipefitters Apprenticeship Program. “I want to master my craft and be able to pass those skills on to the next generation. Then I want to retire on a lake and soak up what you can still get from putting in hard work,” he said.
And he’s confident that he will be able to do so. “For over 100 “This is not a first-year-friendly competition. When confronted with the years Dunwoody has endured through all sorts of times,” Hanson barrage of questions and testing of skills he did not yet know, Erick said. “I hope I have a little bit of that steadfastness after my time at Dunwoody.” did not give up,” Bobick said. “This was a nine hour day, no pay,
DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY — A LU M N I & F R I E N D S M AGA Z I N E — S U M M E R 2 020
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
ANDREW M. HOHN
ROBOTICS & MANUFACTURING
While in high school Andrew Hohn had not intended to attend a technical college. In fact, it wasn’t until Buhler Inc. visited his Osseo Senior High School class to present information on a new apprenticeship program in partnership with Dunwoody that Hohn became aware of the College.
Daigle also said Hohn was a leader for the Autonomous Snowplow Team, conceiving and developing innovative solutions to persistent problems that helped his team, the Snow Devils, earn a third place finish overall.
“Ultimately, I want to be an excellent engineer, and I determined that the best path was to start in the trades.” Hohn said. “The Buhler Apprenticeship Program was based on Dunwoody's Automated Systems & Robotics program, which I preferred because I recognized the opportunities that it would offer in my future.”
“I hope to become an excellent engineer, inventing automated processes to help solve the world’s problems and make life better for people,” he said.
Hohn noted that his participation on the Autonomous Snowplow After looking further into his options after graduating, Hohn saw the Team has been a true highlight. Being able to create, invent, and apprenticeship program as an opportunity to set him in the direction collaborate with others to solve a practical problem serves as the he ultimately wanted to go and began the program in 2013. core of what he hopes to accomplish in his career.
He recognizes the value of hands-on experience more than ever after completing the apprenticeship program and working in the industry, then moving on to pursue his first degree in Automated Systems & Robotics at Dunwoody.
“I HOPE TO BECOME AN EXCELLENT ENGINEER, INVENTING AUTOMATED PROCESSES TO HELP SOLVE THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS AND MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR PEOPLE.” “Many engineers struggle with a lack of hands-on experience, and the most successful ones were technicians and tradespeople before they were engineers,” he said. But Hohn has always loved making things. “Invention is my greatest passion.” With countless opportunities to collaborate and create, Dunwoody became a place where Hohn felt like he belonged. “At Dunwoody, I don’t feel limited — I feel liberated,” he said. Dean of Robotics & Manufacturing E.J. Daigle said that Hohn has been an outstanding student, always challenging his faculty to do more than just what was asked of him.
If given the opportunity to teach others, he would be excited for that as well. In fact, working on the Peer Tutor Team for the College has been one of his favorite activities during his time here. “Eeris Fritz has been a tremendous inspiration for me,” Hohn said. “Her passion for education and learning encouraged me to join the team.” Hohn also expressed his appreciation for the Dunwoody community as a whole. “Most of all I have enjoyed the people at Dunwoody,” he said. “I feel in tune with the faculty, the staff, and the students. We're all like-minded individuals with the desire to learn and an appreciation for practical application, driven by our passion for making and doing things.” It is his appreciation and compassion for others and the pride he shows for his community that makes it unsurprising when he notes the most valuable lessons he has learned during his time at Dunwoody has to do with how he can positively impact others with his knowledge and experience. “The most valuable lessons I have learned at Dunwoody are safety considerations and safe working practices,” Hohn said. “Those lessons have kept me, and the people I work with, healthy.”
After graduating with his associate’s degree this Spring, Hohn plans to continue working for PaR Systems as an engineering “During his final semester, Andrew took SCARA robot programming technician, helping to build automated machines for the medical industry, and other clients, during this global COVID-19 pandemic. to the next level by programming the robot to use Legos to build a small car,” Daigle said. “Although this sounds simple, he helped to He will also join the inaugural cohort of the Automation & Controls Engineering Technology program this Fall in pursuit of a Bachelor develop new robot functions and 3D printed end-of-arm tooling of Science degree. that are now standard in the lab.”
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DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY — A LU M N I & F R I E N D S M AGA Z I N E — S U M M E R 2 020
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
SHELBY M. INSKEEP
HEALTH SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY
When Shelby Inskeep was exploring different career paths, she knew she wanted to do something that offered both variety and a way to help others — she found both in Radiologic Technology. “Each day is always different and being able to help diagnose something that cannot always be visible with the naked eye makes it interesting,” Inskeep said. Originally from Texas, Inskeep graduated from Burnsville High School and attended a state college for nursing and then a community college before transferring into the Radiologic Technology program at Dunwoody. “My freshman year, I was a nursing major and half way through the year I decided that it wasn’t meant for me, but I knew I still wanted to go into the healthcare field,” Inskeep said. “I started shadowing family friends in the field and fell in love with the Radiology field.
“I AM EXCITED TO BE OUT IN THE FIELD AND WORKING IN A FIELD THAT I LOVE. I DON’T DREAD GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY, SINCE EVERY DAY IS ALWAYS DIFFERENT. THERE IS NEVER A DULL MOMENT IN MY FIELD.” “I decided to attend Dunwoody for the program. When I visited (the campus), the professors were inviting and truly cared about you as an individual. You were not just another student.” Building those relationships with her faculty and fellow students in a small-class environment is also what Inskeep enjoyed most about her time at Dunwoody. “You aren’t just a student to them,” she said. “The radiology program is smaller at Dunwoody since they only take so many students, but that is what made me choose to continue my education there. They made sure that there was always time for us to relearn something or have the time to prepare for our ARRT board exam at the end. If the whole class wasn’t comprehending something, we had the time to go back and understand it better.”
School hasn’t always been easy for Inskeep, a first-generation college student, who has struggled with test anxiety. Having the support of her parents was one of the things that kept Inskeep motivated during her time at Dunwoody. “My parents always gave me the push to graduate from not only high school, but college,” Inskeep said. “They have always had my back — from transferring schools to deciding on my major. I am grateful for everything they did for me during all the years and the hard times.” Doing something she loved also kept Inskeep focused and motivated while she finished her degree. Studying became easier for her, and her anxiety slowly went away. “My instructors were always there to help if it started to become a challenge again,” she said. Through it all, Inskeep also learned the value of independence, multitasking, and time management — and that it’s OK to ask for help. And the hard work paid off. Inskeep graduated in December and accepted an overnight position at St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee. She is a double modality technologist and works partly as an x-ray tech and a full-time MRI tech. Inskeep is also already planning for what’s next and hopes to start studying for her MRI boards and adding that next credential at the end of her name. “I am excited to be out in the field and working in a field that I love,” she said. “I don’t dread going to work every day, since every day is always different. There is never a dull moment in my field.”
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
KYLAN A. NELSON
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
When Kylan Nelson was a little kid, he watched his brother play an Xbox game featuring UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighters and was fascinated by it and decided that’s what he wanted to do — not play video games, but learn martial arts. His mom signed him up with a local gym and until starting his college career Nelson studied several martial arts, including competing in Brazilian Jujitsu. He also started boxing at age 15. But Nelson’s awareness of the dangers of Ultimate Fighting led him to seek a college education rather than try to make a career in mixed martial arts. And the discipline and maturity he learned from his martial arts practice helped him stay focused on his studies at Dunwoody and become an Academic Excellence award winner for the Computer Technology department. “A lot of men that are 18 are not fully mature. I feel like at the age of 17 or 18, you can’t be immature with that kind of environment,” he said, speaking of spending time at a dojo or a gym like The Academy Elk River where he trained.
“I COULDN'T SIT IN FRONT OF A BOOK. WHEN YOU HAVE A TEACHER DOING THE SAME THING PHYSICALLY AND YOU’RE IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER, IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. AND THEN IT'S UP TO YOU TO PRACTICE IT, OF COURSE.” Nelson also knew that whatever his career path, he wanted something hands-on. His mom suggested he check out Dunwoody because she knew her son liked computers and Andy, one of the IT staff at her workplace, is an alumnus and endorsed the idea. Nelson toured campus and sat in a couple of classes and thought they were “really cool.” And if that wasn’t enough validation, a career fair was taking place the day Nelson toured campus so he and his mom went around and talked to the companies, and “they said Dunwoody was the way to go.”
And Computer Networking Systems seemed like a great fit. “Before Dunwoody I didn't know how to build a computer, but I wanted to get that hands-on knowledge,” Nelson said. And just as he suspected, Dunwoody’s hands-on, project-based approach really worked for him. “I couldn't sit in front of a book,” he said. “When you have a teacher doing the same thing physically and you’re in front of a computer, it's amazing because you're seeing exactly what you need to do. And then it's up to you to practice it, of course.” “Kylan has a strong work ethic and is curious about technology,” said Julie McFadden, Associate Professor of Computer Networking. “He is always willing to help others and takes on leadership of team situations in an unassuming manner.” Nelson credits the example of his mom, who works as a loan officer, for his drive to get his class work done. “She's a hard worker. She's on the phone every day. Works 12 hours a day, every day,” he said. “She keeps me going. I want to repay her in some way. That’s why I try to work hard as well.” Nelson is applying for jobs at the moment. He knows it’s a challenging time right now, but remains positive. He also figures if he needs to, he can always sign up with an IT recruiter or a temp agency. He also has a project he started while at Dunwoody that he wants to finish: he’s working on a smart mirror that will display things like the local weather and holidays. He built a picture frame and has set up the Raspberry Pi that will feed data to the mirror. Now he just needs the two-way glass for the mirror/display. And, of course, once he does land a job and has money for parts, Nelson plans to build and customize his own computer now that he has the skills to.
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
MATTHEW H. SCHAFER
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Growing up, Matthew Schafer spent time at his dad’s automotive shop in Burnsville and became hooked on not just cars — but understanding how things worked and the engineering behind them. It’s an interest he carried with him through high school and one that led him to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Schafer graduated from Eden Prairie High School and first attended Normandale with the intention of transferring into the engineering program at the University of Minnesota. But when it came time to make the switch, he decided to take a tour of Dunwoody first. Schafer said friends of the family had gone to Dunwoody so he had always known about the school, but had never considered it as an option before because there hadn’t been a mechanical engineering program. It wasn’t until he toured the lab spaces and saw all of the projects students were working on that he made his decision. “After touring Dunwoody, there was no question,” Schafer said. “Seeing all the hands-on equipment on display, I knew it was the place for me. My tour guide was [Robotics & Manufacturing Dean] E.J. Daigle. He got me excited about the school.”
abilities and requires them to build a single-person, fuel-efficient vehicle with the goal of completing a specified course with the highest miles per gallon rating. And while, the competition was canceled due to COVID-19, Schafer said designing and building the car was still his favorite project — even if they didn’t get to finish it.
“HELPING OTHERS IS SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT, BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO NEED HELP.” “Maybe we’ll get to come in over the summer to get the car at least driving and say we did that,” Schafer said, adding that the group did document the entire project so next year’s team can pick it back up. Even outside of the supermileage team, Schafer said there was a sense of teamwork among the Mechanical Engineering students. Helping each other was just part of the culture. “Helping others is something I think about, because you don’t know when you are going to need help,” he said.
Throughout his time at Dunwoody, Schafer has been able to utilize all of the tools and technology Dunwoody has to offer — from the 3D printers, to the CNC machines, to the tensile testing equipment.
It’s an aspect of his education that Schafer took seriously, even staying after class to help his peers when he had already finished his assignments for the day.
Schafer, along with 12 other students, is part of the firstgraduating class of Mechanical Engineering students at Dunwoody. And over the years the group has become close.
“I didn’t want anyone else to be stuck,” Schafer said.
“I think my favorite thing about Dunwoody is the small class sizes,” he said. “There were 13 of us, and every one of us were friends.” Schafer has always been a good student, but it wasn’t until he started at Dunwoody that things really began to “click” for him, and he went from being a good student — to the top of his class. “A lot of it was, I really enjoyed the classes I was taking,” he said. “Everything was really interesting. I wanted to learn.” The hands-on projects also kept things interesting. Schafer was part of a team designing and building Dunwoody’s first supermileage car that would have competed in the annual SAE Supermileage competition, this June in Michigan. The competition tests undergraduate and graduate students’ engineering design
The faculty were also part of the team and Schafer said he always felt like they really cared about you, how you were doing, and they wanted you to succeed. “I think the teachers want the students to learn just as much as the students want to learn,” he said. “Hard work pays off.” For Schafer, all that hard work also earned him a Mechanical Engineering position at Marken Manufacturing, which he started in May. Eventually, Schafer said he’d love to combine his love of cars with his engineering skills and design aftermarket parts, but for now he’s happy to be doing something he enjoys in a field he loves. “What I have now is a great starting point,” Schafer said.
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
DEVYN L. SMOTER
CONSTRUCTION SCIENCES & BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
Devyn Smoter has always had the benefit of being both logical and creative. It’s a combination that has not only been useful, but allowed her to excel in the Bachelor of Architecture program at Dunwoody. Originally from St. Michael, Smoter graduated from St. MichaelAlbertville High School and spent a year at Anoka-Ramsey Community College before finding her way into the Architecture program at Dunwoody.
Her classmates have also helped her improve as a professional, offering feedback and suggestions throughout the design process. “We’re always showing each other what we’re working on and giving and receiving feedback on our work,” Smoter said. “It’s always pushed me to be a better designer and have better work in the end. We also function as each other’s distraction if we just need a break from work and to decompress a little bit.”
“I didn’t want to be just a number in a lecture hall, I wanted to feel like part of the college,” she said.
Throughout the past five-years, Smoter has learned that you “get out of your education what you put in.” It’s been a theme that has pushed her when she is working on a project and exploring concepts for a design.
She also liked the stability and the direct career path that a technical degree would offer.
And having instructors, like Andrew Blaisdell, who encouraged and motivated her allowed Smoter to be her best.
“I’ve always loved both math and art equally and being able to use both sides of my brain,” she said. “I chose the architecture program at Dunwoody because the field of architecture allows me to be both creative and logical while trying to problem solve. Architecture allows me to gain experience in a lot of different areas simply by being present in the office or on site and collaborating with the other professionals associated with the construction industry.”
“My studio instructor, Andrew Blaisdell is a very talented designer and passionate instructor,” she said. “He’s good at asking questions about your work to really make you think about why you’re doing something. Whenever I thought I was done with something, he’s always pushed me into the next step to really make my ideas and work stand out and develop further. The way that he talks about architecture inspires me to always think about the experience of the user when designing something within the built environment.”
The small class-sizes and hands-on learning was a perfect fit for her.
The style of learning at Dunwoody was also a good fit. “Throughout high school I found that I liked lectures and bookwork, but I always learned more when I was able to actively participate in what I was learning,” Smoter said. “I believe that application is how you really solidify and truly understand something you’ve been told.”
“I’D LOVE TO KNOW THAT THE SPACES AND BUILDINGS I HAVE A PART IN DESIGNING SERVE THE COMMUNITY THEY’RE A PART OF FOR A VERY LONG TIME.” Having support from her classmates and her instructors was another big part of her success during the program. “The Dunwoody staff are always there to support you and your growth as a student and a professional,” Smoter said. “And the students in my program, especially my cohort, are some of my closest friends.”
That concept of constantly working to make things better has been a valuable lesson. “Even though your first idea, or even your fifth idea, sounds really good, you’re never done designing and it can always be better,” Smoter said. But it hasn’t always been easy and transitioning to online classes during this past spring semester has been one of the biggest challenges. It’s a challenge that she once again looked to her peers in the program to help her overcome. Looking to the future, Smoter hopes to travel and focus her talents on public interest design, with an emphasis on community-based design and engagement. “I’d love to know that the spaces and buildings I have a part in designing serve the community they’re a part of for a very long time,” she said. After graduation, Smoter will be starting full-time employment at the firm she currently works for — Kaas Wilson Architects. “Dunwoody to me means knowing I’ve gotten an education that will help me build the future I’ve always wanted."
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
MICHELE A. STENZEL
DESIGN & GRAPHICS TECHNOLOGY
Michele Stenzel looks at the world through a creative lens, often finding an outlet through crafting, painting, photography, or house projects. If she can put an artistic spin on it, she will.
“My husband has always been my biggest cheerleader, and I’ve relied on him a lot to do most of the household responsibilities when I was staying up late doing homework,” she said.
Over the years she completed coursework at Riverland Community College and St. Catherine’s University in communications and administrative support, and though she found work in those areas, she was not excited about where her career path was taking her.
Her dedication and hard work certainly did not go unnoticed.
That is one reason why she always thought about going back to school to pursue something different — though, as it turns out, it was something she always knew she wanted to do. “I had been thinking about pursuing a degree in graphic design ever since I graduated high school,” Stenzel said. And a few years ago she took the leap and enrolled at Dunwoody. “There was no time like the present,” she said. With a full-time job, Stenzel had to find a way to balance going to class during the day, while working in the evenings for a global tax and accounting office, and then heading home to complete coursework at night. Though her employer was always supportive and flexible with her class schedule, she made the decision to quit her job so that she could pursue her education full time. It was a difficult decision to make, but Stenzel was confident that it would be worth it in the end.
“IT’S PRETTY SIMPLE. I JUST WANT TO DO SOMETHING I LOVE. AND SO FAR, I HAVE SURPRISED MYSELF AT WHAT I CAN DO.” “Stay the course even if it sometimes feels daunting, because you’ll eventually come out at the other end,” she said. It was that mentality and desire to finish her degree that kept Stenzel motivated throughout her time at Dunwoody. That, and a tremendous support system.
“Michele brought a limitless sense of curiosity, combined with an implacable work ethic, to the program,” said Pete Rivard, Graphic Design & Production Assistant Professor. “These characteristics show in the quality and individuality of her work. It was common to find her grinding away hours after class had ended.” “I have a different focus now,” Stenzel said when asked about how her time at Dunwoody differs from her previous school experiences. “I’ve been really focused on doing well and making the most of my experience at Dunwoody.” It’s a sentiment that can be seen through her participation in the College’s Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa as well as her participation in extracurricular, interdisciplinary projects like the collaboration between Dunwoody and the Minnesota Department of Health for a display at the Minnesota State Fair. Currently Stenzel is completing an internship with Liberty Packaging working in their digital production room and gaining more experience with ArtiosCAD and Kongsberg cutting tables, a particular type of CNC machine she had used at Dunwoody to produce rigid, corrugated packaging designs. She appreciates the opportunity to grow and learn even more through this internship and has enjoyed troubleshooting new and challenging projects, often coming into work asking “what do you have for me today?” It was a question that one day afforded her the opportunity to work through the process of cutting fabric on the machines to produce face masks for employees in the building to use, as the start of her internship coincided with the Stay at Home order put in place due to COVID-19. She plans to use her take-charge attitude to continue to learn new skills and become a more proficient designer. “It’s pretty simple,” she said. “I just want to do something I love. And so far, I have surprised myself at what I can do.”
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
AWA R D W I N N E R
MATTHEW J. WORTMAN
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
Matt Wortman always knew he wanted an engineering degree. And as a hands-on, mechanically-inclined learner, he found a path to that goal in the Industrial Engineering Technology (IENG) program at Dunwoody. Wortman grew up in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and graduated from Maplewood Academy in Hutchinson. He then attended Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in New Richmond Wisconsin, where he earned a Technical Diploma in Machine Tooling Technics.
“I'VE GREATLY ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW MY INSTRUCTORS AND THEIR BACKGROUNDS IN INDUSTRY, AND THE ABILITY TO DISCUSS PROJECTS WITH THEM OUTSIDE OF COURSEWORK. WHATEVER PROJECT I HAVE GOING ON, I KNOW THERE'S SOMEONE AT DUNWOODY THAT I CAN BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF.” “I found I enjoyed the manufacturing field, specifically machining, after a couple of short-term jobs after high school,” Wortman said. “The IENG program allowed me to build off my knowledge and experience in the industry and turn it into an engineering degree.” Because IENG is an evening program, Wortman could also keep working full-time while pursuing his degree. “The whole concept of taking classes while already working in the industry is an entirely different perspective than high school or my other college experience before entering the workforce,” Wortman said. “It’s much easier to see how applicable the lessons are to my career.” Having instructors who also worked professionally in the field was also valuable.
“I've greatly enjoyed getting to know my instructors and their backgrounds in industry, and the ability to discuss projects with them outside of coursework,” he said. “Whatever project I have going on, I know there's someone at Dunwoody that I can bounce ideas off of.” Wortman added that Senior Instructor Matt Matson was one of his biggest role models at the College. Balancing a full-time career with his coursework and family obligations was a bit of a challenge, but Wortman never lost sight of his end goal — earning an engineering degree. “Time management was the biggest challenge,” he said. “Working 50 plus hours a week and attending Dunwoody in the evenings meant there wasn't much spare time.” Projects like his senior capstone work also kept him interested and excited about the things he was learning, especially when he could see how they related to what he was doing in industry. “The importance of methodical work was an underlying theme throughout all of the classes in the IENG program, and it’s applicable to almost everything I do,” Wortman said. After graduating, Wortman plans to continue working for his current company, but transition into an engineering role. “I look forward to being able to take a broader look at some of the challenges we face at my employer as my role shifts from machining to engineering,” he said. And attending Dunwoody gave him the stepping stone he needed to find his path to success.
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THE PIONEERS DUNWOODY HONORS THE FIRST GRADUATES OF THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM Thirteen students will forever have their own place in College history as the first four-year mechanical engineering graduates from Dunwoody College of Technology. Four years ago, these student entrusted Dunwoody with their engineering education. They were the pioneers in a program that combined Dunwoody’s hands-on, real-world learning with the rigors of an engineering degree. School of Engineering Dean Bill Hudson recently addressed the graduating class:
“I CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES AS PROFESSIONALS ‘HOW MUCH CAN I GIVE?’ NOT ‘HOW MUCH CAN I GET?’ EMBRACE THE CHALLENGES BEFORE YOU AND REMEMBER AS YOU DO TO SHARE YOUR SKILLS AND PASSIONS WITH FUTURE GENERATIONS – THE WORLD WILL ALWAYS NEED SKILLED PROBLEM SOLVERS.” During these past four years, the students demonstrated their ability to take on new challenges and find innovative solutions. They worked together to design, engineer, build, and refine. And they took all of those first steps together.
CONGRATULATIONS
to the Graduates: Tommy Dao
Michael Richard Rhode
George Wallace Ellis
Justin Michael Sapp
Angela Christine Freeland
Matthew Henry Schafer
Eric Michael Frisbie
Jeremiah Garrett Schmulewitz
Micah Stephen Hovland
Khamphin Sithiphanh
Daniel James Hurd
Christian David Wanek
Benjamin James Larsen
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DONOR SPOTLIGHT
ART POPEHN ’40 TOOL & DIE
CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENT
Last winter, Dunwoody staff and friends were honored to celebrate the 100th birthday of 1940 Tool & Die graduate Art Popehn. Popehn’s connection to Dunwoody started more than 80 years ago when a teacher at Roosevelt High School recognized his aptitude for taking machines apart and putting them back together and recommended that he attend Dunwoody. It was a recommendation Popehn took to heart, and one he never regretted. “The classes, including trigonometry, were hard, but the teachers had experience in industry and things like the time clock prepared us for working in industry,” Popehn said. “It was a great education.” Paying the monthly tuition wasn’t always easy and an instructor offered him the job of sweeping the machine shop floors every night to help make ends meet. “Going to Dunwoody was a great opportunity that everybody did not have” Popehn said. “Attending Dunwoody was the basis for my livelihood and provided the learning and the discipline and the desire to do well in life.” After graduating, Popehn landed a job at Smith Welding and then moved on to Honeywell. While getting established in his career, he set up his own tool and die shop for after work hours in the basement storage locker of the apartment building he and his wife, Joanne, lived in on Franklin Avenue. He and a friend had success doing small-scale stamping and tooling projects under the name of Mid-Continent Engineering. After success with this side business, they decided to quit their day jobs and opened Mid-Continent in a condemned building in Northeast Minneapolis. Mid-Continent grew to become a respected defense contractor. In 1974, Popehn sold the company to focus his efforts on leading Hiawatha Rubber, a fast-growing company spin-off, which made precision rubber parts and assemblies for OEM manufacturers. Today, Hiawatha Rubber is a thriving company led by Popehn’s children.
“I OWE EVERYTHING TO DUNWOODY,” POPEHN SAID. “THAT WAS THE BASIS OF MY LIFE. WHAT I WAS ABLE TO DO IN MY LIFE STARTED AT DUNWOODY AND DUNWOODY INSPIRED IT. I WANT TO CONTINUE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COLLEGE THROUGH MY SUPPORT.” Throughout his life, Popehn has lived by the motto “Never Give Up,” inspired by the words of Winston Churchill during WWII. These words are as important today to Popehn as they were to him during his youth. “Today I am working with electronics, computers and cameras to make DVDs,” he said. “I am constantly running up against
Mike Donatelle ’67 (left), Art Popehn ’40 (center), and Chuck Donatelle ‘65 (right) celebrated Art’s 100th birthday last December at Dunwoody.
problems, but I am not going to give up because I have a problem. I fight problems today, too, but perseverance, determination, and a positive attitude win the day.” “Dunwoody students will always have the best futures of anyone,” he said. “There will always be a need for keeping the world going. Electricians, machinists, car repair technicians, construction workers — that is what the world needs constantly. Everything is changing, and Dunwoody will change with it to produce the students the world needs. What school has the reputation that Dunwoody has? Everything that is made starts here.” Popehn served on the Alumni Board from 1961 to 2002, holding several leadership positions. He received the Institutional Advancement Award and the Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of his business success, leadership, and support of the College. “We are grateful to Art and his family for their generous and longstanding support of Dunwoody,” said Dunwoody President Rich Wagner. We celebrate Art Popehn and the many ways he is helping to move Dunwoody forward!
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way LEADING the The Centennial Campaign for Dunwoody College of Technology
HISTORIC DUNWOODY “LEADING THE WAY” CAMPAIGN TOPS $50M Funds raised mark largest comprehensive campaign in school’s 105-year history Dunwoody College of Technology, a private, non-profit institution and the pioneer in technical education, recently announced the completion of “Leading the Way” — the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in the school's history — by unveiling a goal-topping figure of $52.5 million. Dunwoody President Rich Wagner said the campaign concluded on time and surpassed its goal of $50 million from more than 3,000 donors, including nine donors who each gave more than $1 million and 13 who gave more than $750,000. The campaign began in 2014. “We are fortunate to have such a generous philanthropic community in Minnesota,” Wagner said. “The ‘Leading the Way’ campaign has created opportunities for students to achieve success through the jobs and careers that technical education makes possible and the opportunities for companies to access the talent they so desperately need. Together, we are building stronger communities and a stronger Minnesota. I am grateful to the individuals, businesses, and organizations who believe in the Dunwoody mission and are committed to our future success.” Funding has already covered a major $10 million renovation and expansion at the College, which transformed the campus’ under-utilized gymnasium into a two-story Welcome Center and the Newkirk Learning Commons. Other new spaces include the Fleischhacker Fireside Lounge, the General Mills Lounge, and the Otto Bremer Trust Lounge. “As a small, private, non-profit college, we reached high when we set out to raise $50 million as part of the ‘Leading the Way’ campaign, which was $20 million more than any other fundraising campaign in the College’s history,” said Mike LeJuene, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Dunwoody is a vital
piece of the Minnesota economy, and we are all invested in its future. Reaching this goal is a testament to that fact.” The campaign has also allowed the College to continue its legacy of entrepreneurship by investing in several strategic initiatives that are driving enrollment growth and serving under-represented populations through targeted recruitment, scholarships, and academic and career support. At the same time, the campaign allowed Dunwoody to expand its program offerings to continue to meet the needs of industry, including a new School of Engineering with four-year Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical, software and electrical engineering, and completion programs to support students, including a Bachelor of Architecture program. “As an alum, I know how valuable a Dunwoody education can be,” said Ray Newkirk, ‘65 Machine Tool Technology alumnus and owner of Teamvantage, Custom Mold & Design, and Paradigme Engineering, LLC, all global players in the medical, electronic, defense and industrial markets. “As an entrepreneur, I know how far a Dunwoody education can take someone. As an employer, I know how much need there is for the high-skilled graduates Dunwoody produces. MY GIFT TO DUNWOODY ISN’T JUST ABOUT GIVING BACK TO MY ALMA MATER; IT IS ABOUT INVESTING IN OUR STATE, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR FUTURE. And I want to ensure that even more students can continue to walk through Dunwoody’s doors and get that great education, just as I did.”
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Alumni & Friends
Calendar of Events AUGUST TUESDAY, AUGUST 10
Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament Registration & Boxed Lunch, 11:00 a.m. Shot Gun Start, 12:30 p.m. Edinburgh Golf Course Brooklyn Park, MN
SEPTEMBER THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 Dunwoody Speaker Series 7:30 A.M. | McNamara Center Dunwoody College Speaker: Brian Gora Speaker and Consultant, Conversion-omics
OCTOBER
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 Dunwoody Speaker Series 7:30 A.M. | McNamara Center Dunwoody College Speaker: Mike Wolbrink President, Azule
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 Duluth Alumni & Friends Regional Event 5:00 p.m. | Kitchi Gammi Club Duluth, MN
NOVEMBER THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Dunwoody Speaker Series 7:30 A.M. | McNamara Center Dunwoody College Speaker: Kimberly Randolph PE, PMP Vice President of Engineering and Construction, Xcel Energy
Kate Dunwoody Society Luncheon 11:30 a.m. | Virtual Event Speaker: Brigadier General Stefanie Horvath Director of the Joint Staff, Minnesota National Guard
DECEMBER THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Dunwoody Speaker Series 7:30 A.M. | McNamara Center Dunwoody College Speaker: Angie Wordell Executive Vice President of Operations, Graco, Inc.
2021 SAVE THE DATES FEBRUARY 1–5, 2021 Florida Alumni & Friends Regional Events
FEBRUARY 22–26, 2021 Arizona Alumni & Friends Regional Events
Help us celebrate the CLASS of 2020! Make this year's celebration as memorable as possible for our grads by submitting a message that will be shared with the Class of 2020. The College will be livestreaming its Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, July 22, at 7 p.m. at dunwoody.edu/commencement. Join the alumni listed below by sending your message of congratulations to our 2020 grads and welcome them into the Dunwoody Alumni Association. "Congratulations on your graduation! You will be remembered as a class that faced historic obstacles. I am confident you will succeed in your next adventure and make us proud."
"Welcome to the Dunwoody Alumni family. Use this accomplishment as a stepping stone in your career. Congratulations, Class of 2020!"
– John Viktora-Croke, '01, HVAC Systems Servicing
– Jazmine Darden, '17, Engineering Drafting & Design
"I truly wish you the best as you move on to the next stage of your life."
"Congrats to all of the new Dunwoody alums! You are a resilient group with a bright future ahead of you."
– Jerry Becher, '87, Electrical Construction & Maintenance
– Derek Clarkin, '05, Architectural Drafting & Estimating
Here are three ways to submit your note of congratulations: (Please submit by July 15) 1. Submit your message online by going to dunwoody.edu and clicking Alumni & Donors. 2. Send a letter with your name, program, graduation year, and message to Dunwoody College of Technology Attn: Alumni Relations, 818 Dunwoody Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55403 3. Send an email with your name, program, graduation year, and message to alumni@dunwoody.edu
Thank you for helping us encourage and inspire our new graduates!
NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 3726
Inquiries and information should be addressed to: 818 Dunwoody Boulevard Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403 DUNWOODY.EDU CH AN GE SE R VI CE R E Q U E ST E D
CONTACT US We love to connect with our alumni and friends! Alumni Office | 612.381.3086 Admissions Office | 612.374.5800 Dunwoody Fund | 612.381.8150 Career Services | 612.381.8227 Development Office | 612.381.3064 Legacy Gifts | 612.381.3417 @ DunwoodyAlumniAssociation on Facebook.com Dunwoody College Alumni Association on LinkedIn.com dunwoody.edu/alumni-donors
Becky Ankeny, Director of Alumni Relations 612.381.3379 | alumni@dunwoody.edu Has your address or phone number changed? Want to receive event announcements and updates via email? Send an email to alumni@dunwoody.edu.
VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Brian Nelson MAGAZINE EDITORIAL STAFF
Jennifer McNeil, Executive Director of Marketing William Morris, Director of Marketing Analytics Kathy Helgeson, Visual Marketing Content Strategist Emily Hanson, Graphic Design & Project Coordinator
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR Check out our labs and spaces from a distance when you take a virtual tour at: DUNWOODY.EDU/VIRTUALTOUR Dunwoody is using the latest in three-dimensional imagery to create a fully immersive online tour experience.
