Inspiring Graduate: Adam Rath (’26)
- Hometown: Savanna, Illinois
- Degree: B.S. Computer Science
- Minor: Mathematics
Over the course of three years at UW-Stout, Adam Rath went from being an undecided community college transfer student to a computer science degree-holder eager to step into the professional world with the skills to build large applications and meet industry standards.
“What I am most proud of as I finish my degree is how far I have come,” said Rath, of Savanna, Illinois. “If you had asked me what linear algebra was before, I would have said I didn’t know.”
Rath credits his transformation to the applied learning that is part of UW-Stout’s identity as Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University. The polytechnic model gave his coursework real-world weight, culminating in a post-graduation internship at DigiKey, a Minnesota-based distributor of electronic components. He also lauds his professors, whose genuine dedication to students and passion for their fields of study impacted both students’ engagement and their preparation for future careers.
Rath was one of 1,067 Blue Devils who received degrees during the May 16 spring commencement ceremonies. Of this year’s graduates, 77.4% were hired prior to graduation, while 99% of recent graduates were employed or furthering their education within six months of graduation.
How do you hope to make an impact in your field?
I hope to impact my field by creating original products or improving existing projects to enhance aspects of people’s lives. Through this, I hope to build a reputation that allows me to take on even bigger and more impactful work, such as contributing to improvements in cybersecurity or operating systems.
What brought you to UW-Stout?
What brought me to UW-Stout was that I had just changed my major to “undecided” at my community college and was looking for the next step toward my career. Once I found that I had a liking for the field of computer science, I started looking at universities with strong computer science programs. That’s when I applied to four universities, including UW-Stout.
The four factors that influenced my decision to transfer to UW-Stout were that it was the most affordable of the four, I had a coworker at my previous job who also attended the university, it had a strong computer science program, and I was awestruck by the campus when I visited.
How has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field?
UW-Stout is a polytechnic university, which prepares students for real industry. The hands-on nature of classes, with their projects and assignments, provides real-world experience that is valuable in this field.
While I can’t say I had one specific favorite class, many of my computer science classes were among the ones I enjoyed the most. Talking with professors about course material and possible solutions was very interesting. This was especially true when I had difficulty with an assignment – discussing solutions with professors and getting their feedback was one of the best parts of the experience.
Where did you complete your internship or field experience?
As of now, I have an internship lined up over the summer at DigiKey in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, which will complete the co-op experience for my degree. My role at DigiKey will involve attending meetings and brainstorming sessions, helping with day-to-day tasks and projects, and working on a capstone project to support the company. Once that is finished, I will either have a job lined up with a different company, DigiKey may offer me a full-time position, or I will continue searching for ways to help people in the private or public sector.
How did your campus involvement impact your experience?
I am a member of the Tabletop Gaming Club and PONG (People’s Organization of Network Gaming). During one spring semester, my game was featured at Stout Game Expo, and both of my capstone projects were showcased at the STEMM Student Expo.
I also worked at North Point Dining Center on North Campus, first as a student worker and then as a student manager. Being a student manager helped me develop important leadership skills, such as understanding the people I oversee. This includes recognizing their strengths and weaknesses and learning how to communicate effectively with them.
What stands out about your UW-Stout experience?
One of the most important things that stands out about UW-Stout is the professors. Whether they genuinely care about helping students succeed and learn or are passionate about the subjects they teach, it has a strong impact — not only on student engagement but also on preparing students for industry standards.
I will remember conversations about non-major topics I enjoy, like history with Dr. Christopher Marshall and American media with Dr. Joan Navarre, as well as learning more about computer science with Dr. Saleh Alnaeli, Dr. Ahmed El-Magrous, Dr. Tyler Thomas, and Dr. Scott Turner. Finally, I want to give a shout-out to the excellent math professors who made math fun and easier to learn: Dr. Derek Sturgill, Dr. Eugen Ghenciu and Dr. Laura Schmidt.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
What I am most proud of as I finish my degree is how far I have come. If you had asked me what linear algebra was before, I would have said I didn’t know. Now I understand what linear algebra is all about. Over the past three years, I’ve learned how important computer science is and gained insight into the many topics required to build large, complex applications or websites. I’ve also accomplished a lot – I helped create a video game and contributed to building two websites, which demonstrate my understanding of the concepts taught in computer science.
