Inspiring Graduate: Thomas Shamla, B.S. Mechanical Engineering

“UW-Stout has prepared me to work in my field by offering extensive exposure to the same equipment and processes used in industry,” said Shamla, who will soon begin as a mechanical engineer at Absolut Manufacturing, a maker of paper converting equipment in Iron River. 

Even classes outside his major that he was initially skeptical of – such as those in speech and writing – had application in his career, Shamla found.  

“I was asked to give two presentations to the senior engineers at the company where I had my internship, and I remember using some of the feedback I received in my speech class years earlier to create a clear, concise presentation,” he said. 

Shamla, of South Range, 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. 

“I hope to contribute to my field by bringing my knowledge to the manufacturing industry of northern Wisconsin and by using my acquired skills to offer unique and innovative solutions to problems,” Shamla said. 

What brought you to UW-Stout? 

When I was touring colleges in high school, I was very impressed by UW-Stout’s ability to give a hands-on education through its labs. I also think that this campus has a lot of resources dedicated to preparing students for a career after school, and I was interested in taking advantage of those opportunities to help me stand out in my field. 

How has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field?  

UW-Stout has prepared me to work in my field by offering extensive exposure to the same equipment and processes used in industry. My internship and senior design experience are two examples of direct exposure to my field that I had as a student. I remember learning a lot about technical drawings and design software in my Communication of Engineering Design class that I took in my second year. I relied heavily on what I learned in that class when I completed my summer internship, which involved converting legacy part and assembly drawings into 3D models. 

What were the greatest lessons or projects you were involved in during your internship with Absolut Manufacturing? 

I completed my internship at Absolut Manufacturing in the summer of 2025. My role there was to convert legacy drawings of parts and assemblies into 3D models. In addition to modeling the parts and determining the assembly structure, this involved determining appropriate stock for the parts to be made from, categorizing and labeling the parts within the company’s product data management system, and preparing a report on differences between the legacy system and more recent machines produced by Bretting Manufacturing, Absolut’s parent company. Because the way that the parts were modeled and categorized determined their manufacturing method, I learned a lot about how to select the most appropriate and realistic manufacturing process to produce a certain type of part. 

What stands out about your UW-Stout experience? 

What stands out to me about my UW-Stout experience is how hands-on learning and small class sizes allow students to get the best understanding of the material being taught. One example of this was in Associate Professor Greg Slupe’s Computer-Aided Manufacturing class. In that class, everyone gets a lot of time using the lab equipment. Greg presents his knowledge on the subject matter clearly and thoroughly, and he is always available to answer questions. That class is a great example of professors providing the resources needed for each individual student to succeed. 

How did your campus involvement impact your experience? 

During my time at UW-Stout, I was involved as a member of StoutCatholic. At the weekly meetings, I met great people and had the opportunity to lead several Bible studies. Leading the studies gave me an opportunity to practice leadership and conversational skills, which are great skills to have in the professional world and in life.  

I was also awarded the Rath Foundation academic scholarship, which was an incredible opportunity that helped me cover the cost of attending the university. 

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

When I started pursuing my degree, there were some classes in the curriculum that I struggled to connect to practical skills for my career. I didn’t understand how taking certain classes in speech and writing could help me in the future because I believed that they didn’t relate to my future career. Because I didn’t understand the benefits of these classes, it was difficult to motivate myself to put in extra time for them.  

Overcoming this challenge happened naturally through experience, as I grew to realize the need for an engineer to have skills in many of these areas. I was asked to give two presentations to the senior engineers at the company where I had my internship, and I remember using some of the feedback I received in my speech class years earlier to create a clear, concise presentation.

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

As I finish my degree, I am most proud of the knowledge I have that lets me give back to my community. In the professional world and beyond, I am leaving the university with practical skills that will help me be a more valuable employee and solve problems in my day-to-day life. I am proud that I have learned new ways to approach those problems and have practiced solving them creatively. I am also proud of the fact that I was able to maintain a GPA of over 3.9 throughout the challenges I have faced.