Three alumni guest speakers and three students addressed 1,174 of their peers as they celebrated graduation from UW-Stout – Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University – on May 10.
During three ceremonies in Johnson Fieldhouse, the alumni speakers all credited UW-Stout with helping them build connections, strengthen transformational relationships – both professional and personal – and shape them and their careers:
- Kraus-Anderson Senior Vice President Rich Jacobson, 1998 B.S. in industrial technology, addressed College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management undergraduates.
- Northwood Technical College President John Will, 2017 Ed.D. in career and technical education, addressed College of Arts and Human Sciences undergraduates.
- Wakanda Elementary School Principal Diane Schofield, 2007 M.S. in education, addressed Graduate Studies graduates.
Jacobson and Schofield grew up in Dunn County and called UW-Stout home long before they stepped onto campus as students. Will spent time on campus as well, visiting his future wife when she attended, long before he enrolled at the university himself.
The three student speakers shared messages of community, embracing the unknown and staying true to one’s own self:
- Megan King, of Menomonie, studio art, CAHS speaker
- Francis Kaunda, of Lilongwe, Malawi, real estate property management; business administration, CSTEMM speaker
- Srimukhi Vemavarapu, of Medchal, India, master’s in food science and technology, Graduate Studies speaker
Building transformational relationships
Quoting author Brené Brown, Jacobson said, “In a culture that tells us to hustle, prove, and perfect, the most radical and courageous act is to show up and let ourselves be seen – especially in our relationships.”
Jacobson learned not just the technical skills at UW-Stout that launched his career, but also the “value of integrity, teamwork and grit. Those lessons shaped the leader I became – and the colleague, husband, father and friend I strive to be every day.
“To the Class of 2025: You are entering a world filled with complexity and challenge – but also extraordinary opportunity. You’ve already built the technical skills to succeed. What will carry you even further are the relationships you’ve made – and the ones you’ll build as you move forward.
“Some of the most meaningful connections of your life may have already started right here at Stout. Nurture them. Expand them. Lean on them. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just what you build in this world that matters – it’s who you build it with,” Jacobson said.
Will thinks his education here played a critical role in opening doors and creating opportunities for him, including being invited to speak at commencement on the very day his daughter, Anna, received her diploma.
“You have knowledge, relationships and opportunities that seemed distant just a few years ago. Data tells us that virtually all of you already have a job or will very soon,” Will said. “And you’ll find that your new degree will open more doors after you enter the workforce, just like my degree did for me. When I look at you, I actually don’t see a finish line as much as I see a starting point that represents the leaders of tomorrow.
“What I’ve realized over the years is that achieving what you’re about to achieve also comes with some responsibilities. You are about to be an alum. So, this university’s reputation is now about what you do in the coming years. How you choose to live your life, and how you choose to contribute. You have a responsibility to give to your employer and your community. And through that, you become Stout’s reputation, and you will inspire another generation of graduates and leaders,” he said.
Schofield said her “childhood is woven into the fabric of this campus. I was part of it before I even knew it. This place isn’t just where I grew up – it helped shape who I am.”
In college, Schofield studied biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology and was planning a future in medicine or research. “I learned that spending eight hours a day talking to mice and rat heart cells wasn’t exactly my calling,” she said. “Because what I love – what I need – is people. Conversation. Connection.”
After graduating, she earned her science teaching license and built a classroom based on growth, laughter and learning. Her education came full circle when she earned her master’s from UW-Stout. “The coursework transformed me. Courses in program evaluation and instructional design opened doors in my thinking – doors I didn’t even know were there,” she said.
Now, as an elementary school principal, she “looks back and the destination may be very different from the one I envisioned when I was first asked what I want to be when I grow up. But truthfully, it is exactly where I am meant to be.
“Some of you are living the exact plan you set out with. And some of you? You’ve already learned that plans can change – and that’s okay. In fact, it can be more than okay, it can be beautiful. Because wherever life leads you next, you now carry something powerful: the knowledge, the tools and the confidence to thrive. You are ready. You are capable,” Schofield said.
Finding strength in community
Although Kaunda graduated with a double major, he had no clear path when he started his educational journey at UW-Stout. “I just had a desire to make an impact and a willingness to learn as I went. And guess what? That was enough,” he said.
Kaunda’s message to his CSTEMM peers was that “You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. Because I’ve learned that life isn’t about having a perfectly mapped-out plan. It’s about the direction you’re moving in. It’s about waking up each day with a commitment to grow – just 1% better than the day before. That’s all. One small step forward, every day.
“The next step might be exciting, intimidating, or completely unexpected, but the important thing is to keep moving forward. Take risks, say yes to things that challenge you, and trust that the work you’ve put in will open doors – even the ones you didn’t see coming.
“And when things get tough, which they will, remember how far you’ve come. Remember the resilience, the courage, and the support system that got you here at UW-Stout. Use that as your anchor,” he said.
King’s seven-year journey to earn her degree was interrupted by the pandemic and then by a debilitating trauma that led her to medically withdraw from UW-Stout.
As King began to heal, her mom encouraged her to reapply. When King received her acceptance letter, “I was so deeply moved by the university because there is something incredibly powerful about being part of a community that supports you even when you don’t believe in yourself.”
Within her commencement speech, King read “The Journey,” a poem by Mary Oliver, which tells the story of a person who, through all the cacophony of others’ voices, finds their own voice and strides bravely deeper into the world.
Her message to her CAHS peers was that “You must do what’s best for you first. After graduation, the road may not be clear, and I want to remind you that you are capable. You are enough. Your path is exactly what it’s meant to be. And if you ever feel lost, remember that you are never alone. There are communities, just like UW-Stout, that will believe in you just as deeply, even when you doubt yourself.
"Take this moment to honor your resilience. Whatever your next steps may be, remember that success is not defined by how quickly you get there, but by how you stay true to your own journey,” she said.
Vemavarapu came to UW-Stout for an education, but what she found was a home — a place that has given her memories, friendships and lessons to last a lifetime.
When she first arrived at UW-Stout, she worried, “‘How am I going to do it?,’ because I was entering an entirely new world, leaving behind the comfort cocoons of home.”
Then, she remembered something her mom always says, “A house is just some concrete walls put together, but home is where the heart is.”
So, Vemavarapu adapted and made a new home and a circle of friends. “We created a new kind of family here — one made of shared laughter and giving a shoulder to each other for support. Stout became so much more than just a place to study; it became a place that shaped us, challenged us and helped us grow in ways we never expected.
“We have learned that nothing is impossible when we take that first step, when we lean on the support around us, and when we believe in ourselves,” she said.
