{"id":179197,"date":"2026-01-15T13:34:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T18:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/15\/andersen-windows-hewlett-packard-among-companies-hiring-uw-stout-engineering-cybersecurity-students-before-graduation-local-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T06:15:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T11:15:15","slug":"andersen-windows-hewlett-packard-among-companies-hiring-uw-stout-engineering-cybersecurity-students-before-graduation-local-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/15\/andersen-windows-hewlett-packard-among-companies-hiring-uw-stout-engineering-cybersecurity-students-before-graduation-local-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Andersen Windows, Hewlett Packard among companies hiring UW\u2013Stout engineering, cybersecurity students before graduation | Local News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andersen Windows, Hewlett Packard among companies hiring UW\u2013Stout engineering, cybersecurity students before graduation | Local News<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.hudsonstarobserver.com\/news\/andersen-windows-hewlett-packard-among-companies-hiring-uw-stout-engineering-cybersecurity-students-before-graduation\/article_44e8cd5b-4fcc-4b24-91d2-59b245d7980d.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-01-15 13:34:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: www.hudsonstarobserver.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: <\/a><\/p>\n

Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points. <\/p>\n

Among the class of nearly 400 undergraduate\u00a0students who crossed the commencement stage at University of Wisconsin\u2013Stout\u2019s Dec. 20 ceremony, five\u00a0College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management\u00a0students were recognized by faculty and staff as inspiring graduates whose stories represent what it is to be Stout Proud.They shared their university experiences, setbacks and successes in UW\u2013Stout\u2019s\u00a0Inspiring Graduate Q&A series:Luke Mertens, B.S. manufacturing engineering and B.S. mechanical engineering, Blue Earth, MinnesotaZachary Morgan, B.S. manufacturing engineering, Eau ClaireEaston Sailer, B.S. computer and electrical engineering, PoundOwen Pryga, B.S. cybersecurity, GraftonIsaac Harnack, B.S. plastics engineering, Crystal, MinnesotaFully 99% of recent UW\u2013Stout graduates were either employed or furthering their education within six months of graduation, as stated in the annual\u00a0First Destination Report. Among them, all of the above students were hired before graduation.Inspiring Graduate: Luke Mertens, manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineeringMertens chose UW\u2013Stout for its polytechnic education and hands-on learning opportunities that would build his skillset through internships and industry-sponsored projects to make him career-ready before graduation.\u00a0He was hired before graduation as a controls engineer at\u00a0SMC Ltd., a medical device contract manufacturer in Somerset. \u201cMy main responsibilities will include designing electrical schematics, wiring control panelsand specifying electrical components for machines that will be built by the in-house automation department,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope to make an impact in my field by contributing to complex problem solving and challenging what is possible in the world of automation.\u201dAs part of his applied learning during his double major in\u00a0manufacturing engineering\u00a0and\u00a0mechanical engineering, he completed a two-semester, industry-sponsored capstone project with a team of engineering students to build a\u00a0pallet-lifting machine\u00a0for Ashley Furniture. The machine can lift and hold 6-foot-long, 100-pound pallets off the ground until a stack of 12 is collected.\u201cUW\u2013Stout has helped make me an industry-ready undergraduate by offering hands-on learning and teaching me how to identify, break down and solve problems,\u201d said Mertens, who interned at\u00a0Midwest Manufacturing\u00a0in Eau Claire, helping with programming and troubleshooting automation.Inspiring Graduate: Zachary Morgan, manufacturing engineeringAfter several years working in critical care nursing and later in a warehouse at Andersen Windows, Morgan realized he wanted to be on the side of improving systems, not just adapting to them. \u201cUW\u2013Stout\u2019s strong reputation for applied learning and industry partnerships is what ultimately drew me here to the\u00a0manufacturing engineering program,\u201d he said.For excellence and achievements during his internships, Morgan is a two-time recipient of the university\u2019s Outstanding Cooperative Education and Internship Program\u00a0Student of the Year Award\u00a0and the singular 2024 nominee for the National Co-op Student Achievement Award.\u201cAs an engineering intern at\u00a0Andersen Windows & Doors\u00a0for three consecutive summers across two different plants, my responsibilities evolved each year as my skills and experience grew. Stout offered the perfect balance of hands-on experience and real-world relevanceand it became the bridge that allowed me to transform my career path,\u201d he said.Morgan is joining Andersen Windows & Doors\u2019 Engineering Rotational Program, which will allow him to continue growing with a company he deeply respects.\u201cThe program is designed to expose engineers to multiple facets of the business, from process optimization to product design and operations leadership. I see it as an ideal next step to strengthen my technical and leadership skills while discovering where I can make the greatest impact long-term,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cI hope my story inspires others, especially those navigating career changes or self-doubt, to take that step forward. Growth happens when we lean into discomfort and keep learning.\u201dInspiring Graduate: Easton Sailer, computer and electrical engineeringSailer chose UW\u2013Stout because it was close to home, offered\u00a0excellent value\u00a0and because his dad earned his master\u2019s degree here. He was also drawn to the university\u2019s strong\u00a0computer and electrical engineering program.\u201cUW\u2013Stout emphasizes hands-on learning and practical experience \u2013 something I value more than the traditional, theory-focused approach found at other schools,\u201d Sailer said. \u201cI aim to make a meaningful impact in my field by leveraging my expertise in both software and hardware to enhance system-level efficiency, enabling the development of larger, more capable systems that operate with lower power consumption,\u201d he said.He completed internships with\u00a0nVent, in Anoka, Minnesotaand\u00a0Hewlett Packard Enterprise\u00a0\u2013 two companies in the data center and high-performance computing sectors. \u201cThese experiences allowed me to apply my classroom learning to real-world engineering challenges, while contributing to meaningful projects in my field,\u201d he said.Sailer\u00a0earned his\u00a0CEE degree\u00a0and minors in mathematics and computer science and was hired before graduation as an electrical hardware engineer at\u00a0Hewlett Packard Enterprise\u00a0in Chippewa Falls.\u00a0He plans to work in the industry for three to five years before returning to school to pursue a master\u2019s degree.\u201cGaining real-world experience first will allow me to solidify my interests and make a more informed decision about my area of specialization. Currently, I\u2019m especially interested in data centers and high-performance computing and the opportunities they offer for innovation,\u201d he said.Inspiring Graduate: Owen Pryga, cybersecurityPryga\u00a0was encouraged to attend UW\u2013Stout by friends who graduated from the university. \u201cThey pushed me to go to Stout for the polytechnic aspect, which they knew I loved. After finishing my first semester, I knew this was the place for me due to the hands-on nature of the classes,\u201d he said.He grew from the challenge of loneliness, being away from his family, to making fast friendships and even stepping into leadership roles, including serving as president of the\u00a0Cyber@Stout\u00a0student club and as a lead lab assistant.Pryga earned his\u00a0cybersecurity degree\u00a0and\u00a0was hired before graduation as a consulting engineer with\u00a0Heartland Business Systems.\u201cI hope to make the world a more secure place and to inspire others to learn more about the many aspects of cybersecurity. The problem-solving and troubleshooting required make me more passionate about the industry and spark joy in learning the unknown. I hope to help others find that same joy,\u201d he said.Inspiring Graduate: Isaac Harnack, plastics engineeringIn high school, Harnack wanted to follow in his grandfather\u2019s footsteps and be a mechanic for tractors and large farm equipment. \u201cI have always had a mechanically inclined mindand machines just make sense to me,\u201d he said.However, after looking at different career prospects, Harnack\u2019s mom encouraged him to apply to UW\u2013Stout, as one of her friend\u2019s sons had graduated from the\u00a0packaging program.\u201cI took one look at the\u00a0School of Engineering\u00a0majors and stumbled upon the\u00a0plastics engineering program. After seeing an injection molding machine for the first time, I knew that this was the path forward. I had never seen anything like it before and wanted to know its every function.\u201cOn top of this, Stout\u2019s polytechnic spirit drew me closer to the school, as every class is hands-on constantly; you aren\u2019t just learning theory. Here, using industry-standard equipment is just another Tuesday. The fact that making mistakes is encouraged as a point of learning is what kept me here,\u201d he said.Harnack completed two internships: one at\u00a0Graco, in Rogers, Minnesotaand one at\u00a0RTP Company, in Winona, Minnesota.\u00a0\u201cI want to be a processing engineer, as the \u2018thinking on your feet\u2019 aspect is where I thrive. This would mean taking a tool and setting up machine parameters to run parts for my company or dealing with processing issues as they occur,\u201d said Harnack, who is starting a new position as an engineer at\u00a0GaMra Composites.UW\u2013Stout is\u00a0Wisconsin\u2019s Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industryand career outcomes. Learn more via the\u00a0FOCUS2030\u00a0strategic plan.<\/p>\n

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