Koss
Green Bay, Wis. – Dessi Koss did more than graduate from college in May. She also made history. Koss, the first student to enroll in the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s new program in Engineering Technology in 2015, was also the first to graduate in the Mechanical Engineering Technology track, paving the way for a new era of academic programming at the University in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.
Koss was one of 947 students eligible to receive a degree during the May 13, 2017 Spring Commencement at the Kress Events Center on campus.
The need for a regional higher education partner that prepares engineers for the Green Bay area and surrounding regions has been recognized for decades. The first graduates of the UW-Green Bay program symbolize that both that the need is real, and that it is beginning to be met. The Engineering Technology degree has quickly become the fastest growing major at the University and offers degree tracks in mechanical, electrical and environmental areas of study. Cognizant of business and industry’s engineering needs in the region, UW-Green Bay will seek approval this fall from the UW Board of Regents to offer mechanical engineering at the University.
The first engineering technology graduates are not the only thing setting the Class of 2017 apart. The class also contains a record number of academic honor recipients (277), a record number of master’s degree candidates (120) and large numbers of students earning multiple degrees and completing them in record time: six triple majors, 105 double majors, three students completing their bachelor’s degree in two years and 17 who are bringing home a degree in three years.
“Our college students are to be commended. They’re working harder than ever before to maximize their investment in their education,” said Chancellor Gary L. Miller. “They want to help our economies grow and improve community quality of life, and they know that the challenges awaiting them require a varied skill set across multiple disciplines. For some, that means a double or a triple major, or gaining ample college credits in high school so they can accelerate their education and start solving problems sooner. They are doing whatever they can now to be quick and agile learners, able to easily adapt and be successful in a world that is forever changing with rapid technology and marketplace needs.”