EMS Alumni Chapter

Alliant Energy’s purpose is to serve customers and build stronger communities. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, the company provides regulated service to 985,000 electric and 425,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy has long been a supporter of UW-Platteville and the College of EMS. Their support has benefited many UW-Platteville events, such as the EMS Expo, the Women in STEM Banquet, the Women in STEM Scholars and Leadership Program, Pioneering Your Future in STEM and the Girls Who Code club outreach programs. They have also funded the Alliant Energy 5x5x5 Scholarship for Underrepresented Students.

Dr. David Kunz retired as professor of mechanical engineering in 2017 a 20-year teaching career at UW-Platteville. During his time with Platteville, he also served as department chair for mechanical and industrial engineering as well as the faculty sponsor for the Society of Automotive Engineers student organization. He is known for his personable attitude, fostering a family-like atmosphere that inspired learning for students, faculty, and staff. During his tenure, he was awarded Outstanding Advisor to a Student Organization and Exemplary Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. As one of coworkers said, “When someone in a higher position shows that they appreciate and care about you and are willing to go the extra mile for you, it's easy to do the same in return. Dave was THAT person, which made it easy for students, faculty, and staff in mechanical engineering to "pay it forward". Dave cultivated a family-like atmosphere that inspired learning; faculty, staff and students were always working together. As you know, good things happen when everyone works together.”

Danielle Izdepski graduating from Platteville with a degree in mathematics in 1996. Since graduating, Danielle Izdepski has remained highly involved with her alma-mater. She’s been a part of the UW-Platteville Women in Stem Advisory Board for more than 10 years, where she is an industry representative from Epic. Izdepski also serves as a UW-Platteville representative, mathematics major on the Women in STEM Board. Izdepski has spent more than 25 years as a healthcare IT professional with a focus on customer support and team management. Izdepski joined Epic in 1996 and has served in different roles including resolute professional billing technical services team lead and claims and remittance technical services team lead. She is currently the MyChart Patient Portal Technical Services Team Lead. In her position, Izdepski is a career development leader for a team of more than 150 people. She also provides product development support for patient communication, registration, and billing functional areas of the patient portal product.

Bill Huff graduated in 1959 with a degree in mining engineering. He worked as an engineer for Kaiser Steel Corporation and North American Rockwell, before launching a successful real estate investment company, Huff Properties, in 1962. Huff is one of the largest financial supporters of the College of EMS. He and his family foundation have supported the university, students, staff, and faculty in multiple ways, including providing individual $1,000 scholarships to students from Dubuque Senior and Lancaster high schools; sponsoring the construction of Engineering Hall, where a classroom now bears his name; creating the Huff Family Scholarship Fund; and establishing the Huff Family Innovation Center Fund, which supports the Huff Family Innovation Center in the new Sesquicentennial Hall.

Dr. Lynn Schlager retired as professor of mechanical engineering in 2017 after seven years in industry and a 28-year teaching career, the last 19-and-a-half at UW-Platteville. During his time at UW-Platteville, he was active in developing the ME thermal science laboratory curriculum and was involved with several student groups, including First Robotics, Tau Beta Pi, and ASHRAE. Honors include the EMS Outstanding Academic Advisor Award and Pi Tau Sigma Outstanding Professor Award. After a sabbatical in Nicaragua, he led a number of short-term education abroad trips there, having students work with a local women's cooperative to build and implement renewable energy technologies. He was also actively involved with community service, sitting on the Platteville Water and Sewer Commission and being elected to the Platteville School Board. After his retirement, he continued to give back to the college and provide support as needed. He has offered tutoring to students in thermodynamics courses, taught spring of 2019 to cover a maternity leave, and in the current semester is filling in while the course instructor awaits immigration paperwork.

Samantha Kevern graduated in 2005 with a degree in civil engineering with a structural emphasis before earning her master’s degree in the same field from Iowa State University. Her career has spanned the fields of forensic engineering, construction and demolition engineering, and bridge engineering. Kevern is currently a Senior Project Engineer at HNTB Corporation. She is a licensed Professional Structural Engineer in Nebraska and Nevada and a Professional Engineer in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, New York, and California. She volunteers with the American Society of Civil Engineers and with a variety of STEM education outreach events for school-aged children, with a particular focus on introducing girls to STEM. Kevern also serves on UW-Platteville’s Civil Engineering Advisory Board.

Lauren Ray graduated in 2001 with a degree in civil engineering with a structural emphasis. This year marks her 20th anniversary at Origin Design (formerly IIW, P.C.), where she is Vice President. Her leadership positions at Origin Design have included Structural Department Team Leader, Land Development Department Team Leader, and she currently serves as the Field Services Department Team Leader. She has been a licensed Professional Engineer since 2006 and licensed Structural Engineer since 2007. Ray serves on UW-Platteville’s Civil Engineering Advisory Board and volunteers her time giving presentations in UW-Platteville classrooms and taking part in the Engineering Seminar Series. Her volunteer work in her community includes a recently completed term on the Shullsburg School District Board, a coach on the Shullsburg Miners Trap Team, and more.

Strand Associates, Inc.® has had a long-standing relationship with UW-Platteville and the College of Engineering, Math, and Science. The firm currently employs nearly 50 UW-Platteville alumni, including its current president and CEO, Matt Richards, '91. Members of the firm have served in many capacities on campus, including on academic advisory boards and alumni and foundation boards, participating as guest speakers, serving as mentors, continuing to recruit UW-Platteville graduates, providing faculty assistantships, and sponsoring senior design projects. In addition to the endowed scholarship established by Strand Associates, Inc.® to support students pursuing civil and environmental engineering, alumni and friends employed by the firm have established an endowed fund to provide hands-on experiences and student support services for all students within the College of EMS. The firm also made a major gift to support the College of EMS' Center for Projects, Opportunities, Instruction, Networking, and Teamwork (CenterPOINT)—a comfortable space for group work and tutoring, computer stations, and student resources. Strand Associates, Inc.® is one of the university's and the College of EMS' largest donors, making an annual major gift donation in support of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department to support its students, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Jeff Hoerning, retired from UW-Platteville in 2020, following more than 15 years of service in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. He was a full professor and also served as a mentor for the Society of Automotive Engineering student organization for many years, providing leadership to countless students in national competitions. He also assumed leadership roles within the College of EMS, including one as interim associate dean. Prior to his time at UW-Platteville, he was and instructor and shop instructor at UW-Madison.

Taryn Nall graduated in 1975 with a degree in civil engineering, before earning his master’s degree in the same field from Marquette University. Nall worked in the wastewater and water facilities field for 44 years. Nall was a corporate officer for Kaempfer & Associates, Inc. for 30 years, and is currently Senior Project Manager for Wastewater and Water Projects at Ruekert-Mielke. He holds a Professional Engineer license in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan and is a lifetime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Works Association, the Water Environment Federation, and the Wisconsin Wastewater Operator Association. Nall supports scholarships for Oconto Falls High School graduates to attend UW-Platteville and has hired several UW-Platteville graduates throughout his career.