Approximately 40 local engineering and manufacturing firms from in and around Sauk County convened at a listening session Tuesday at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County to offer their thoughts and share stories of their local businesses, in order to grow connections between UW-Platteville and Sauk County employer needs.
"As a regional leader in STEM, UW-Platteville is committed to serving industry needs in the region and across the state, and our Baraboo Sauk County campus is critical to succeeding in this mission,” said UW-Platteville Chancellor Dr. Tammy Evetovich, who joined in the day’s discussions. “I am encouraged by the number of industry partners we engaged with today, and I am looking forward to building on this momentum.”
Organized by Acting Dean of UW-Platteville’s College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Dr. Philip J. Parker, and Baraboo Sauk County Campus Director Dr. Stephen Swallen, the Greater Sauk County Area Manufacturing and Engineering Listening Session was the opening meeting in a series, with a follow-up, action-oriented workshop to be scheduled later in the fall.
“We look forward to following the same tried-and-true recipe for growing exceptional engineering and technology programs that we’ve used for decades at our home campus: listen to the needs of industry and work collaboratively to turn the vision into reality,” said Parker.
Swallen said he was glad to bring everyone together and to begin his service as campus director with a reinvigorated mission of connection in the business community.
“I am grateful to each of you for giving us your time, experience and insight today,” Swallen told the assembled group. “We are ready to make this campus an even deeper cornerstone of what makes Sauk County the great place it is.”