UW-Platteville's Leah Coenen earns consulting firm scholarship

UW-Platteville senior Leah Coenen has earned a leadership scholarship from one of the Midwest's top consulting firms. 

MSA Professional Services Inc. announced Thursday that Coenen is among four interns awarded the 2026 inaugural Hantzsch School of Leadership scholarship. Each student will receive $2,500. 

The scholarship is named for the firm's CEO emeritus, Gil Hantzsch, who served 32 years with the company, including 11 as president and CEO. The award recognizes students with excellent leadership qualities, accomplishments and philosophies, according to the company. 

“I am proud and honored to congratulate this inaugural cohort of MSA scholarship recipients,” MSA CEO Nick Wagner said in a news release. “This initiative honors both the leadership and stewardship of my former mentor, Gil Hantzsch, as well as the next generation of leaders and visionaries. I’m grateful to be able to support the professional journeys of these four recipients — and look forward to the contributions they’ll make within their collegiate walls and beyond.”

Coenen, of Westfield, Wisconsin, is studying environmental engineering and Spanish at UW-Platteville. She's a first-year MSA intern working out of the company's Baraboo location. 

Other recipients included Mariana Garcia, an architectural engineering student at the Milwaukee School of Engineering; Hadyn Markham, an electrical engineering student at UW-Madison; and Sam Totzke, who is studying environmental engineering at UW-Madison.

MSA provides consulting services across a range of disciplines, including agriculture, economic development, municipal infrastructure, transportation and water services management.