{"id":10955,"date":"2024-05-23T09:34:12","date_gmt":"2024-05-23T14:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=10955"},"modified":"2024-05-23T09:34:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T14:34:12","slug":"sleep-number-ceo-ec-council-president-honorary-doctorate-recipient-provide-inspirational-send-off-for-1000-uw-stout-graduates","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/sleep-number-ceo-ec-council-president-honorary-doctorate-recipient-provide-inspirational-send-off-for-1000-uw-stout-graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleep Number CEO, EC council president, honorary doctorate recipient provide inspirational send-off for 1,000+ UW-Stout graduates"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo<\/a>
Alumna Shelly Ibach, a 1981 graduate and now CEO of Sleep Number, speaks during commencement. \/ UW-Stout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Celebratory smiles lit up the faces of 1,037 graduates as they crossed the stage to receive a higher education degree on May 4 from Wisconsin\u2019s Polytechnic University, UW-Stout.<\/p>\n

Along with their diplomas, they departed the three commencement ceremonies at Johnson Fieldhouse with inspirational advice from three alumni speakers, who have become corporate and community leaders, and three of their peers from the Class of 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cPractice the Greek ideal \u2018a sound mind and a sound body.\u2019 Practice the highest ethical standards, work hard, continue to learn, play hard. Do this for yourself, for your family, for your community, for the nation and for the world,\u201d said\u00a0Dallas Pankowski<\/strong>, a 1960 bachelor\u2019s and 1961 master\u2019s graduate who along with his wife, Edye, received honorary doctorate degrees recognizing their highly successful business and a lifelong commitment to learning, living an active lifestyle and philanthropy. \u201cGo out, make it happen and be Stout Proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shelly Ibach<\/strong>\u00a0was a student commencement speaker when she graduated in 1981 from UW-Stout. Now CEO of Sleep Number Corp. in Minneapolis since 2012, she advised graduates to be courageous and find their \u201cred thread. A red thread is your defining characteristic, a signature strength that is as unique to you as your fingerprint. It\u2019s an innate gift that guides you in good times and in times of adversity. As you know, it takes perseverance, resilience and courage to navigate all the trials and tribulations and find your path forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the Graduate Studies ceremony,\u00a0Emily Berge<\/strong>, a UW-Stout 2002 bachelor\u2019s graduate and 2006 master\u2019s graduate, licensed professional counselor and Eau Claire City Council president, told graduates that each one of them has what it takes to be a leader. She encouraged them to practice self-care and be resilient leaders.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be resilient is to engage in activities that make you smile, to surround yourself with people who you can be your true self with, to treat yourself with the same kindness that you give to your best friend, and to protect that time in your day when you feel the most peaceful and happy. Because I promise you that life will turn you upside down at times but resilience will ground you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that she had to miss her graduate degree commencement in 2006 because she was nine months pregnant. That child, a son, is graduating from high school this spring and plans to attend UW-Stout in the fall.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou probably already know this, but Stout is a very well-regarded institution. People know that Stout graduates are hard-working, creative thinkers and problem solvers. I am proud that he chose Stout, and I look forward when he can be like you all and be a Stout graduate,\u201d Berge said.<\/p>\n

Student speakers were:<\/p>\n

CSTEMM ceremony<\/strong>,\u00a0Kat Schlauderaff<\/strong>, of Chaska, Minn., digital marketing technology:<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery single (graduate) in this room had to fight to be here today. The hours, sweat, determination and, for some of us, tears that were poured into our academics should not go unnoticed. For all the memories you have where you thought you wouldn\u2019t make it, you thought you\u2019d fail, or you considered dropping out, you soon will have the memory of moving that tassel and knowing that you persevered. You\u2019ve made it,\u201d Schlauderaff said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmbrace the obstacles that lie ahead with the same tenacity and courage that you\u2019ve shown throughout your journey at Stout. Let the memories of your triumphs serve as a reminder of your inner strength and capability. Dare to dream big, pursue all your passions relentlessly, and never underestimate your ability to overcome hardships. Together, let us embark on this new adventure with confidence, resilience and an unwavering belief in our ability to make a difference in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

CAHS ceremony<\/strong>,\u00a0Genevieve Czaplewski<\/strong>, of Grand Island, Neb., applied social science and a member of the Blue Devil gymnastics team:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat my diploma says I studied does not even begin to cover all that I learned during my time at Stout. My professors, classmates and teammates were the catalysts to such immense personal growth that I don\u2019t think freshman me would recognize who\u2019s speaking up here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Czaplewski learned in a class that the point of Greek myth performances was to get the audience to think about what they want to do in life, what makes them tick and how that will affect the person next to them. Asking herself those questions, she came to new conclusions about her life.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are more than our degrees and our jobs. You have the power to inspire yourself and others with what you do. Move forward with the intent of sowing positive change in every facet of your life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Graduate Studies ceremony<\/strong>,\u00a0Sarah Jasa<\/strong>, of St. Paul, marriage and family therapy:<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you stand on the precipice of the future, ready to commence in different directions and new journeys, I want to take an opportunity to remind you of the values of UW-Stout that have helped shape and guide you throughout your time here. Honor, industry, skill and learning. It is no small feat to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree; it takes a true love of learning and commitment to bettering your fields with the skills and knowledge you obtain. You all have demonstrated wholly this powerful passion and commitment to a lifetime of learning,\u201d Jasa said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI encourage you to remember the challenges you\u2019ve faced and the obstacles you overcame, the countless hours you\u2019ve poured into this degree and the many sacrifices you\u2019ve made to make it here today. Each trial and hardship serves as a testament to your determination and resilience; you have proven yourselves capable of demonstrating the values of UW-Stout.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe path to progress and success is rarely linear, it surely wasn\u2019t for me. There will be moments of doubt, setbacks, and even failure. However, my dear friend and cohort member Susie recently reminded me that life is not defined by our greatest successes and happiness, but the failures, setbacks and tragedies. It is the joys and small victories we hang on the posts of those defining moments. It is during these times that your true character will radiate brightest and allow you to fully embrace adversity as a catalyst for change and growth,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Chancellor Katherine Frank<\/strong>\u00a0congratulated graduates on their achievement and a job well done, while providing examples of 12 inspiring graduates across the three ceremonies. \u201cThis is a world that needs you more than ever; it needs your knowledge, your talent and your vision,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Provost Glendal\u00ed Rodr\u00edguez<\/strong>\u00a0presided over the ceremonies, which included music by the UW-Stout Symphonic Band and the Jazz Orchestra, directed by\u00a0Aaron Durst<\/strong>; and the Chamber Choir, Symphonic Singers and Devil Tones Acapella, directed by\u00a0Jerry Hui<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Written by Jerry Poling<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwstout.edu\/about-us\/news-center\/sleep-number-ceo-ec-council-president-honorary-doctorate-recipient-provide-inspirational-send-1000<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Celebratory smiles lit up the faces of 1,037 graduates as they crossed the stage to receive a higher education degree on May 4 from Wisconsin\u2019s Polytechnic University, UW-Stout. Along with their diplomas, they departed the three commencement ceremonies at Johnson Fieldhouse with inspirational advice from three alumni speakers, who have become corporate and community leaders, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":10958,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[90],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-10955","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-stout"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/10955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10955"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=10955"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=10955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}