{"id":13462,"date":"2026-03-12T09:16:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T14:16:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13462"},"modified":"2026-03-12T09:16:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T14:16:43","slug":"small-campus-smart-future-uw-superiors-hands-on-approach-to-ai-education","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/small-campus-smart-future-uw-superiors-hands-on-approach-to-ai-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Campus, Smart Future: UW-Superior\u2019s hands-on approach to AI education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"UW-Superior<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Something exciting is taking shape at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. A new online AI Essentials: Strategies for Efficiency & Productivity<\/a> certificate was recently introduced and will be followed by a new artificial intelligence (AI) minor<\/a> enrolling for Fall 2026 \u2013 one designed to be practical, hands-on and deeply connected to the real-world skills students need for a rapidly changing workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grounded in the university\u2019s strong computer science foundation, the program reflects UW-Superior\u2019s commitment to timely, meaningful education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEmployers today in our region expect graduates to be conversant and competent in working with AI integrations across many sectors,\u201d said Maria Cuzzo<\/a>, provost and vice chancellor of Academic Affairs. \u201cBy offering both an AI minor through our Mathematics and Computer Science Department and a certificate through the Center for Continuing Education<\/a>, UW-Superior ensures our graduates are competitive, capable, and confident in AI literacy \u2013 making them prime candidates for employment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Built by Passion, Powered by Math<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of the new program is Josh Stangle<\/a>, associate professor and academic program manager in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, who has helped shape the curriculum from the ground up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAI is just math at high speed,\u201d Stangle said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, the appeal goes beyond technical innovation. It\u2019s about student engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really fun to work with students on something they find exciting and relevant,\u201d Stangle said. \u201cThat energy makes everything better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning by Doing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Housed in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department<\/a>, the AI minor<\/a> emphasizes experiential learning. Students will explore how computers learn from data, recognize patterns, make predictions, and even play games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than passively absorbing information, students will work on hands-on projects \u2013 training computers to play Connect Four, experimenting with image recognition, and exploring smart devices that mirror real-world applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe AI minor focuses on developing a wide range of AI literacy and practice competencies, so graduates are job-ready,\u201d said Cuzzo. \u201cTogether with the certificate, it creates a powerful opportunity for students and community members to understand how AI works and how to use it responsibly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI Skills for Today\u2019s Workforce<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Complementing the minor is the online AI Essentials: Strategies for Efficiency & Productivity certificate, designed for learners seeking non-technical, practical AI skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The certificate can be completed for academic credit \u2013 through IDS 499 for three undergraduate credits \u2013 or on a non-credit basis. It is also open to the public for those seeking professional development. Through interactive Zoom-based workshops and assignments, participants explore core AI concepts, commonly used tools, ethical and legal considerations, and strategies for improving productivity with AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program teaches how to design, test and refine prompts and workflows to achieve accurate, ethical and context-appropriate results. In addition, participants will build the skills to evaluate important ethical, legal and social considerations \u2013 such as bias, equity, privacy and accountability \u2013 and develop a personalized AI strategy that integrates useful tools into professional or organizational workflow for greater efficiency and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By completing the certificate, individuals will gain a clear understanding of how artificial intelligence works, including its main types and everyday applications at home and in the workplace. Students and community members will learn to use AI effectively as an assistant, partner and co-intelligence tool to boost productivity and support better problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A UW-Superior Success Story<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although UW-Superior did not offer AI-specific courses at the time, May 2025 graduate Andrew Laack<\/a> applied his computer science degree to become a machine learning (AI) engineer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raised in Waunakee, Wisconsin, Laack chose UW-Superior because it was the only in-state institution offering a fully online comprehensive computer science program \u2013 a necessity, as he worked full time throughout his studies as lead software developer for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since graduating, Laack has moved to San Francisco and now works at Imbue as a machine learning engineer and researcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI work on systems that validate the completeness and quality of LLM-generated code,\u201d he explained. \u201cMore broadly, the company is building an accessible interface for coordinating AI agents and making coding more approachable for people with limited experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Steve Rosenberg<\/a>, who taught Laack in two courses, praised his drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAndrew dug deeply into the material, attended live Zoom sessions and office hours, and asked incisive questions,\u201d Rosenberg said. \u201cHe explored his passion for AI and machine learning both in coursework and on the job. Imbue was so impressed that after speaking with his references, they made him an offer immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small College, Big Vision<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Designing the AI curriculum has been a thoughtful and collaborative effort in which the university has embraced flexibility and creativity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to teach students how to learn,\u201d said Stangle. \u201cIf they know how to think through problems, they\u2019ll be ready for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A special topics course in machine learning was piloted last fall, offering a preview of what\u2019s to come. While the AI minor is set to officially launch in Fall 2026, students graduating sooner can explore the material through independent projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UW-Superior also plans to reinforce AI interdisciplinary with learning outcomes being in many of the university\u2019s programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur faculty are examining how AI is transforming jobs within their disciplines,\u201d said Cuzzo. \u201cFrom journalism and art to psychology and science, students will see how AI is being used in their future professions and gain applied experience before they graduate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Future coursework includes Introduction to Python \u2013 one of AI\u2019s foundational programming languages \u2013 as well as projects using both existing AI tools and student-built solutions. Plans also include hands-on work with devices like Raspberry Pi computers to demonstrate how AI powers everyday technologies such as home security systems and voice assistants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the goal is balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not trying to create the next ChatGPT,\u201d Stangle said. \u201cWe\u2019re helping students use these tools ethically, creatively, and meaningfully \u2013 combining technical skills with problem-solving that matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Written by UW-Superior<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/uwsuper.edu\/about\/news\/small-campus-smart-future-uw-superiors-hands-on-approach-to-ai-education\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Something exciting is taking shape at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. A new online AI Essentials: Strategies for Efficiency & Productivity certificate was recently introduced and will be followed by a new artificial intelligence (AI) minor enrolling for Fall 2026 \u2013 one designed to be practical, hands-on and deeply connected to the real-world skills students need for a rapidly changing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13463,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[110],"story_category":[146],"class_list":["post-13462","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-superior","story_category-research-innovation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/13462","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=13462"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=13462"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=13462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}