Inspiring Graduate: Gus Larson (’25)
- Hometown: Abbotsford
- Degree: B.S. Technology Education
- Specialization: Welding
For Gus Larson, UW-Stout was initially a fallback option. He started his college career at North Central Technical College, studying welding. But an accident during his freshman year would change his career path.
“I was headed home when I came across a drunk driving accident. I had gotten out of my vehicle to attempt to render aid to the victims, but I was struck by another car that drove through the accident scene,” he said.
Larson’s injuries were extensive and, ultimately, he would have had to take a full year off from his education before he could return. Instead, his NTC welding instructor, Veronica Hope, suggested the technology education program at UW-Stout.
“I decided that I wanted to keep pushing and rather than continue to weld, I wanted to explore that suggestion from Veronica: technical education,” he said.
Larson transferred to UW-Stout and through surgeries, perseverance, and with the support of School of Education faculty, he earned his technology education degree on Dec. 20 as one of 527 UW-Stout graduates. He is applying for full-time technical education teacher and substitute positions.
“My overarching goal is to return to the northwestern side of Wisconsin to be a technical education teacher,” Larson said. “My high school teacher had a massive impact on my education and provided me with advice that one could not put a price on. I hope to make an impact on my future students by being the same inspiring and approachable teacher that I had in Abbotsford.
“I want to work to expand work-based learning by providing students with the opportunity to take part in youth-apprenticeships and school-to-work programs to allow them to develop themselves not just as students, but as employees and young adults,” he added.
How has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field?
UW-Stout has provided me with not only the methods to teach but also has given me a start to my networking in the educational field. I was able to gain experience inside the classroom through observations and field experiences. This allowed me to start evolving as a teacher, understand classroom management and ways to engage students in learning.
I was afforded the privilege of doing field experiences in both large schools, like Eau Claire North with Josh Bowe, and small schools, like Plum City with the now-retired Timothy Shock. I was able to be an extra hand within the classroom and assist students in their learning. I was able to be a judge in UW-Stout’s SkillsUSA competition. This showed me a different side of teaching, where students were able to apply their learned skills in a competition.
Seeing both the students swell with pride in themselves and their teacher’s pride in their students and craft helped solidify the feeling of being in the right place for the right reasons.
What stands out about your UW-Stout experience?
What stood out to me about my experience was the dedication to students that many of my professors showed me. Barbara Bauer and Mike Mills were instrumental in guiding me through my coursework with their expert insight and leadership. From them, I was able to receive guidance from teachers who had been where I am going and understand where they were successful in their own classrooms. Through their classes I developed different lessons and was given the advice that I needed to help me create successful lessons.
How did your involvement on campus impact your experience?
I was involved with TEECA, the Technology and Engineering Education Collegiate Association. Through the club, I was able to attend the Wisconsin Technology Educators Association conference and start building my professional network.
I found this to be extremely rewarding as well as very interesting to see what other teachers were doing differently and the different lessons they were putting together for their students. It helped me engage with my peers and continue to build my toolbox to be successful in my classroom.
What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge that I faced while earning my degree was my own body. Due to the injuries that I suffered, I went through my first year at UW-Stout dealing with excruciating pain from arthritis in my ankle. This made each day hard both in getting to and from class. I was given grace from my teachers when I needed to go home early because I was in too much pain to continue attending classes in person. All my teachers were extremely willing to accommodate me by recording their lectures or allowing me to attend class through Microsoft Teams. By the end of that year, I needed to have a third surgery on my ankle, to fuse the damaged bone to allow me to walk properly without pain. In entering my second year, I was unable to drive as I was still in a boot from my surgery. My teachers were all very understanding if I was running late to class or needed to leave early to get to my next class.
My main method of overcoming these challenges was not only to lean on my support structure but also to push through to keep going. Many days, I had to remind myself that “It will get better,” especially when I was physically hurting. I have learned through my time at Stout that sometimes rather than pushing it off, it was better to face the problem head on and be determined to continue.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
I am most proud of finishing this degree partly because I was unable to finish my welding degree at North Central Technical College. I have been able to find a best friend in my previous roommate, meet someone that I love very much and find the region of Wisconsin where I want to spend the rest of my life.
