UW-Stout recognizes students who excelled during their Cooperative Education or Internship experiences through the CEIP Student of the Year Award. This award honors students who have made significant contributions to their employers and demonstrated high motivation and talent in their fields. These students exemplify UW-Stout’s commitment to career-focused education by displaying professionalism, a strong work ethic, and the ability to overcome challenges. They have maximized the benefits of the CEIP program, advancing their careers and positively representing themselves, their academic programs, and UW-Stout.
Award Recipient Benefits
- Recognition plaque at spring Leadership Awards Reception
- Campus-wide marketing campaign (including professional photo which will appear with an article about your award and will be presented in various university publications)
- Spotlighted on UW-Stout Career Services social media and annual brochures
Eligibility
- Undergraduate or graduate student who has successfully completed a co-op or field experience
- Enrolled as UW-Stout student when application is submitted
Application Process
- Self-nomination
- Eligible students are invited to apply for the award annually (end of January)
- Application window is typically 5-6 weeks
- Application includes student application form, self-nomination essay, performance evaluations, and a minimum of one recommendation (employer or faculty)
- Applications closed on March 23, 2025
Selection Process
- All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee
- Award recipient(s) will be announced in March and officially recognized at spring Leadership Awards Reception in May
Leadership Awards Reception
- Held annually in May in the Memorial Student Center
- Co-hosted by Career Services and the Involvement Center
- Celebration event includes our chancellor, administrators, faculty and staff, employers, family, friends, and peers
2025 CEIP Student of the Year Recipients
| Student Name | Major | Company |
| Elaina Blazei | Real Estate & Property Management | Premier Housing Management |
| Addison Braun | Applied Mathematics & Computer Science | Mayo Clinic |
| Kal Breeden | Environmental Science | Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks |
| Ben Gau | Environmental Science | Rainbow Treecare |
| Meir Hetletvedt | Construction Management | Kraus-Anderson |
| Connor Jensen | Supply Chain Management | Walmart |
| Anna Karrow | Psychology | Wisconsin State Public Defender |
| Madelyn King | Hotel Restaurant & Tourism Management | Whistling Straits |
| Madalyn Klaja | Packaging | Nestle Health Science |
| Braden Lefeber | Mechanical Engineering | Realityworks |
| Faith Leisgang | Hotel Restaurant & Tourism Management | The Iron Horse Hotel |
| Meghana Maske | Food Science and Technology (M.S.) | Bunge |
| Antonio Meyer | Mechanical Engineering | Midwest Manufacturing |
| Zachary Morgan | Manufacturing Engineering | Andersen Windows & Doors |
| Austin Moua | Business Administration | Pest Badger |
| Gavin Soukkaserm | Animation & Digital Media | Universal Phoenix Group |
| Taylor Thompson | Manufacturing Engineering | Darley |
| Samuel Tornow | Construction Management | Tesla |
| Maya Van Hemert | Manufacturing Engineering | General Motors |
| Jazmine Williams | Arts Administration & Entrepreneurship | Discovery Center Museum |
Site Supervisor, Greenheck GroupMitchell's advanced coursework and past work experience clearly benefited our team from the start.
Previous Recipients
2024 CEIP Student of the Year Recipients
| Student Name | Major | Company |
| Tony Candler | Business Administration | Talon Development |
| Mareike Christianson | Interior Design | Samuels Group |
| Kalie Dahl | Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Management | IDeaS - a SAS Company |
| Ethan Draeger | Business Administration | Client First Tax and Wealth Advisors |
| Camryn Gettendorf | Retail Merchandising and Management | Burlington Stores |
| Whitney Hamilton | Rehabilitation Services | WI Department of Corrections |
| Greyson Hammer | Packaging | Boston Scientific |
| Nolan Harke | Supply Chain Management | Pierce Manufacturing |
| Riley Henk | Interior Design | Fluid Interiors |
| Jason Hovarter | Computer and Electrical Engineering | BW Systems |
| Isaiah Hoyord | Construction | Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction |
| Jenna Jablonski | Psychology | Partners in Excellence |
| Annie Jacobson | Real Estate Property Management | Weidner Apartment Homes |
| Glen Jakober | Real Estate Property Management | Weidner Apartment Homes |
| Nicole Kress | Graphic Design and Interactive Media | Royal Credit Union |
| DJ Kron | Mechanical Engineering | Jennie-O Turkey Store |
| Mitchell Kubeny | Mechanical Engineering | Greenheck |
| Ana Maupin | Digital Marketing Technology | Midland Plastics |
| Emily McNett | Applied Mathematics and Computer Science | NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research |
| Zachary Morgan | Manufacturing Engineering | Andersen Corporation |
| Jeremy O'Connor | Construction | Knutson Construction |
| Waveland Rushton | Engineering Technology | Phillips-Medisize - a Molex Company |
| Madison Skaggs | Graphic Design and Interactive Media | PetSmart |
| Pheng Thao | Studio Art | UW-Stout |
| Emma Lynn Tynan | Fashion and Retail | Kohl's |
2023 CEIP Student of the Year Recipients
| Student Name | Major | Company |
| Isabel Bratley | Retail Merchandising & Management | Maurices |
| Kendra Durkee | Business Administration | Superior Diesel |
| Connor Engin | Mechanical Engineering | Flex |
| Jacie Gordon | Business Administration | Target |
| Caleb Grablin | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Geneva National Resort & Club |
| Anna Hansen | Applied Mathematics & Computer Science | UW-Stout |
| Julia Hellquist | Mechanical Engineering | General Motors |
| Daniel Johnsen | Computer Science | Hennepin County |
| Connor Johnson | Computer & Electrical Engineering | John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. |
| Anna Kent | Packaging | Kimberly-Clark |
| Preston Leigh | Computer & Electrical Engineering | Medtronic |
| Olivia Leipnitz | Packaging | Schreiber Foods |
| Ellise Little | Fashion & Retail | Destination Kohler – Whistling Straits |
| Laura Mak | Computer & Electrical Engineering | Collins Aerospace |
| Riley Michaud | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Stock Farm Club |
| Ethan Myers | Packaging | Schreiber Foods |
| Sara Nyhus | Entertainment Design | UW-Stout |
| Breanna Pence | Psychology | Domestic Abuse Intervention Services |
| Allison Pizzi | Interior Design | Brick + Linen |
| Michael Rosin | Mechanical Engineering | Empire Level |
| Rebecca Schipper | Packaging | Kohler Co. |
| Andrew Svob | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Walt Disney World |
| Sadhana Thokachichu | M.S. Food & Nutritional Sciences | Bunge |
| Halle Weinmann | Interior Design | Cuningham Group Architecture, Inc. |
| Ashley Yoshino | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Stock Farm Club |
| Austin Zoborowski | Manufacturing Engineering | Greenheck |
2022 CEIP Student of the Year Recipients
| Student Name | Major | Company |
| Ben Agen | Construction | Miron Construction |
| Carlie Beatty | Applied Science | Shamrock Animal Hospital |
| Maggie Chiu | Retail Merchandising & Management | Target |
| Connor Erwin | Packaging | Inland Packaging |
| Delaney Eslinger | Interior Design | MAI Animal Health |
| Ali Flora | Interior Design | Ashley Furniture |
| Claire Henneman | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Leinenkugel Brewing Company |
| Tanner Hornung | Mechanical Engineering | Midwest Manufacturing |
| Anna Kent | Packaging | Boston Scientific |
| Nicolas Langenfeld | Computer Networking Information Technology | Waupaca Foundry |
| Haylee Leonard | Retail Merchandising & Management | Kohl's |
| Tori McGraw | Business Administration | Superior Charters |
| Jacob Miller | Mechanical Engineering | Bobcat Company |
| Abby Schmidtke | Graphic Design & Interactive Media | University of Wisconsin-Stout |
| Paul Schultz | Applied Mathematics & Computer Science | Red Hat |
| Lydia Simpson | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | St. Joe Hospitality |
| Marianne Starks | Information Communication Technologies | Bayer |
| Reece Vanderhei | Plastics Engineering | Gamber-Johnson |
| Ty Weiss | Computer & Electrical Engineering | Seagrave |
| Adam Shilong Yang | Health, Wellness & Fitness | Planet Fitness |
| Ashley Yoshino | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Old Baldy Club |
2021 CEIP Student of the Year Recipients
| Student | Academic Program | Company |
| Hunter Borchert | Mechanical Engineering | Kohler Co. |
| Kayla Chamberlain | Packaging | 3M |
| Connor Erwin | Packaging | Boston Scientific |
| Kaylee Harris | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | UW-Stout - Involvement Center |
| Lauren Hughes | Retail Merchandising & Management | Buckle Inc. |
| Nicholas Jerred | Industrial Design | The Prestwick Companies |
| Connor Johnson | Construction | DBS Group |
| Caeleb Johnson | Packaging | WestRock |
| Sammy Krugel | Graphic Design & Interactive Media | The Gruenke Company |
| Katie Lawler | Retail Merchandising & Management | Target |
| Maddy Lord | Packaging | Schreiber Foods |
| Jay Luckow | Construction | J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. |
| Jakob Margetta | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | La Cabana Mexican Cuisine |
| Grace Maurer | Professional Communication & Emerging Media | UW-Stout - Stout Online |
| Jordan Moulton | Manufacturing Engineering | Phillips-Medisize |
| Anna Schmidtke | Apparel Design & Development | Core Products International Inc. |
| Austin Skoug | Packaging | Promega Corporation |
| Alysha Stieber | Business Administration | American Edge Real Estate Services |
| Nilu Umarova | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Milwaukee Country Club |
| Sarah Webber | Packaging | Smiths Medical |
| Adam Westendorf | Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | Greenporter Hotel |
2020 CEIP Student of the Year Recipients
| Student | Academic Program | Co-op Company |
| Kirstin Anderson | Business Administration | Rockford Toolcraft, Inc |
| Brant Attleson | Construction | Western Specialty Contractors |
| Maria Brownell | Packaging | 3M |
| Matthew Buechel | Manufacturing Engineering | Schuette Metals |
| Logan Fogeltanz | Mechanical Engineering | Husco International |
| Abi Gardiner | Graphic Communications | Nosco |
| Max Grovogel | Manufacturing Engineering | Schreiber Foods |
| Jack Grubish | Construction | Ryan Mechanical, Inc. |
| Mary Iliopoulos | Mechanical Engineering | ITW Deltar Fasteners |
| Jessica Kastello | Graphic Communications | Great Northern Corporation |
| Chase Kirby | Mechanical Engineering | Seagrave Fire Apparatus |
| Addie Kubitz | Real Estate Property Management | Weidner Apartment Homes |
| Parker Lehmann | Manufacturing Engineering | Seagrave Fire Apparatus |
| Casey Mikl | Business Administration | Bending Branches |
| Isabella Pedlar | Retail Merchandising Management | Ross Stores, Inc |
| Rana Pluemer | Hospitality & Tourism Management | Destination Kohler |
| Clarice Tume | Professional Communications & Emerging Media | Selma Center for Nonviolence |
| Nilufar Umarova | Hospitality & Tourism Management | Milwaukee Country Club |
| Alyssa Weber | Environmental Science | UW-Sprout Campus Garden |
| Brookelynn Weeks | Hospitality & Tourism Management | The Beloit Club |
| Christel Weltzin | Food Science | Nestle |
| Angel Yang | Apparel Design & Development | Chico's FAS, Inc |
| Paige Yon | Computer Science | Digi-Key |