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UW-Stout master’s graduates praise faculty, field experience, research for setting them on path to future success
- Shannon Sorensen
- May 20
- 5 min read
Five inspiring students reflect on polytechnic experiences through Q&As
May 20, 2025
Menomonie, Wis. – Among the class of 222 graduate students who crossed the Johnson Fieldhouse stage at University of Wisconsin-Stout’s spring Graduate Studies commencement ceremony May 10, five were recognized by faculty and staff as inspiring graduates whose stories represent what it is to be Stout Proud.
The graduates shared their university experiences, setbacks and successes in UW-Stout’s Inspiring Graduate Q&A series:
· Meghana Maske, M.S. food science and technology, Maharashtra, India
· Luke Zuiker, M.S. school counseling, Marshfield
· Mridini Upadhyay, M.S. food science and technology, Hyderabad, India
· Brandon Dick, M.S. manufacturing engineering, Whitehall
· Dipesh Sharma, M.S. operations and supply management, Ahmedabad, India
Inspiring Graduate: Meghana Maske, M.S. food science and technology
Maske graduated from UW-Stout with an impressive list of experiences and credentials demonstrating her leadership in environments from the university campus to international organizations.
In a few short years, the food science and technology student has won first place in the UW-Stout Product Development Competition, gained national recognition in two Institute of Food Technology Hackathons (one for creating a chickpea flour cookie, the other for a soybean-based jerky), and earned a Food Safety Scholarship sponsored by the FMI Foundation in partnership with the Safe Quality Food Institute. She was also selected as one of 20 recipients of the Cooperative Education and Internship Program Student of the Year Award for her internship with Bunge, a global agribusiness leader.
“UW-Stout empowered me to transform from a student into a professional ready to lead in food innovation and safety,” she said. “I’m grateful for the mentorship, global exposure and opportunities that have shaped my journey, and I look forward to contributing meaningfully to the future of food systems.”
Maske said that UW-Stout was the only university that met her goal of blending science with its real-world applications. “I wasn’t just looking for a degree; I was seeking a place that would challenge me to innovate, support my growth and allow me to make a tangible impact in the industry. UW-Stout offered exactly that,” she said.
Inspiring Graduate: Luke Zuiker, M.S. school counseling
Even before he started his internship – let alone his forthcoming job as a school counselor – Zuiker says his UW-Stout coursework prepared him to address the social, emotional and academic needs of high school students.
Zuiker came to the M.S. in school counseling program with a bachelor’s degree in English education and health education and experience working at a credit union. He said the two-year timeline of the school counseling program appealed to him when he decided to pursue a career in education.
What he found at UW-Stout was a family-like cohort of fellow students. “Our professors have done a fantastic job of fostering that environment,” he said. “I’ve also appreciated the fact that every professor I’ve had in my program has been a full-time counselor or working professional in a K-12 school at one point during their career.”
The faculty members’ backgrounds and the courses they offered prepared Zuiker for offering counseling in a live setting during his field experiences as well as his future career as a counselor at Poynette High School.
“I hope to help students navigate the landscape of high school, help with their social-emotional and academic learning, and also to help them find opportunities in post-secondary life for what they are passionate and excited about,” he said.
Inspiring Graduate: Mridini Upadhyay, M.S. food science and technology
Before recognizing her own potential as a future food scientist, Upadhyay found the support, mentorship and practical experience she needed at UW-Stout to create a recipe for success.
“UW-Stout gave me the chance to start fresh,” said Upadhyay, who received her M.S. food science and technology degree. “The professors supported me by guiding me through the prerequisite courses I needed and encouraged me throughout my journey. Stout believed in me even before I fully believed in myself. Thanks to their support and the opportunities I had here, I was able to grow, do meaningful research and become the food scientist I always wanted to be.”
Upadhyay lauded the support she received from her professors, who helped prepare her for a career in which she hopes to create food products that are safe, nutritious, environmentally sustainable and consumer focused. The faculty did this by providing access to top-of-the-line technology, hands-on learning and opportunities for research.
“UW-Stout helped me grow not just as a student, but as a confident food scientist ready to take on complex industry problems. It gave me the skills, the confidence, and the direction I needed. After gaining valuable industrial experience, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in the future, building upon the strong research foundation and academic inspiration I found at UW-Stout,” she said.
Inspiring Graduate: Brandon Dick, M.S. manufacturing engineering
Even though he was a track and field athlete at UW-Stout, Dick decided he didn’t want to sprint through his time at the university after beginning to work toward his B.S. in manufacturing engineering.
“Around my junior year I realized I would have the rest of my life to work, and that I was enjoying what I was doing at Stout between school, sports and being a lab tech,” Dick said of his decision to stay for an extra year to earn his M.S. in manufacturing engineering.
After graduation, Dick won’t be going anywhere: He will become a full-time lecturer at UW-Stout. During his time as a lab technician, he discovered that he had a knack for explaining lab concepts to fellow students and helping them gain hands-on experience.
“As a polytechnic university, Stout embraces this philosophy, emphasizing not only the theoretical aspects of engineering but also the practical application of sound engineering principles,” he said. “The availability of dual-credit options made continuing into the manufacturing engineering M.S. program an affordable and logical choice.”
Dick also said being a track and field athlete was an invaluable part of his UW-Stout experience. “This spirit of friendly competition extended beyond athletics and into academics, where we challenged one another to excel in the classroom as well,” he said.
Inspiring Graduate: Dipesh Sharma, M.S. operations and supply management
Sharma said that traveling thousands of miles from home and earning a UW-Stout master’s degree in operations and supply management have given him the confidence and skills needed to succeed in the corporate world.
The projects embedded in his classes at Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University helped prepare him for work in his field, Sharma said. “I have always admired application more than just learning something,” he explained. “As I did more projects I kept getting a better feel for my subject. Group projects or even just group assignments also helped me get an idea of how it is to work in a team, which is crucial in the corporate world.”
As an international student, Sharma acknowledged he was sometimes homesick, but this motivated him to get out of his comfort zone and make new friends. Amid it all, he said, his professors stood out as the most notable part of his UW-Stout experience.
“Every professor had their own way of teaching and some strengths associated with their teaching,” he said. “They tried their best to give the students the best way to learn and provided profound knowledge. Some professors touched my heart and taught me a lot about life as well along with the subject. I got to experience a variety of ways of learning and it broadened my horizon of thinking.”
UW-Stout, a member of the Universities of Wisconsin, is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes. Learn more via the FOCUS2030 strategic plan.
