We went back nearly 10 years to the start of our alumni chapter to find one of our very first scholarship recipients! It was wonderful to find that the enthusiasm and appreciation for the recognition received was still there! Meet Matt Stephan from Metamora, our 2010 scholarship recipient!
What is your hometown?
Metamora, IL
Which years did you attend UW?
August 2010 through May 2015
What was your graduation year at UW?
2015
What was your major and what degree did you obtain?
I did a double major, with one major in Industrial & Systems Engineering and the other major in Mathematics.
What are you doing now?
I recently started a new position as a Senior Customer Supply Chain performance analyst at MolsonCoors in Milwaukee. Before I decided to move over to MolsonCoors, I worked as a procurement engineer from Briggs & Stratton where I managed the relationships with many of their suppliers in China.
In my personal life, I am currently married. My wife, Audrey and I met at UW where we met on a Badger Catholic mission trip to North Carolina. We have been married for 2½ years and have a very energetic dog.
Describe a fond memory of your years at UW
I met many lifelong friends during my time at Madison. During my Junior and Senior year, I lived in a house with 9 of my friends (it actually was not a fraternity). While there, we constantly hung out. It was playing soccer in the park next door or organizing a get together like a Super Bowl party where we fit 50 people in our living room.
Why did you choose to attend UW?
The main reason I chose UW was because of the atmosphere. Before college, I had visited Madison many times to see UW hockey games. From there I was able to see the enthusiasm that the student body has, as well as all of the great things the campus has to offer such as the Terrace. In addition, UW has one of the best engineering schools in the world.
What would you tell others considering UW?
UW is an all-around great school. Due to its size, there are almost unlimited opportunities and events where you can make your college experience what you want it to be. While it is a large school, there are still opportunities to find smaller communities in order to get the feel of a small school as well. For example, my Freshman year I was in the Bradley Learning Community, which was a dorm of a couple hundred freshmen that provided a ton of social events to help the members get to know each other.
How have you benefited from your UW education?
My UW education has made finding jobs and succeeding in the work place easier for me. Most recruiters are aware of the high reputation that UW has which allowed me to stand out. UW also gave me the experience and helped develop the critical thinking skills that allowed me to be successful in the workplace.
How did your scholarship help? What was the money used for?
The scholarship went directly to my tuition and helped allow me to take the additional credits needed to get a double major.
What high school did you attend?
Metamora Township High School
Learn more about current and former scholarship winners.