Inspiring Graduate: Conrad Klem (’24)
- Hometown: Menomonie
- Degree: B.S. Mechanical Engineering
Conrad Klem was able to complete two bachelor’s degrees in five years and was hired before graduation.
He earned his B.S. in physics at UW-La Crosse in 2022 and transferred to UW-Stout, beginning in the mechanical engineering program as a junior. Through his classes, he gained an interest in heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Klem earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from UW-Stout on May 4, along with 1,037 graduates.
He will soon be starting his career as a system specialist at Midwest Mechanical Solutions, an HVAC engineering company in Golden Valley, Minn.
“My education at Stout was very eye opening and gave me a deeper understanding of what engineering is and made sure I was prepared to enter the workforce,” Klem said.
How well has UW-Stout prepared you to work in your field and why?
Stout has done a good job helping me understand the work that I will be doing in my field.
The hands-on experience in the labs, the internship and capstones helped prepare me very well for the future.
I was a manufacturing engineering intern at Spectrum Industries, in Chippewa Falls.
While I won't spend a lot of time in machine shops and manufacturing floors in the future, my understanding of these processes will help me make the best decisions to create successful designs and improve processes.
Taking Heat Transfer and System Dynamics classes helped me realize that I really like those areas of engineering. That’s why I pursued HVAC.
What stands out about your UW-Stout experience?
Stout gave me a very unique college experience and a good mix of education, technical skills and knowledge.
The hands-on experience in the labs and the internship helped prepare me very well for the future. The group-orientated classes helped me learn the content better and how to work well with others – one of the most important skills I learned.
What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?
When I transferred into the program from UW-La Crosse, I was placed in junior and senior level classes as that was all that I needed to complete my degree. While these classes weren’t super challenging, the lack of knowledge I had about engineering was a large barrier I had to get over to succeed.
The professors and my peers were very supportive and helped me get in the swing of things, specifically in my Mechanics of Materials and Fluid Mechanics classes. They helped catch me up on some general practices and techniques that I otherwise would not have learned.
I knew engineering was a good fit right away when I took Fluid Mechanics my first semester here. Dr. Vince Wheeler was the professor as well as my adviser. He was a great professor and helped with some issues I had with my transfer.
What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?
I am proud I was able to do two bachelor’s in five years between the two universities, and I was also able to secure a job before I graduated.
