Menomonie, Wis. – Among the class of 849 undergraduate students who crossed the commencement stage at University of Wisconsin-Stout’s most recent ceremony on May 16, five College of Arts and Human Sciences students were recognized by faculty and staff as inspiring graduates whose stories represent what it is to be Stout Proud. 

These graduates shared their university experiences, setbacks and successes in UW-Stout’s Inspiring Graduate Q&A series: 
– Alexis Bellotti, B.F.A. Animation & Digital Media, Kaukauna
– Porter Christenson, B.F.A. Industrial & Product Design, South Minneapolis
– Kloie Potts, B.S. Family & Consumer Sciences Education, Elkhorn
– Ryan Rumary, B.S. Video Production, Watertown
– Tawny Ruppert, B.S. Psychology, Owen

Of this year’s UW-Stout graduates, 77.4% were hired prior to graduation, while 99% of recent graduates were employed or furthering their education within six months of graduation.

Inspiring Graduate: Alexis Bellotti, B.F.A. Animation & Digital Media

When Bellotti was searching for a program that matched her passion for storytelling, she found that UW-Stout was the only public university in the Midwest that offered an animation and digital media degree.

“I was drawn to the polytechnic nature of the university; the smaller class sizes and hands-on nature are suited to how I learn best. I also liked the small-town environment as I was worried about drowning in all the people that come with a big-city university,” said Bellotti, a Samuel E. Wood Medallion recipient.

After graduation, she plans to continue her work with her short film “Jilly and Juno,” a tale of two young sisters living on a futuristic oil rig, one of whom pushes the other down a mysterious pipe, causing her to encounter a flower-cultivating robot.

“I hope to make an impact through the stories I can tell and the people I can support. The industry can be incredibly intense, but I find it is one of the most rewarding industries next to teaching,” Bellotti said. “Sharing a diverse range of stories and experiences is how we as people can come to understand each other and open minds to new people and ways of thinking.”

Bellotti is also applying for production roles in the Twin Cities, as well as California and Washington state. She also plans to earn her graduate degree and become a professor. “I hope to share my knowledge with the next generation of students,” she said. “Stout has prepared me for my future through giving me a broad range of education within the animation field, from both 2D and 3D animation, through project management skills and beyond.”

Inspiring Graduate: Porter Christenson, B.F.A. Industrial & Product Design

Christenson has always loved drawing and building things, and as a kid, he wanted to be an inventor.

“I didn’t know that was a real career path. When I toured UW-Stout with my mom, I discovered industrial design and realized it was the closest thing to what I had imagined. Seeing the program, the labs and the connection to companies like Room & Board and Milwaukee Tool made it clear that Stout was the place where I could turn creativity into a real profession,” he said.

Four years later, things came full circle. Christenson was hired as an associate industrial designer, creating outdoor power equipment at Milwaukee Tool, in Brookfield, a year before graduation. “I had the opportunity to complete two internships there during school, and I’m excited to return full-time and continue learning from such a talented design team,” he said.

Christenson also won the Room & Board annual competition for his dresser, which he named Bellevue. The national furniture designer and retailer will reserve the right to manufacture his design.

“I want to design tools and products that genuinely improve people’s lives. Industrial design sits at the intersection of creativity, engineering and empathy. If I can create products that help people work better, solve problems, and feel inspired by the tools they use every day, I’ll feel like I’m making a meaningful impact,” he said.

Inspiring Graduate: Kloie Potts, B.S. Family & Consumer Sciences Education

First-generation university student Potts always knew that she wanted to be a teacher, but wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to teach. “I was passionate about all the important life skills that family and consumer sciences education covers, from human and family development to food and nutrition, consumerism and finance, clothing and textiles, housing and interior design, and
education and career preparation,” Potts said.

In her search of Wisconsin universities, she found only two offered FCSE and learned more about UW-Stout’s polytechnic aspects. She’s now excited to return to her hometown of Elkhorn to begin her career as a family and consumer sciences educator at Elkhorn Area High School. 

“My own experience in FCSE as a high school student had a huge impact on the individual I am today, and so I’m beyond grateful to provide that same positive experience for my students. Being able to step into the environment that I had as a student, but as an educator, feels incredibly meaningful,” said Potts, a Samuel E. Wood Medallion recipient.

“As a family and consumer sciences educator, my hope is that I leave a lasting impact on my students’ lives. I have the privilege of facilitating a classroom with hands-on learning and real-world applications that will truly shape students’ futures,” she said.

Inspiring Graduate: Ryan Rumary, B.S. Video Production

During his junior year in high school, Rumary took basic-level video production classes, creating media with minimal equipment. “It sparked an interest in me to pursue the field further. I wanted an experience that allowed me to learn by doing, not by listening or watching someone else,” he said.

Rumary researched schools for video production programs but found that many only offered minors or lecture-only classes. “UW-Stout stood out and offered me something different – a hands-on experience, where I would be able to produce meaningful creations that would further my skills, portfolio and myself,” he said.

He was hired before graduation as a full-time video content media manager for Pest Badger and will have a range of responsibilities, including photographing employees, writing scripts, filming content and uploading polished videos to social media feeds.

“Video production is such a vast field with tons of categories and niches. My favorite part of the process is the editing phase. I deeply enjoy seeing my efforts come together into one final comprehensive story,” Rumary said. “I would love to leave a transformative impact on the editing process by creating visuals that make people question how I was able to achieve such a thing. My goal is to inspire people to think and create outside the box.”

Inspiring Graduate: Tawny Ruppert, B.S. Psychology

First-generation college student Ruppert came to UW-Stout for its small class sizes and polytechnic advantage. “I knew that I was going to have professors who cared about me as a person rather than a score, and that I was going to get hands-on practice from day one,” she said.

Having earned her B.S. in psychology, she will be attending Minnesota State University-Mankato to earn her M.A. in industrial-organizational psychology.

“I hope to help improve employees’ work experience. I especially hope to work with organizations to improve their multiculturalism and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to ensure that everyone is heard and included,” Ruppert said. “Stout has prepared me by providing me with many opportunities both in and out of the classroom. Almost all of my classes had a project that used the skills we learned in class. I learned how to analyze data, design research projects, create and disseminate surveys, interpret results and present the results. I’ve also learned soft skills such as effective collaboration, problem-solving, active listening, time management and so much more,” she added.

UW-Stout 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.