This Spotlight series recognizes a UW-Fox Valley student’s academic achievements and personal story. Students are nominated for this spotlight by faculty and staff.
Name: David A Juckem
Age: 56
Hometown: Chilton
Career program/major: Mechanical Engineering
Campus Involvement: Fox Engineering Society, Foxbytes computer club, Rocketeers WSGC competition team, UWFox research group
What is your career or life goal?
My goal is to earn my engineering degree and take my career to the next level.
What led you to choose your program or major?
Having been involved in designing and engineering projects throughout my working career, I decided it was time to finish what I started. I had attended UW-Platteville to study engineering for one year after high school but decided to pursue a career in aviation instead.
Why did you decide to become a University of Wisconsin student at UWFox?
Location was important as moving was not an option. The ability to earn my engineering degree from the UW-Platteville Collaborative Engineering Program located at UWFox made the whole thing possible.
Is there a UWFox professor or staff member who made a difference in your life or inspired you?
There are two who have both been incredibly supportive. Professor Warren Vaz and Professor Saleh Alnaeli. I must add that I find the entire staff and faculty here to be exceptional.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an incoming UWFox student?
Find a club or organization that you are interested in. It will be a great experience and also look good on your resume going forward. It’s especially important at a two-year campus because the time will fly by before you know it.
Describe something unexpected that happened here at UWFox.
Becoming involved in the research group on campus was unexpected. I went to a meeting to ask a professor a question about a class of his I was enrolled in. By the time I left the meeting, I ended up joining the group and working on a STEM project involving a drone. I am also working on a Cosmic Ray Detector with a number of other students.
When not in class or studying, what keeps you busy?
I am self-employed with a machine shop so I stay very busy. We design and manufacture components primarily for aerospace and the medical field.
What are your plans after UW-Fox Valley?
I plan to take the capabilities of my business to the next level by being able to put Mechanical Engineer next to my name.
To learn more about returning to school to earn a college degree, call (920) 832-2620 to schedule an appointment with an advisor. More than 25% of our students are over the age of 22.
Contact
Laurie Krasin
920-929-1108
laurie.krasin@uwc.edu