Jack Bybel (Fall, 2018): My experience at UW-Madison has been vital in both my growth as a person and in my preparation for joining the workforce. I started as a computer engineer my freshman year, but quickly changed to electrical engineering my sophomore year as I realized the opportunities the extra electives offered by electrical engineering would give me. Meeting progression requirements for the engineering school was extremely difficult for me as well, but the rigor helped me develop coping skills and learning strategies I never would have otherwise.
Throughout my time as a badger, I was also a member of the Wisconsin Track Club all 4 years! The club has given me the opportunity to stay fit all year round and continue to push my running fitness to the next level. In my last year at UW, I also ran for a position on the student council as an engineering representative. This experience has given me a lot of insight into working through problems with people and how to best represent my fellow students. While in student council I ran into fellow OC badger Erin Tritz who is also a representative on student council!
Finally, UW-Madison has allowed me to achieve the biggest goal I’ve had since I was 13 years old. Since I built my first computer when I was 13, I have dreamed of designing the processors that power our computers, and UW-Madison has finally helped me achieve that goal. When I entered the University, I had set my sights elsewhere, conceding that I may not be cut out to do that type of work, and thought about working in Information Technology. But with the support of several incredible professors (Mikko Lipasti, Eric Hoffman, and Umit Ogras) I felt confident in pursuing my dreams.
With all this in mind I am thrilled to say that when I graduate, I will be joining IBM in Austin Texas on their POWER processor team as a design verification engineer. I could not have done it without the support of my professors, and the facilities/classes offered to me at UW-Madison. I would also like to thank all the UW OC alumni who helped make my journey possible through the scholarship offered to me each year. I could not have done this without you!