A view of the campus at UW-Stout Polytechnic, the only polytechnic university in Minnesota or Wisconsin. (Submitted photos)

Throughout its long history, the educational institution that bears the name of its founder, James Huff Stout, has continuously evolved and maintained its position at the vanguard of higher education. Over the course of 135 years, two things have remained constant. The first is the presence of its founder’s name. The second is a commitment to applied learning — what was known as “manual training” in the 19th century and is called “polytechnic education” in the 21st.

Now for the first time, these two constant factors will be combined into the institution’s name: What was founded in 1891 as the Stout Manual Training School and became University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1971 will now be officially known as University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic.

The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved the name change at a June 4 meeting in Milwaukee.

(THIS) marks the first time since 1971, when a merger created the current 13-campus system, that one of Wisconsin’s public universities has changed its name.

The Regents’ decision is historic not only for UW-Stout Polytechnic but also for the Universities of Wisconsin as a whole: It marks the first time since 1971, when a merger created the current 13-campus system, that one of Wisconsin’s public universities has changed its name.

The historic name change and distinction is a bold declaration of the Menomonie university's polytechnic identity.

“At a time when the relevance of higher education is being questioned by many, UW-Stout Polytechnic has proven its relevance and shown its impact on the state of Wisconsin and far beyond through a focus on our educational mission and the subsequent success of our graduates,” said UW-Stout Polytechnic Chancellor Katherine Frank. 

Following the unanimous Board of Regents vote, the decision was lauded by Universities of Wisconsin leaders.

“Employers increasingly seek graduates who can contribute on day one, and UW-Stout Polytechnic stands apart by embracing the meaning of ‘polytechnic,’ ” said Universities of Wisconsin Regent President Amy B. Bogost. “This designation reflects the university’s fundamental commitment to applied learning.”

“The significance of the polytechnic name is that it clearly communicates the value proposition of a UW-Stout Polytechnic degree,” added Universities of Wisconsin Interim President Renée Wachter. “It represents an education intentionally designed to meet the needs of students, employers and communities now and into the future.” 

New name emphasizes polytechnic advantage

As a polytechnic university, UW-Stout Polytechnic is focused on applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences.

The campus has three times as many labs as traditional classrooms. Each year, students take part in approximately 1,000 co-op and internship experiences, more than one-third of which lead to job offers. In fact, this spring 77.4% of UW-Stout Polytechnic students were hired before graduation, while in recent surveys 99% were hired or pursuing advanced degrees within six months of graduation.

Those graduates’ average starting salaries – $59,000 for undergraduates, according to the most recent survey – are consistently higher than their regional peers.

Fewer than 3% of the universities in the United States are designated as polytechnic. UW-Stout Polytechnic is the only one in Wisconsin or Minnesota on the list, which across the nation includes the likes of MIT, Cal Poly and Georgia Tech.

In recent years, Blue Devil graduates have gone to work for hundreds of firms with household names or Fortune 500 rankings, including Amazon, Cigna, General Motors, Citigroup, Ashley Furniture, Andersen Windows, Boeing, Milwaukee Tool, Boston Scientific, Harley-Davidson, FedEx, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, Nike, Oshkosh Corp., Rockwell Automation, Target and 3M.

Over the past five years alone, 3M has hired 29 UW-Stout Polytechnic graduates, whose degrees range from manufacturing engineering to management and packaging to graphic design.

“UW-Stout Polytechnic has been a valued talent partner for 3M Menomonie for more than 50 years,” 3M Menomonie Site Director Janice Neitzel said. “In fact, UW-Stout Polytechnic’s presence was a key factor in 3M’s decision to open the Menomonie manufacturing plant in 1974. We continue to value UW-Stout Polytechnic graduates for their strong foundational knowledge, hands-on experience, and readiness to contribute from day one across engineering, operations, supply chain, and other key functions.”

Name evolves, mission continues

The name change is the culmination of a decades-long effort to enhance the university’s polytechnic identity. In 1974, just a few years after adding “University of Wisconsin” to its name, the institution was designated by the Board of Regents as a “special mission university,” dedicated to preparing students for a distinct array of professional careers focused on the needs of society.

In 2001, UW-Stout became the first university to win the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest award for performance excellence. A few years later, in 2007, the Board of Regents voted to officially declare UW-Stout as “Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University,” and in 2024 the board amended Regent Policy Document 1-1 to place UW-Stout in its own “Polytechnic University” category, further distinguishing its core mission and differentiating it from other universities in the system.

Fewer than 3% of the universities in the United States are designated as polytechnic. UW-Stout Polytechnic is the only one in Wisconsin or Minnesota on the list, which across the nation includes the likes of MIT, Cal Poly and Georgia Tech.

Since its founding in 1891, the university has had six different names:

• Stout Manual Training Schools (1891–1908)
• The Stout Institute (1908–1955)
• Stout State College (1955–1964)
• Stout State University (1964–1971)
• University of Wisconsin-Stout (1971–2026)
• University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic (2026-present)

The polytechnic tradition dates to the institution’s founder, James Huff Stout, a businessman, philanthropist, legislator and education reformer. Stout’s approach, as described during his lifetime, was decidedly polytechnic: “The best education is that which best equips a young person for practical life work” and that gives “the greatest usefulness and encourages the highest and best citizenship.”

Now, as UW-Stout Polytechnic, the university requests that members of the media and other outside organizations use University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic or UW-Stout Polytechnic rather than UW-Stout or Stout.

This article, originally published by the University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic on June 4, has been lightly edited for publication in Volume One. Learn more about the university online at www.uwstout.edu.