MSOE Spring Commencement is May 11, 2024
Milwaukee School of Engineering will hold its Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at the Kern Center, 1245 N. Broadway.
Nearly 500 students will receive their bachelor’s or master’s degrees during two ceremonies: at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Visit msoe.edu/commencement for ceremony details.
Commencement Speakers / Honorary Degree
MSOE Regent Matthew “Matt” Burow ’99 will receive an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from MSOE and deliver the keynote address during the afternoon ceremony. Burow founded Catalyst Construction in 2004 and serves as its current president and CEO. Catalyst Construction has earned a reputation as one of Wisconsin’s largest church and private school builders, and its construction experience has expanded to include medical offices, retail, senior living, multi-family and special use—including one of MSOE’s newest campus improvements: Raiders Field.
In 2022, Burow partnered with NBA champion Pat Connaughton to co-found Three Leaf Partners, a startup real estate development firm. Three Leaf Partners pairs athletes, business executives and community partners to make a lasting impact on the communities and people they serve through real estate.
Burow became a member of the MSOE Board of Regents in 2021 and was inducted to the MSOE Wall of Distinction in 2023. He graduated from MSOE in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and has been involved with the university throughout his career, mentoring students and supporting campus improvements.
From a young age, Burow had a keen interest in construction and creating things. “I’ve always been drawn to the process of bringing ideas to life and building structures, which is what led me to pursue a career in construction management,” he said. Burow says some of the fondest memories are the lessons he learned from MSOE’s third president Dr. Robert Spitzer.
“Dr. Spitzer instilled in us the power of positive thinking. He encouraged us to give everybody the benefit of the doubt. Today, this mindset has been a guiding principle in both my personal and professional life, fostering constructive relationships and positive outcomes.”
In addition to serving as an MSOE Regent, Burow is a board member for Christian Family Solutions, Board Chair for Milwaukee Rescue Mission, Foundation board at CUW, and WLC Regent.
Tina M. Chang, chairman and CEO of SysLogic Inc., will deliver the keynote address during the morning ceremony. SysLogic has been serving clients for over 28 years in the areas of Technology Strategy & Digital Transformation, Information Management & Business Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Software Development. Chang has maintained a strong background in business leadership and technology innovation, and she has leveraged SysLogic to launch four technology start-ups (SysSpark LLC, Cyberspect LLC, WillBridge LTD, and Ghostscale LLC). Prior to SysLogic, Chang worked for Andersen Consulting (Accenture), where she served as a business analyst and consultant to Fortune 500 companies.
Chang currently serves on the boards of STRATTEC Security Corporation, Weyco Group and Central States Manufacturing. She has demonstrated a dedication to her community through her leadership and board responsibilities with Alverno College, Children’s Wisconsin, MMAC, Midwest Cyber Security Alliance, Milwaukee Police Department Foundation, Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation, Wisconsin Policy Forum, Teach for America, Waukesha County Business Alliance and YMCA of Greater Milwaukee.
Originally from New York, Chang attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she received a BBA degree with an emphasis in Marketing and International Business, and the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, where she specialized in environmental accounting and European commerce.