More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students in engineering majors, the Rader School of Business and School of Nursing will receive their bachelor’s or master’s degrees at Milwaukee School of Engineering’s (MSOE) Spring Commencement, Saturday, May 23, 2015 at the Kern Center.

The ceremony will feature keynote addresses from MSOE Regent James Rahn, president of the Kern Family Foundation, and MSOE Regent Dawn Tabat, executive vice president of community and external relations, Generac Power Systems. Each also will receive an Honorary Doctor of Business and Economics degree.

Samantha Scharles is the class respondent, the honor that goes to the graduate with the highest GPA. Scharles is graduating with high honors and will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

Andrew Kosasih and Brett Nockerts will receive the Alumni Association Award. Recipients of this prestigious award are first nominated by faculty members in their respective academic departments and then the entire graduating class selects from among its peers the student who is most deserving. Both are graduating with high honors. Kosasih will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Nockerts will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Software Engineering.

About James Rahn:

MSOE Regent James C. Rahn has served as president of the Kern Family Foundation in Waukesha, Wis., since 2008. In this role, he provides direction for expanding existing programs and establishing new programs in support of the foundation’s mission to build the future through values, education and innovation. He joined the foundation in September 2007 as the education reform program director. Before that, he spent six years as director of the Center for Urban Teaching and assistant professor of education at Wisconsin Lutheran College. Prior to his work in higher education, he served in K-12 Lutheran schools as teacher, principal and regional school coordinator. Rahn became an MSOE Regent in 2013, and is also a member of the Project Lead The Way board of directors. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., and a master’s degree from Concordia University in River Forest, Ill.

About Dawn Tabat:

MSOE Regent Dawn Tabat served as COO for Generac Power Systems from 2002 until 2013, and had oversight of manufacturing, logistics, global supply chain, quality, safety and information services. She currently serves as executive vice president of community and external relations for Generac Power Systems. Tabat joined Generac in 1972 and served as personnel manager and personnel director before being promoted to vice president of human resources in 1992, and chief operating officer in 2002. She was part of the team that witnessed Generac’s growth in the 1980s from 200 to 2,100 employees, and its continued growth since then. With Generac, she has traveled the world and visited every continent. Tabat has served as an MSOE Regent since 2012. She was named a Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2011. Tabat is the founding director and board chairperson of GPS Education Partners and she also serves on the Kern Family Foundation Board of Directors.