All-University Award Recipients
Merit Award (for Professional Achievement)
DR. STANLEY V. JASKOLSKI, ENG '62, GRAD '64, '67
Pewaukee, Wis.
Leonardo da Vinci. Thomas Edison. Nikola Tesla. Dr. Stan Jaskolski. All have something substantial in common: their tremendous gift for innovation.
Former chief technology officer of Eaton Corp. — a worldwide $15 billion corporation that produces controls and energy management systems — Stan co-holds 27 patents in semiconductor technology and led the Eaton Innovation Center for 13 years. While there, he participated in $350 million-plus of dedicated research and development, identifying and prototyping high-impact new product innovations and technology.
Stan’s work at Eaton didn’t go unnoticed. Former President Bill Clinton recognized his pioneering value and, in 1996, appointed him to a six-year term on the National Science Board. As a member, Stan visited and reviewed the United States Research program at the South Pole in Antarctica.
But long before his career was defined by innovations and earmuffs, Stan — whose three degrees came from Marquette — was a faculty member in the College of Engineering, where he taught from 1967–82. From 1974–82, he was chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering. Then it was on to Eaton, the National Science Board and, finally, retirement.
But retirement for Stan didn’t mean a rocking chair and slippers. His prolific intellect craved activity, and he found it by returning to Marquette 21 years after leaving. In 2003, he became Opus Dean of the College of Engineering, the first endowed deanship at the university.
“I’ve been blessed to have engaged thousands of students, alumni and professional colleagues,” Stan says, “learning so much from my colleagues, alumni, students, faculty and friends … seeing the spark in their eyes as we reach new levels of success together. For this, I am eternally grateful.”
Likewise, Marquette is eternally grateful for Stan. During his six years as Opus Dean, he raised more than $120 million, including $32 million of endowed scholarships for students and $15 million for three endowed faculty chairs in engineering design, construction engineering and management, and renewable and sustainable energy systems. In addition, he was the driving force behind the planning and fundraising for the new game-changing engineering facility, the Discovery Learning Complex, due to open in August. Stan knows that tomorrow’s engineers need to be leaders in technology and innovation on the global stage. So the state-of-the-art building reflects that, featuring a two-story engineering materials and structural testing laboratory, as well as game-changing teaching and research laboratories that bring together in teams undergraduate and graduate students and faculty to work on innovative experiences.
Stan is a founding member of southeast Wisconsin’s sySTEM NOW, an ongoing effort to promote interest and participation by grade school and high school students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He also championed recruiting diverse students to pursue engineering, with heavy emphasis on supporting the National Society of Black Engineers, among many other initiatives that will have lasting impact on the university.
“I will always be involved with Marquette,” he says. “It’s systemically a part of me.”
Fun fact: Stan has felt the impact of the lives of thousands of individuals, beginning with his beloved wife, Cindy. He calls her his constant companion, confidant and counselor — and lovingly refers to her as, “You Are Marquette,” a play off “We Are Marquette,” the unofficial slogan of the university.
