Dan Dornbrook has MSOE to thank for helping him find his new passion, and because of that he’s excited to support the university through a matching gift to the Humanities, Social Science and Communication (HSC) Department on Giving Day.

“MSOE played a major role in a major transition in my life,” said Dornbrook. “I would like to help build greater awareness of the user experience (UX) program and the UX field within the MSOE community and help the program support current and future students in their educational pursuits.”

After getting his undergraduate degree in journalism from Indiana University and spending nearly a decade working as a copy editor for a local newspaper, Dornbrook decided he was ready to pursue something new.

Dornbrook found MSOE’s technical communication program (now known at MSOE as user experience) and was able to attend classes and balance his full time job in Milwaukee.

“My education from MSOE has helped me to succeed in my career by helping me to focus on the practical process of translating complex technical information as understood by software developers into step-by-step guidance for users who need the software products to perform their work for their employers.”

Today, Dornbrook works as a technical writer at the Midwest office of JMA Wireless, based in Syracuse, New York, and credits MSOE for helping him find career success.

For the second year, Dornbrook is hoping to support the future of his industry by providing a matching gift of $1,000 to the HSC Department on Giving Day.

“My main motivation behind supporting MSOE and HSC specifically is to help support the UX program, which is the successor of the technical communication program that I attended. Students who learn how to design products—not only for functionality but for user experience that enhances customer success—will be much better equipped for the career opportunities of the present and future.”

In addition to supporting MSOE, he is also passionate about supporting public broadcast and organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.

“As our communities and our world change around us, our ability to adapt and redirect ourselves becomes progressively more important with time.”

If you are interested in learning more about Giving Day and its impact on the MSOE campus community, click here.