The Marquette community is mourning the loss of Dr. Stanley (Stan) V. Jaskolski, Opus Dean Emeritus of the Opus College of Engineering, who died on Friday, Dec. 22; he was 84.
Stan is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 60 years, Cynthia Jaskolski, his children, John Jaskolski (Diane), Mike Jaskolski (Jeanne), Amy Brady (Tim) and Jill Wieland (Steve), and his many grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Stan is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers (Ronald and Richard).
“On behalf of the Marquette community, I wish to express my deepest condolences to Cindy and the entire Jaskolski family,” said President Michael R. Lovell. “I got to know Stan well when we were both engineering deans at crosstown universities, and our families enjoyed a meaningful friendship ever since. Amy and I will miss Stan dearly, and we will keep Cindy and the family in our prayers.”
“Stan loved his alma mater and was relentless in funding and creating Engineering Hall, transforming experiential learning for our engineering students,” said Dr. Kristina Ropella, Opus Dean of the Opus College of Engineering.
Stan joined Marquette as Opus Dean in 2003, coming out of retirement to lead the college from which he earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. During his six years as dean, he raised more than $120 million, including more than $60 million to help construct Engineering Hall, $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.
The college’s Stanley V. Jaskolski Discovery Learning Laboratory is named in his honor. The facility provides a fully equipped, on-site machine shop for design and production of prototypes, test fixtures and complex objects — a place where students can explore the practical aspects of engineering firsthand.
Stan was also a faculty member in the Opus College of Engineering from 1967–82; he spent the latter eight years as chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering.
Following that, Stan served as chief technology officer of Eaton Corp. — a worldwide multi-billion-dollar corporation that produces controls and energy management systems. He 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.
Former President Bill Clinton recognized Stan’s 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.
Stan spent his career working to advance the field of engineering, particularly among young people. He was 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 have had a lasting impact on the university.
In remarks upon receiving Marquette’s All-University Alumni Merit Award for Professional Achievement, Stan said, “I’ve been blessed to have engaged thousands of students, alumni and professional colleagues, 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.”
A Mass of Chistian Burial was held at the Church of the Gesu earlier today. A full obituary from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is available online.
The family would appreciate gifts to the Stanley V. Jaskolski Scholarship Fund at Marquette.
Please remember Stan, his family and friends in prayer.
