Growing up in Strum, Wisconsin, after his family emigrated from Norway, Bjorn Borgen ’62 worked at a Ford dealership and excelled in school, eaarning a scholarship to attend UW–Madison. “I will forever be thankful for the scholarship granted to start me on the path to success,” Borgen says. That opportunity led to a degree in mechanical engineering, an executive program at GE, and an MBA from Harvard, ultimately enabling him to build a multibillion-dollar investment firm.
Now, Borgen is giving back with a $25 million gift to the College of Engineering, which will fund experiential learning and a new active-learning wing named in his honor. His generosity ensures that future students will benefit from opportunities like the one that changed his life.