College of STEM faculty member receives 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award

Kevin Grabian will be honored with the 2025 NWTC Distinguished Alumni Award during Alumni Night on November 19. For the first time in the history of the College, two graduates will be recognized with the distinction which celebrates outstanding personal and professional achievements, commitment to the College’s values, and community involvement.

Grabian, a 2006 graduate of NWTC’s Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) and Electronics programs, is a full-time EET faculty member at the College. After graduating from NWTC, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in EET from Milwaukee School of Engineering and is currently pursuing a master’s in engineering at UW-Platteville. 

“My NWTC education laid the foundation for everything I’ve accomplished professionally,” said Grabian, who also supports the College’s Electro-Mechanical Technology, Automation Engineering, and Biomedical Electronics programs. 
Learn more about NWTC's College of STEM programs.

A first-generation college student, Grabian overcame multiple obstacles to pursue his college and career goals. “My journey reflects the heart of NWTC’s mission, not just in my accomplishments, but in my story,” he said. 

Outside of academics, Grabian is a published author and actively working on future book projects. When he’s not teaching or writing, he enjoys composing and performing music, sailing with his family, staying active, reading and learning, photography and painting, pursuing entrepreneurial ideas, and taking on hands-on projects ranging from car restoration and home renovation to electronics and design.

Read more about Grabian’s journey and his perspective on the award, in his own words, below.

Coming full circle

I grew up in poverty, lost my father when I was young, and made serious mistakes early in life. Before I could graduate high school, I was already a father, and I had experienced both incarceration and homelessness. But I never let those obstacles define me. I managed to graduate high school near the top of my class, earned two degrees from NWTC, and kept pushing forward; academically, professionally, and personally. 

Today, I teach at the same college that helped turn my life around. I lead student success programs, train new faculty, coach award-winning student teams, and show others, especially those facing hardship, what’s possible. I’ve served my community as a youth wrestling coach and board member, a volunteer search-and-rescue leader, and an on-campus medical response volunteer. 

This award isn’t about a title. It’s about the journey. What I’ve done since getting the opportunity to study at NWTC isn’t just about degrees or titles, it’s about coming full circle. I’ve gone from student to instructor, from being mentored to becoming a mentor. I serve my students, my community, and my college with the kind of passion that only comes from someone who knows what it's like to need a second chance, and to try and make the most of it. 

NWTC advocate

I advocate for NWTC every day, through my work, my leadership, my story, and my visibility in the community and beyond. I mentor students not just in technical skills, but in life skills, especially those who come from nontraditional or challenging backgrounds like mine. 

In my community, I’ve shared my story with prospective students and others who may not have thought college was within their reach. I remind them: If I can do it, so can you, and NWTC can be the place where that transformation starts.