$25 million gift sparks innovation in UW–Madison’s new engineering building, and beyond

Before Bjorn Borgen (BSME '62) built a multibillion-dollar investment firm, before he settled out west in the Rocky Mountains, before he even set foot on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, he was a teenager working on cars and tractors at the Ford dealership in tiny Strum, Wisconsin.

It was his first taste of mechanical engineering, one he followed to the UW-Madison College of Engineering as an undergraduate student before making his mark in the finance industry.

Now, nearly 70 years after Borgen first arrived at UW-Madison as a student, he and his family are leaving a legacy that will benefit generations of Badger engineering students.

His $25 million gift includes a $5 million endowment to support experiential learning woven through the Department of Mechanical Engineering curriculum, and a $20 million gift to the Engineering the Future Capital Campaign Fund. Through the $20 million gift, Borgen's name will adorn the active learning wing of the Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center, the College of Engineering's forthcoming new building.

"I want to be part of this new phase of making the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering one of the top public engineering schools in the country and increasing student enrollment," says Borgen, an avid alpine and cross-country skier and ocean sailor who lives in Denver.

The Bjorn Borgen Learning Commons will be a bright and spacious section of the 395,000-square-foot research-and-teaching facility, featuring interactive classrooms and collaborative areas. Its large windows and mass timber materials are fitting components, given Borgen's love of the outdoors.

"I hope that it's a place where students not only learn in the classroom, but it's a gathering place and a great place to exchange ideas, make friends and cooperate," says Borgen.

Borgen's family moved to the United States in 1948, after their hometown of Åndalsnes on the west coast of Norway was destroyed during World War II. He calls his parents, Truls and Helene, his heroes. The family settled in Strum, a small, then-predominantly Norwegian town in northwest Wisconsin.

Between traveling to ski jumping competitions and working at the mechanic's garage, Borgen was salutatorian of his class at Eleva-Strum Central High School, earning a scholarship that allowed him to attend UW-Madison. "I will forever be thankful to the University of Wisconsin for the scholarship granted to start me on the path to success," he said in 2021, when he received a distinguished achievement award, the College of Engineering's highest honor for alumni.

After graduating with his degree in mechanical engineering, Borgen moved to the East Coast and joined an executive training program with General Electric, meeting his wife, Kathy, in a ski lodge in New Hampshire in 1964. He earned his master's degree from Harvard Business School in 1966, then took a job as a security analyst with Financial Programs in Denver.

"Without the engineering background that I got from the University of Wisconsin, I probably never would have ended up in that kind of a job opportunity," he says.

Borgen went on to acquire Founders Asset Management in 1975, building it into an enormously successful investment firm before selling it to The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation in 1998. He then founded Borgen Investment Group and the Borgen Family Foundation.

"Bjorn Borgen's journey-from a small town in Wisconsin to global success-is a powerful example of what's possible with a foundation in engineering and a commitment to excellence," says Devesh Ranjan, Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering. "His gift empowers us to create transformative learning experiences that prepare students not just to succeed-but to lead. From their first day on campus, Badger Engineers will benefit from spaces and programs designed to spark creativity, collaboration and real-world problem solving. Bjorn truly embodies the Wisconsin Idea in action, and his legacy will inspire Badger Engineers to dream bigger, reach further and lead boldly for decades to come."

Borgen's support of the mechanical engineering department has established the Borgen Design Fund, an endowed fund that enables hands-on learning activities and financial resources from first-year introductory courses through senior capstone experiences. The Borgen ME Design Lab in the Mechanical Engineering Building now includes 3D printers, allowing students to rapidly prototype projects. The Borgen Design Competition encourages students to pursue ambitious entrepreneurial and community service projects. And the gift also supports student teams that compete nationally in robotics, aerospace, autonomous vehicle, racing events and more.

"The Borgen Design Fund is helping us reimagine design education across our curriculum," says Darryl Thelen, the John Bollinger Chair of Mechanical Engineering. "By investing in introductory courses, capstone design and national competition teams, we are equipping Badger Engineers with the skills and confidence to lead in solving real-world challenges."

Borgen, who was inducted into the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame in 2024, has a long history of philanthropy that centers around support of education, athletics, health and environmental causes in the United States and in Norway. At UW-Madison, he also previously established the endowed Bjorn Borgen Professorship in Mechanical Engineering, held by mechanical engineering faculty member Christian Franck. His latest gift to his alma mater comes on his 88^th birthday.

"I think this new building is going to make a big impact," says Borgen. "It's going to be important in terms of recruiting top faculty and students to the university. And I think it'll be a great addition to the University of Wisconsin and the College of Engineering."

To learn about additional opportunities to support spaces throughout the Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center, please contact Director of Development Rob Herrick .

Featured image caption: Rendering of the new Bjorn Borgen Learning Commons. Credit: Continuum SmithGroup.

The building's architectural and engineering team is Continuum Architects + Planners, S.C., in association with SmithGroup & Ring & DuChateau, LLP. Findorff is the building's construction firm. GRAEF is the structural engineer of record.