John Nielsen

John K. Nielsen graduated in 1965 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He had a long career as a staff engineer for several companies and retired from General Mills after designing, building and managing the engineering functions in several of the company’s plants throughout the United States. Nielsen credits Learn by Doing for much of his success and is a dedicated supporter of hands-on learning opportunities for students in the College of Engineering. Nielsen is the founding donor of the Mustang ’60 Shop, an on-campus machine shop where students can complete the cycle of design from concept to finished product and gain confidence using manufacturing equipment. In addition to providing funding for the lab, Nielsen created an endowment to ensure a full-time shop technician would always be available to assist students. He is a longtime member of the Mechanical Engineering Industry Advisory Board, with a special interest in providing a safe environment for students working in the lab, working with staff and students to install equipment, provide safety protocols and follow up on implementation.