Kempel family creates first-generation endowed scholarship

University Distinguished Professor Leo Kempel knows the ins and outs of getting a college education, whether from the viewpoint of a student, faculty member or administrator.

Kempel joined the faculty at Michigan State University in 1998, and after increasing responsibilities, served as the ninth dean of the College of Engineering from 2014 through September 2024.

At the conclusion of his deanship, Kempel and his wife, Cathy, decided to create the Thomas L. Kempel Family Endowed Scholarship, named after Kempel’s father, to assist first-generation Michigan college students who enroll in MSU’s College of Engineering.

“Being first-gen is not easy because you really do not have a roadmap for college or people very close to you to ask for guidance,” Kempel explained. “You really have no idea how to apply to college or navigate the choices you need to make as a student.”

Kempel and his sister were the first in their immediate family to complete a college degree, which he noted would not have been possible without their father and mother scrimping and saving to make the opportunity available.

Kempel’s father followed in his grandfather’s footsteps as an electrician and joined an apprentice program at the age of 19. He credits the electrical trade with providing a good income to support his family, and he has been a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for almost 65 years. Today, he is retired and living in rural Ohio.

“We really appreciate the fact that MSU, as the State University for Michigan, provides opportunities to more Michiganders — especially first-gen students — than any other school in Michigan,” said Kempel. “Cathy and I wanted to encourage the next generation of engineers and make it a little bit easier for them to pursue their dreams.”

Kempel’s own college journey included the University of Cincinnati, where he received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1989, and the University of Michigan, where he earned a master’s degree in 1990 and a doctorate in 1994, all in electrical engineering.

After graduation, he took a job at Mission Research Corporation — now part of Northrop Grumman — and later joined MSU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Today, Kempel is the Dennis P. Nyquist Endowed Professor of Electromagnetics and a University Distinguished Professor.

Read more about Leo Kempel’s career on For the Green and White.

To find out more about making a gift, contact the College of Engineering Advancement Office at GIVE.

This story originally appeared on the College of Engineering website.