Sternhagen receives first Metzger appointment

Jason Sternhagen, a 16-year veteran of the McComish Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, begins his 17^th year as the first appointee to the Metzger Educator in Power System Engineering.

Sternhagen, who had been a lecturer and research associate III in the electrical engineering department, carries the new title of Metzger Endowed Professor of Practice.

In addition to working at South Dakota State University since 2009, Sternhagen also earned both his degrees from SDSU. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1998 and his master’s degree in 2001, both in electrical engineering.

The Metzger position was created in July 2025 by 1986 electrical engineering alum and former DGR Engineering President Blair Metzger of Rock Rapids, Iowa. Typically, endowed positions are offered to a faculty member with a doctorate. In Sternhagen’s previous position, he was classified as non-faculty exempt. 

Years ago, Sternhagen started down the path to earn a doctorate but this was more than he was able to commit to at the time with family and job responsibilities.

Todd Letcher, a professor in mechanical engineering who has partnered with Sternhagen in many student projects, said, “I'm glad they picked him for this. It's very well deserved. He's a really great guy — loved by all students, good at basically everything, knows about almost everything, seems to enjoy the teaching aspect of the job and is very good at it.”

Dave Galipeau, who was the first endowed faculty member in the college and is the Harold C. Hohbach Endowed Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering, said of Sternhagen, “He is a great choice for his new position.”

Also directs Center for Power Systems Studies

Sternhagen, who began in the new position June 22, said, “I know and understand the department. I have a history of teaching. I’ve stayed involved with the power industry through teaching senior design and have been doing the power tour for a number of years. I’m honored to be in this position.”

In addition to being the Metzer Endowed Professor of Practice in electrical engineering, Sternhagen also takes over as coordinator of the Center of Power Systems Studies, which was vacated with Steve Hietpas’ retirement in May.

He added that in his new position he seeks to “carry on the legacy that has preceded me and to promote the (electrical) power industry … and to continue to build relationships with the industry.” 

Among the functions of the Center for Power Systems Studies is to prepare students to become power engineers. Sternhagen already is involved in Jackrabbit Preview and other student recruitment events. He hopes to use that involvement to better promote the scholarship and career opportunities in the power industry.

An important discovery for Galipeau

Sternhagen, a Yankton native, didn’t envision himself as an electrical engineer when he started college.

“I grew up on a farm. I loved discovering how things work and putting things back to together. I worked as a small engine mechanic for a number of summers in high school and after my first year of college. I started as a mechanical engineering student,” he said. But he also had a strong interest in audio electronics and took a couple of electrical engineering classes.

“In the process, I met Dave Galipeau, who saw something in me and asked me to come work for him between my sophomore and junior year.”

Galipeau said, “Jason was smart, analytical, hardworking and congenial with great practical, hands-on experience.What more could one want in a student or employee?”

Began career in industry

Sternhagen said, “I did two summers of research for Dave and worked part time during the school year. After I graduated, Dave had some money from a grant for one of his startups, Micro Conversion Technology, which was helping commercialize a surface acoustic wave measuring system, operating in the basement of a building north of the old Zesto Drive-In.”

Sternhagen worked for Galipeau for nine months after earning his master’s degree and then conducted electrical power studies and wrote in-house reports for Tyson Foods in Dakota Dunes for 11 months.

In November 2002, he joined MtronPTI as a process/design engineer and developed crystal-controlled oscillators for the telecom industry.

Galipeau invites Sternhagen back

While Jason and Christy Sternhagen were happy living around family in their hometown, his job lacked satisfaction. When Galipeau called in 2009 to tell Sternhagen about a lab manager position in electrical engineering, he was interested. Their children, Grant and Andrew, were just 6 and 3 then.

“Both my wife and I had family in Yankton, so in that respect it wasn’t an easy decision. In the end, that (move) set me and my family on a better trajectory. My wife was able to reconnect with a job she had in college. (The 1998 biology graduate now is soybean lab manager for SoDak Labs.) There were more opportunities for all of us.

“Grant did an apprenticeship for Daktronics in high school and now (after earning a computer science degree from SDSU in 2025) works in test automation for Daktronics. Our youngest son has been able to do undergraduate research (at SDSU). It’s really been an incredible success for my family.”

Helping students see the joy

Sternhagen, who lives just southwest of Brookings, still enjoys getting grease under his fingernails.

Sternhagen and son Andrew both enjoy restoring old vehicles. He has restored a 1947 Chevy half-ton pickup that has been in the family since 1953. He also enjoys his two older military trucks and Andrew has a 1952 Plymouth Concord that required extensive welding and body work.

“The fun for me is learning how they work and getting over the fear of tackling something and teaching perseverance.”

That same attitude carries over to the classroom and laboratory.

“I really enjoy teaching, figuring how things work and explaining it to students. I get a lot of joy out of that, and I want students to be able to see that joy otherwise it gets lost in the drudgery of academics.”