People who have driven past Mount Mary University’s Wauwatosa campus might look at the grassy lawns that dominate the school’s 80 acres and wonder: Who is in charge of mowing all that grass? The task falls to Alyssa Branski and Gina Nommensen (pictured) this summer. The work isn’t a campus job, however. Branksi, a recent University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee graduate, and Nommensen, a UW-Stevens Point student, are working for Briggs & Stratton Corp. as part of a long-running partnership between the Wauwatosa-based manufacturer and the women’s college. Briggs has been testing its products on Mount Mary’s campus for more than 16 years. The company provides equipment and assumes fuel and labor costs. The mowers are equipped with meters to track the length of testing, and measurements like engine temperature are recorded and passed along to engineers. It’s one of several test sites the company has in the area; others, like the Orchard Ridge landfill in Menomonee Falls, offer a chance to test on steeper hills and more rugged terrain. The benefit of the Mount Mary property is that it mimics a residential setting. “Same conditions as what you’ll be cutting at home,” said Andrew Spehert, an engineer in the Briggs engine group. The only difference is most homes don’t have 80 acres to maintain.
