10 Within 10 Recognition

Class of 2019, 2020, College of Science and Engineering 

As a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Coordinator for Midwest Energy & Communications, Nick Bogen, ’19, M.S. ’20, blends technical expertise with a passion for innovation — including leading the launch of the company’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) program. His career has taken him across the country, and his work continues to evolve alongside the technologies shaping the future of energy infrastructure. 

Nick arrived at CMU and left with more than two degrees. He earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in his master’s program, co-authored peer-reviewed research published in the Journal of Maps, and presented his work at national and international conferences, including the American Meteorological Society and the American Association of Geographers. In 2019, he won first place in the American Association of Geographers’ Innovative Applications of ESRI GIS Technology poster competition. In 2025, he earned the Geographic Information Systems Professional (GISP) certification — a nationally recognized credential marking the highest level of professional distinction in the field. 

That professional momentum has translated into statewide leadership. Nick was elected vice chair of the newly formed State of Michigan GIS Advisory Council, a body of the top 17 GIS professionals drawn from public, private, utility, academic and nonprofit sectors across the state. He is the youngest member. He also serves as trustee on the board of directors for Michigan’s GIS professional association and as trustee for the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce. 

Nick’s connection to CMU spans six years — time he describes as formative in every sense. On campus, he was a member of the American Meteorological Society chapter, participated in the CMU-STORM campaign, and served as both a graduate teaching assistant and graduate research assistant. He’s since worked for two CMU graduates and recently hired one to join his team. 

That same commitment shows up in Nick’s community work. A longtime volunteer with Cass County Emergency Management, he was named the office’s Volunteer of the Year, and the Michigan Citizens Corps recognized him as its Youth Coordinator of the Year. For eight years, he also mentored students in a STEM-intensive FIRST Robotics program at Dowagiac Union High School — passing along the kind of hands-on problem-solving that shaped his own path. 

Nick believes giving back means investing in people, not institutions. “I look at it as supporting the next generation of professionals in our fields,” he said. “Something as simple as talking to the students and encouraging them goes a long way.” For Nick, being a CMU Chippewa is about community — on campus, at homecomings and in the spontaneous moment when someone spots your maroon and gold and shouts “Fire Up Chips!” 

Nick holds a Bachelor of Science in meteorology and a Master of Science in geographic information science, both from CMU’s College of Science and Engineering.