Honors Spotlight - Payton Kamer
’23, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
“I am most proud of the unique and diverse opportunities I’ve been able to take advantage of as a Rocket Engineer. Things that once were unfamiliar and intimidating to me — like public speaking, domestic and international travel, leading professional events and being a student leader — are now some of my greatest strengths thanks to the experiences I’ve had with UToledo Engineering.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Lisa Kaiser
’23, Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering
“Not only does UToledo’s engineering program give you field experience that sets you apart from graduates of other schools, but their medical program allows a fast track into medical school. They also offered generous scholarships that helped make me feel welcome even though I was coming from a different state.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Olivia Onago
’23, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
“I have met some amazing people at UToledo, both students and faculty alike. It is these relationships that have helped me to not only discover my true passion in life but have guided me towards forging my own career: a nursery focusing solely on growing native plants from locally collected, native genotypic (locally genetic) seed.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Erica Sacoto
’25, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
“Being a Rocket means to step up and explore all the opportunities that you have here at the University. Our campus has a lot of diverse organizations that you can be a part of, and I think it’s crucial for Rockets to explore these diverse spaces and truly find their family on campus. I have found my family here.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Anna Spaulding
’25, Bachelor of Science in Cosmetic Science and Formulation Design
“For me, as an out-of-state student, Honors was an unexpected safe space and made the transition into college so much easier. It helped me transform my academic motivation and passion within the field of cosmetic science. The conversation about the Honors thesis led me to work with the Office of Undergraduate Research to find my advisor and research topic.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Aaron Dickman
’25, Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting
“UToledo has prepared me for the real world by the services offered by Business Career Programs. Without their help and continual support, I do not think I would have landed the internships I have had. The business school has also been instrumental in their hosting of the job fair, which allows me to interact with prospective employers.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Lia Sanford
’26, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
“The integrated co-op program at UToledo has pushed me to strive higher than I would at any other school. Thanks to this program, I was able to spend a summer in Germany learning the differences between German and American work styles, adapting to the culture, becoming more fluent in German and exploring beautiful destinations throughout Europe.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Derek Kluczynski
’24, Bachelor of Science in Biology
“I am incredibly honored to be selected as a Goldwater Scholar. The first feeling was disbelief. It nudges you in the direction that you are doing something correct and to keep continuing that course.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Caden Coy
’26, Bachelor of Business Administration
“My focus coming into college was just to try to gain as much knowledge as possible right away — to go headfirst — and that kind of pulled me in and so many opportunities came as a result. At UToledo, it is clear that if you are motivated, there are so many things you can achieve.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Chloe McLeod
’23, Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
“It is such an honor to have placed first in the Ohio Japanese Speech Contest and to be recognized by the Japan America Society of Central Ohio. I owe great thanks to Dr. Kasumi Yamazaki, who helped me so much in writing my speech and preparing for the contest.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Haroon Lughmani
’26, Bachelor of Science in Biology
“I already was involved in Humanity First, but I wanted to create a sense of community amongst my fellow Toledoans and transform our common empathy into tangible efforts. Alone, I may only make one drop of change, but together, we can amplify our efforts to produce an ocean of change.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Abigail Royfman
’22, Bachelor of Science in Biology
“I’m very grateful to have contributed to the discovery and published paper. It has been an invaluable experience to be part of a collaborative, supportive environment that encouraged me to continue in the face of difficulties and pushed me to reach my fullest potential.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Branigan Lyczkowski
’22, Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering
“I have gone from a shy girl who was afraid of speaking up to someone who has had conversations with distinguished alumni and company CEOs at events in the College of Engineering. Through the support of my Engineering faculty, I have grown out of my comfort zone and learned how to use my strengths in a way that makes me the best version of myself.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Aastha Bhavsar
’22, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
“I volunteer because I want to make a difference in my community. I am motivated by achieving positive outcomes that can help others in a time of need. I also enjoy working in a team to achieve goals that move our mission forward. I am thorough in everything I do, and I challenge myself to keep innovating and try to do something new.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Binta Balde
’26, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
“At first, I wanted to be a pediatric doctor, then I thought about being an ER doctor. But I later realized that nurses are the ones that are closest to the patients, and I always wanted to be on my feet. I wanted to go to a school where they took nursing classes seriously. And I saw that UToledo was one of the top programs in Ohio.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Lemuel Inkoom
’26, Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences
“I’m really enjoying being an Honors student. In high school, I thought Honors meant just harder classes, but at UToledo, it means smaller class sizes. Some classes are longer, but I’m learning more than I would outside of Honors.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Teddy Walsh
’22, Bachelor of Science in Physics & Mathematics
“I was surprised I was able to begin working on research so early in my college career. It feels great to make such an impact and be part of something that is going to accelerate so many discoveries. This database will speed up a lot of research projects tremendously for astronomers all over the world.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Maggie Bennekamper
’22, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
“I was really interested in healthcare and still continue to be interested in making healthcare more accessible and equitable to people. I thought I needed to go into the medical field to do that. Being in a health research lab, there’s a lot I can do in a research way of things that are more hands-on.”
Read MoreHonors Spotlight - Tessa Vogel
’21, Bachelor of Science in Nursing
“For as crazy as a time as it’s been, the University and the College of Nursing have done a great job at helping us succeed. All the interactions I’ve had with the instructors, it just seems like they care so much about you individually. As much as you’re willing to get out and ask questions, they’re willing to help.”
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