Nicholas Onuska

A gentle breeze blew through my hair, ruffling up sections like brown

feathers. I exchanged bits of conversation with my mother as a traversed the Kent
State University campus the day before I was to begin my academic journey as a
college freshman. Although I had excelled in high school, securing a spot in the top
ten students of my graduating class and having been named the top senior science
student, I could not help but feel a pang of anxiety as my mind scurried to wrap itself
around the new experiences that awaited me. I was proud to have been selected for
the Kent State Honors college; a privilege that both my mother and uncle had the
pleasure of being a part of. I did not yet know that the Honors College would play a
crucial role in my education. As a chemistry major, I was able to take Honors
General Chemistry I and II, giving me the opportunity to interact closely with highly
accomplished faculty. These classes gave me the crucial foundation I needed to excel
in my continuing chemistry studies. I was soon part of a group on campus known as
the Honors Fellows Academy, leading me to meet people who have become some of
my closest friends and academic partners. The Honors College brought me into a
world of higher thinking that I had never experienced before. Excellent instruction
and engaging lessons taught by my honors professors led me to make both the
Presidents List and Deans List in my first and second semesters at Kent State.
Additionally, the scholarships given to me by the Kent State Honors College allowed
me to pursue my dreams and passions without incurring any debt. Through my
enrollment at Kent State, I was able to secure an intern position at local company,
Kent Displays Incorporated after only a year of studies. I remained at this position
for a year, learning numerous lessons about the interplay of the worlds of science
and business while interacting with many accomplished scientists. After my
experience as an intern in the field of liquid crystals, I was easily able to transition
into my current position as a research assistant in the field of liquid crystal
synthesis. Through ceaseless dedication my sophomore year at Kent State, I was
accepted into the Research Experience for Undergrads (REU) program through The
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Kent State University, a nationally
funded and highly competitive program for which only internal six students were
selected. In spite of my strenuous studies I have still found the time to aid in
organizing a weekly contemporary church service at my local church, which I have
been instrumental in for the past four years. Furthermore, I have organized a yearly
benefit concert for local charities, which celebrated our 4
th
annual success this year,
raising over $1,000 for the Simon Youth Foundation. My academic successes have
led me to be awarded scholarships from The Home Depot and Local Union 880 to
aid my expenses as a self-sustaining student. Although I am just finishing my
sophomore year as a student at Kent State University, I am only growing more and
more optimistic about my future as a scientist. I intend to utilize the Honors College
yet again to begin my Honors Thesis next year, in the field of Synthetic Chemistry.
After graduation, I will pursue a PhD in Organic Chemistry so that I may inspire
students to enter the field of chemistry, just as my professors inspired me.