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Senior Abygail Deemer was introduced to the Honors College during her first campus tour in 2022. Having taken honors and advanced placement courses in high school, Deemer thought Honors College would be the right route for her.

Deemer, a pre-med major, had no idea that the route would take her from a research lab in Ohio to an education-abroad program in Florence, Italy.

“I love being in the Honors College,” Deemer said “Especially during my freshman year when I lived in Stopher Hall and had a lot of friends within the Honors College. One of my favorite things is the elevated class style. I feel like the honors courses are more collaborative and the attendance in the courses is notably better.”

Deemer is one of 404 Honors College students who are majoring in health-related fields. After graduating in 2026, she plans to pursue pediatrics, oncology or genetics as a medical geneticist.
Deemer’s name may sound familiar because Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently appointed her to the ����ɬ���� Board of Trustees as undergraduate student trustee in December 2024. Her appointment concludes on May 16, 2026. She replaces fellow Honors College member Haley Dees, whose term as student trustee recently expired.

A Penchant for Leadership

Deemer’s proclivity for leadership roles followed her to ����ɬ���� from high school, where she served as a drum major in the band at Howland High School in Warren, and also was a leader in the National Honor Society.

She has continued her service as a leader at ����ɬ����, including a stint as director of finance and administration in from March 2023 to February 2024. In this role, she assisted the organization’s general assembly with planning and executing events for the student body. She also has served as Panhellenic Council’s vice president of risk management and peer accountability, as a ����ɬ���� orientation leader, and as a Kent Student Center Information Desk assistant. Deemer has been nominated for the Nancy and John Scott Leadership Award, which recognizes a ����ɬ���� student who has had a positive and significant impact on the Greater Kent community through their organizational involvement.

From Research Lab to Italy

Since September 2023, Deemer has worked as an undergraduate research assistant at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). She’s been working in the research lab for a year and a half. Some of her work in the research lab is basic lab work, but she has had the opportunity to work with 3D images of hearts, particularly examining the efficiency of the heart, especially when they are in cardiac distress.

Deemer spoke with ����ɬ���� Today about her research experiences.

Deemer calls herself a "huge chemistry nerd," who finds the discipline quite interesting.

“All of my chemistry courses have been my favorite so far,” Deemer said. “Organic chemistry is one that was interesting to me. I know everyone hates that class, but I really loved it; and then, my genetics course and my evolution course. Those were interesting too.”

Deemer also loved all the courses she took in Florence, Italy, when she studied abroad in ����ɬ����’s Education-Abroad program in 2024.

She spent many mornings in Italy independently exploring because her friends had classes in the morning. When Deemer studied abroad she had no idea how much it would change her life.

“I think that one of the things I learned was the power of my own independence while I was there,” she said. “Just valuing a different culture and a different country was awesome. And then making my own travel plans was fun. That was such a good experience.”

There are many practical reasons why ����ɬ���� was a great choice for Deemer, such as its proximity to home. However, she urges prospective students to think about all the enriching experiences outside of the classroom that ����ɬ���� has to offer. 

“As much as I love my classes and I feel like I've learned so much from them, I feel like I've gotten so much more from all of my leadership experiences and activities, and my research, which has set an awesome foundation for my future,” Deemer said. “And that can happen for any student who comes here.”