When Jacob Kahl makes a decision, there is no stopping him.
“When I came to college, I was not initially accepted into the engineering program, but after working hard my first semester I knew this was where I wanted to be,” Kahl said. “I declared my major in mechanical engineering and never looked back.”
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2024 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at spring commencement.
Kahl began his journey into engineering in the first cohort of the Greater Equity, Access and Readiness for Success in Engineering and Technology (GEARSET) program. GEARSET creates an alternative pathway to a bachelor’s degree in engineering for first-year students who did not yet meet the College of Engineering’s requirements.
Students who meet the program’s admission criteria, which include testing into trigonometry and a minimum high school grade point average of 3.0, meet regularly with engineering advisors and enroll in courses designed to introduce engineering principles, applications of mathematics and professional development, in addition to other classes needed to meet the College of Engineering’s transfer requirements.
Of the 142 total students who have enrolled in the program, 70% returned to the University after their first year, beating the national average of 54% for this population.
Kahl was one of the initial cohort of 25 students, of which 15 will have earned their engineering degree after the spring 2024 commencement.
Now, he will be graduating with his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering on Saturday, May 4.
“Bryan Bosch, the leader of the program, had the most impact on me as a student because he was the first teacher I had when I was joining the program,” Kahl said. “He has helped me greatly throughout my education.”
“Jacob is the exact student we are looking to help in our GEARSET Pre-Engineering Program,” said Bosch, manager of diversity, equity and inclusion and community engagement in the UToledo College of Engineering. “Coming into his freshman year at UToledo Engineering, his application indicated that he was academically talented and only needed to be given a chance to succeed. Through time as both an instructor and an advisor of his, I have constantly found myself tracking his academic and professional career and developing an increasing sense of pride in him and his ability to become not just a thriving student but also a successful engineer. He is one of the many examples of what UToledo can offer anyone who wishes to become an engineer.”
Jacob Kahl took advantage of UToledo’s GEARSET program and will receive his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering on May 4.
UToledo’s integrated engineering co-op program, one of eight in the nation, also was a big draw to the engineering program for Kahl. The program requires all engineering science majors to complete three paid, integrated co-ops before graduation. Kahl is currently on his fifth co-op with ACCEL Fire Systems.
“Working at ACCEL throughout my college career I have learned a lot about my future as a professional engineer in fire protection,” Kahl said. “Once I started my co-ops in 2021, I stayed with ACCEL for 5 rotations on and off throughout college along with working part time for them. This helped me decide what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be.
“There were lots of things I liked about my co-op. For example, the flexibility of the job itself meant that some days I would spend most of the time in the office doing design and analysis and some days I would be out in the field going from jobsite to jobsite with more of a hands-on learning experience. I worked on everything from heavy industrial construction to jobs all around campus as well. One of the coolest projects I assisted with was the UToledo North Engineering renovations.”
Kahl has already made his decision on his next step after graduation.
“I will be moving to Columbus in May to work with Burns & McDonnell. In order to pursue my Professional Engineer in Fire Protection certification (FPE), I need to experience fire protection on a broader scale.”
UToledo has also offered Kahl the opportunity to increase his leadership skills and build a great network of friends.
“After coming back from COVID I was eager to be involved, so I joined the Men’s Lacrosse Club and the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity,” Kahl said. “By doing this it helped me excel in and out of the classroom, growing my social network. I became more involved on campus by becoming the recruitment chair for both organizations along with becoming the vice president of each organization the following year.
“Growing my network socially on campus and the professional connections I have made have really helped me along the way,” Kahl added. “And I think that’s the most important part to help you reach that next step in life.”
