2025 COF Annual Showcase Highlights
The Ohio State University Choose Ohio First (COF) scholars Miguel Abeldano (EFC), Lucas Kelly (IBEO-Engineering), and Ingrid Escalante-Hernández (EFC) attended to the Ohio Statehouse on April 2, 2025 to be part of the 2025 Choose Ohio First Scholar Showcase. This event is a celebration of the scholars and COF scholarship programs across Ohio. Scholars have an opportunity to display and discuss research, academic projects, and work-based learning experiences they have had during their time as a COF Scholar. The Showcase gives scholars recipients firsthand experience in conference-style presentations and allows them to network with General Assembly members, state officials, and business leaders (Ohio Department of Higher Education, 2024, 2025). The Ohio House of Science and Engineering (OHSE) is pleased to report that two of our COF scholars at Ohio State presented their work-based learning experiences during Showcase poster presentation session.
This event was another amazing display of the great things happening not only with the Choose Ohio First programs at the participating institutions, but at Ohio State. Chancellor Mike Duffey and Kristi Clouse, Sr. Director of Talent at JobsOhio, highlighted the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines and the exciting - and ever-growing - STEM employment opportunities in Ohio. The 2025 Showcase was further distinguished by an appearance from Governor DeWine and the unexpected sighting of the DeWines' dog, Dolly. This achievement was highlighted in the Higher Ed Highlights, specifically in Episode 202, which celebrated Ohio's dedication to advancing STEM education. This footage is available for public viewing on YouTube: Higher Ed Highlights: Episode 202 - Showcasing Ohio’s STEM Scholars.
Ohio State and OHSE are very proud of Miguel, Lucas, and Ingrid accomplishments. Click the following boxes to learn more about Miguel's and Lucas' work-based learning experiences.
Miguel is a third-year Choose Ohio First (COF) Excellence Fellowship in Computing (EFC) scholar majoring in Computer Science and Engineering with a minor in Environmental Science at The Ohio State University with a passion for artificial intelligence. He is particularly interested in improving machine vision analysis with deep learning models. In 2024, he worked in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio at the Air Force Research Lab on their Autonomy and Capability Team (ACT3). See Miguel's full biography.
Lucas is a third-year Choose Ohio First (COF) Advancing and Inclusive Biotech Economy in Ohio (IBEO-Engineering) scholar majoring in Chemical Engineering at THE Ohio State University. He is particularly interested in the midstream oil and gas process. This past summer, he traveled back home to Cincinnati, Ohio to work for GE Aerospace as an Engineering, Materials, and Systems intern. See Lucas' full biography.
