A blend of effective classwork, graduate-level credits and hands-on internships propelled Woolard toward a Master of Science ahead of schedule

By Branden Ferguson

When Luke Woolard first stepped onto the Bowling Green State University campus, he told his mother, “This is where I want to be.” He knew he had found a second home.

In just three years, Woolard is set to graduate with a degree in systems engineering – and a significant head start on his master’s degree. While his time on campus was shorter than the traditional four-year path, his resume reflects the complete student experience.

“With the help of my academic advisor and the director of engineering, I was able to build a manageable schedule to complete my bachelor’s degree in three years,” Woolard said. “By taking a few summer courses and utilizing graduate credits as an undergraduate, I am graduating early while putting myself a full semester ahead for my master’s.”

Woolard attributes his ability to balance an accelerated degree with a robust social and professional life to the unique and beneficial size of BGSU, calling it the "right size and right place with the right programs."

“BGSU is large enough to offer DI athletics, diverse organizations and hands-on research, but small enough that you aren’t competing with 60,000 students for those spots,” Woolard said. “Because of that, I was able to take advantage of everything.”

A leader on and off the field

Woolard’s full college experience included competing as a Division I student-athlete on the men’s cross-country team. During his tenure, he competed on three Mid-American Conference championship teams and was a two-time Academic All-MAC honoree.

Off the track, his involvement on campus was equally as impressive. Woolard served in the Undergraduate Student Government, the Global Management and Leadership Society and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He even co-founded the BGSU Euchre Club while working two on-campus jobs.

Engineering a career

Inside the classroom, the systems engineering program allowed Woolard to merge technical skills with practical application.

“The curriculum resembles real-life scenarios,” he said. “Having direct access to robotics equipment and labs helped me learn to troubleshoot hands-on. I was able to apply those skills in my first two engineering internships.”

Ben Boutwell '24, Haven Conn '22, Justin Camuso-Stall '14, Nick Polace (student) and Noah Walter (student)

He further applied those skills to two undergraduate research projects through the BGSU Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship program. He worked closely on both projects with MD Sarder, Ph.D., director of the BGSU School of Engineering and a logistics and systems engineering professor. Based on his extensive hands-on experience, Woolard secured back-to-back summer internships at Mettler Toledo, a global company based in Columbus, Ohio.

Woolard also leveraged the University’s Life Design and Career Design offices to bridge the gap between student life and professional ambition. He credits his coaches at the Geoffrey H. Radbill Center for College and Life Design and the Michael and Sara Kuhlin Hub for Career Design and Connections for providing the roadmap that allowed him to move so quickly without losing his footing.

The road ahead

Following graduation this May, Woolard will transition directly into the BGSU master’s program in logistics systems engineering. Thanks to his strategic planning, he is on track to finish the advanced degree by Spring 2027.

This summer, he will begin a graduate-level internship as a systems design engineer at LogistiQ in nearby Port Clinton. Looking further ahead, Woolard aspires to a career in product engineering and management, with long-term plans to obtain a doctorate and return to higher education.

“Becoming a Falcon was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Woolard said. “If given the chance to do it all over again, I would choose BGSU every time.”