BGSU student embraces University’s unique approach to honing valuable life skills

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Embracing design thinking principles within the Bowling Green State University Life Design program, one student is taking full advantage of the University’s comprehensive opportunities to maximize his experience and marketability ahead of graduation.

BGSU junior Lukas Wise, an applied health science major, is preparing for a career in healthcare administration or epidemiology.

Wise serves as a student ambassador in the College of Health and Human Services and is establishing a student organization called the Integrated Health Research Association to bring like-minded students together to conduct and publish meaningful research.

Additionally, he’ll be an epidemiology intern this fall at the Henry County Health Department in nearby Napoleon, Ohio. He plans to use his biology, health science and information system skills to study patterns of diseases and health conditions.

“BGSU provides a lot of opportunities,” Wise said. “There are endless numbers of programs, clubs, leadership and job opportunities that can provide valuable experience while also bolstering your resume. I think if you’re open-minded and willing to take advantage of what’s being offered, you can set yourself up nicely for the future.”

Unique opportunity

Wise includes in that sentiment the unique opportunity to learn design thinking principles through BGSU 1910: Life Design at BGSU, a first-year seminar that equips students with critical problem-solving skills they can use in college and life.

The one-hour weekly class is just one facet of the Life Design program, which launched in Fall 2020 to transform undergraduate education at BGSU by providing students with extra support in addition to traditional advising and academic resources.

Students are also paired with Life Design coaches, who connect them to helpful resources as they explore, prototype and plan their future.

BGSU is the first university in the country to build a Life Design program of this magnitude available to all undergraduate students.

The program expanded in Spring 2023 with the opening of the Geoffrey H. Radbill Center for College and Life Design and the Michael and Sara Kuhlin Hub for Career Design and Connections. Although Life Design is one comprehensive program, these two centers represent its broad mission to respond to the evolving needs of students as they make their way through college.

Initially, Wise said he didn’t understand why someone like him, confident of his major and path forward, needed to take the Life Design course. As he got deeper into the class, the benefits became clearer. Wise said mapping out his future career goals and ways to achieve them was a beneficial exercise as a freshman.

He’s following similar processes of exploration and prototyping — two integral facets of career design — as he plans for graduation.

“As I narrow my focus to determine the types of jobs I want to pursue after college, I’m once again leaning on the skills I learned in Life Design to evaluate my career goals and determine how I’m going to achieve them,” he said.