New outlook on life

Class of 2013 Success Stories
A story of transformation and personal growth

By Angie S. Amburgey

Travis Lohse, fell in love with Bowling Green State University during his senior year of high school.

Lohse, a senior, College of Business, from Defiance, Ohio, knew that he wanted to attend BGSU, but finding a way to pay for tuition was very difficult. Both of his parents were diagnosed with cancer: his mother with melanoma and his father with liver cancer. With high medical bills Lohse couldn't ask  them to cover the bills. But Lohse applied for and received several scholarships from BGSU, including the Primrose Scholarship from the College of Business. Through a combination of BGSU scholarships, federal loans and grants, he was able to cover the costs of tuition and attend BGSU.

"Getting these scholarships was my first real success as an adult and it created a desire to be more successful," said Lohse. "Finding a way to pay for my college tuition showed me that I was growing up and that I could apply myself and succeed in difficult situations. It sparked a drive to become more connected and involved with my university than I had been back in high school," Lohse said.

This led to him joining the BGSU Falcon Marching Band. Joining the band was a huge time commitment with three hours of practice every day between field marching, learning drills and memorizing music. As a freshman just entering college, this was a challenge for Lohse, but helped him mature tremendously.

"I learned time management and how to prioritize my tasks," Lohse said. As the spring semester rolled around and marching band took a back seat, he decided to become even more involved.

"When I look back on my years at BGSU, I have really evolved..."He joined the professional fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, and became involved with the BGSU Relay for Life Committee, Colleges Against Cancer. This organization meant a lot to him since both of his parents had cancer and several brothers in his fraternity were also affected by cancer. It wasn't long before Lohse took several leadership positions in these organizations. He made some of his best friends in these organizations and believes he became a better person, both professionally and personally. By this time, he was a junior and started looking for internships that would provide real world business experience.

As Lohse was searching for internships through WorkNet and the Career Expo, his father, who had been battling Huntington's disease and liver cancer for several years, passed away.

"This was devastating to me as I had always looked up to my father and his death came very suddenly," said Lohse. "However, I looked at how my dad handled his last days. He was always optimistic about everything, even during the toughest of times. I admired my father and realized that the way he looked at life was unique. I want to model my life after him."

This experience gave him a new outlook on life and a focus on helping others. This led to internships with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and ProMedica Health System.

"When I look back on my years at BGSU, I have really evolved due to the help of the College of Business in getting my scholarships, becoming involved with several student organizations, and finally the internships that have helped me determine my career path," Lohse said. After graduation, he wants to work in the health care industry using his major in business management to work in human resources.

"I want to help others in a company with core values that include giving back to the community," Lohse said.