Tiffin University’s chapter of the American Chemical Society received an Outstanding Award, the top award for the student organization, for their 2025-26 performance rating. This award reflects the hard work, passion and commitment that our ACS students put in throughout the year to host service events, participate in professional development and grow the chapter.
The American Chemical Society is the largest professional organization for scientists, representing more than 200,000 scientists worldwide. This year it is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The nonprofit focuses on fostering a community dedicated to research excellence, advancing scientific education and championing innovation. Due to its size, the ACS is broken down into smaller communities by subdisciplines and geography and within that, student organizations.
Tiffin University’s ACS Student Chapter was reestablished three years ago after a hiatus during the pandemic and is a part of the Toledo Local Section of ACS. The primary focus of the organization is to allow students to start their professional leadership development during college. The TU chapter often organizes fun activities in the community, like hosting high school students on campus to participate in lab work or touring a variety of labs. The chapter also provides a multitude of opportunities for professional development, including mock interviews and attending regional and national meetings where the latest in chemical research is presented.
Tiffin University’s ACS chapter is led by faculty advisors Dr. Joanna Beres and Chris Boehler. Dr. Beres and Dr. Mason Postema also serve on the executive board of the Toledo Local Section of ACS, with Dr. Beres serving as the counselor and Dr. Postema as the local section Secretary.
The Road to Earning an ACS Outstanding Award
Under the guidance of the chapter advisors, the TU ACS chapter members were able to host and participate in five service events throughout the 2025-26 academic year. These service events allow our students to bring science education to our student body and the community through exciting activities, informative sessions and professional development opportunities. These events included:
- Chalk Chemistry Lab – Students participated in a hands-on chemistry activity where they created their own chalk from scratch using scientific materials and chemical reactions. Through the process, students learned about the science behind everyday materials while exploring concepts in chemistry in a fun and interactive environment.
- Chemists Celebrate Earth Day – The student chapter hosted a “get a free succulent” event to highlight Earth Day. University students were invited to pick up a free succulent and decorate their plant as well as get free chemistry and environment-themed stickers.
- Forensic Science DNA Fingerprinting and Bone Identification – A local high school participated in a forensic science activity at TU where students learned how to analyze DNA fingerprints from crime scene evidence and identify bones, gender and age from unknown skeletal remains found in mass graves.
- Information Movie Night – The group held a pizza and movie night where students watched a mock medical school interview to learn best practices.
- Mock Interviews – Students had the opportunity to participate in mock interviews with faculty members and receive immediate feedback to improve their interview skills. Interview sessions were tailored for graduate school, medical school, dental school, internships and workforce opportunities, helping students build confidence and strengthen their professional communication skills.
Beyond planning and hosting these interactive events, the ACS members also participated in a variety of professional development and chapter development events throughout the year. Six students attended the 2026 ACS National Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, with four of those students presenting at the meeting. Chapter members also had the opportunity to tour three laboratories throughout the year, including:
- Charles River Laboratory – Students learned about the history of Charles River Laboratory and their role within drug development and FDA approval. The students were able to tour four different areas: Immunology, Analytical Chemistry, Bioanalytical Chemistry and Formulations.
- Laboratory at the University of Toledo’s Cell and Cancer Biology Graduate Program – A group of students toured the active research laboratories and core facilities at the University of Toledo’s Cell and Cancer Biology Graduate program. Students were also able to meet and network with current Ph.D. students and faculty mentors and attend faculty research presentations and Q&A sessions.
- Tour of Hikma Pharmaceuticals – Students toured the Hikma Pharmaceuticals laboratory facility to learn more about medicine and gain firsthand insight into advancements in healthcare worldwide.
The chapter also met frequently throughout the year with a focus on chapter development, which included planning for these events and trips. Tiffin’s ACS members dedicated their time and energy throughout the year to host these fun, interactive events and prioritize campus and community education and professional development. This dedication led the chapter to receive an Outstanding Award from the American Chemical Society Student Chapter Faculty Decision Panel for their overall performance rating. This is the top award for a student organization through the ACS.
“I am incredibly proud of the work of our ACS student chapter,” said Dr. Joanna Beres, one of the faculty advisors for TU’s ACS chapter. “Our members have created exciting opportunities for the Tiffin and Tiffin University communities to engage with science in fun and meaningful ways. They have also given fellow members valuable opportunities to grow professionally, and their dedication and hard work have been recognized at the national level. I hope this recognition inspires our chapter to continue growing, expanding its impact, and earning even more awards in the future.”
“While the award itself is certainly worthy of recognition, the real story is the work, activities and commitment from faculty and students that made it possible.”
“An Outstanding Award is a major achievement for a student chapter and reflects tremendous engagement and sustained effort,” said Dr. Mark Sabo, Dean of the School of Science, Technology and Health. “While the award itself is certainly worthy of recognition, the real story is the work, activities and commitment from faculty and students that made it possible.”
Building on Success: ACS Kicks Off 2026-27 Academic Year
Following this exciting achievement for the 2025-26 academic year, Tiffin University’s ACS chapter is already making headway in expanding their professional development opportunities for the 2026-27 year. On September 29th, the ACS hosted Dr. Wayne Jones, the Chairman of the Board of the American Chemical Society, in collaboration with the Toledo Local Section and the student chapter at Heidelberg University.
Dr. Jones visited Northwest Ohio on September 28-29, 2026, for a series of events focused on research, professional development and career opportunities in chemistry.
Dr. Jones began his visit in Toledo with a presentation on the importance of curiosity-driven research and the role that curiosity plays in advancing science. Tiffin University students and faculty were among those who attended the event.
The following day, the ACS student chapters at Tiffin University and Heidelberg University joined forces to host Dr. Jones in Tiffin. He participated in a student Q&A at Heidelberg University, where he discussed the importance of preparing for future careers by taking advantage of undergraduate research, leadership opportunities and the professional resources available through ACS.
Dr. Jones also met with the Tiffin University ACS student chapter leadership over lunch, providing an opportunity for students to discuss their future plans and receive personalized career and graduate school advice. Student chapter president, Tammie Shalit, represented Tiffin University exceptionally well and gained valuable insight from Dr. Jones regarding her graduate school aspirations.
“Dr. Jones provided helpful insight when I had the opportunity to have lunch with him,” said Tammie. “He was interested in my curiosity in research and offering advice for my progression in applications for graduate school. This included information regarding helpful tools for learning more about the current research fields and publications, communication with lab groups or schools of interest and the additional materials I can provide to continue to strengthen my application. From his overall discussions, he fueled the importance of promoting curiosity and how groundbreaking simply asking questions has been for the progression of medicine and science. I am grateful for the pieces of information and advice I was able to gain from his discussions and the opportunity to chat one-on-one with him! ACS is an organization that helps fuel passion and curiosity for students across science and more. Dr. Jones’ advice helps fuel our club to continue to provide educational experiences and opportunities for students’ development and growth across their four years at Tiffin.”
At Tiffin University, Dr. Jones participated in a career panel where students and faculty asked questions about the current job market for chemists and the skills and experiences that can help students succeed after graduation. The visit concluded with his presentation, “Navigating Your Career Pathway: Strategy, Resources, and Opportunities for Students and Early Career Scientists.”
Dr. Jones’s visit provided Tiffin University and area students with a unique opportunity to connect with a national leader in chemistry and gain valuable insight into research, graduate education, leadership and career development. The collaboration between Tiffin University and Heidelberg University ACS student chapters also highlighted the value of working together to create meaningful professional experiences for students.
About Dr. Wayne Jones, Chairman of the Board of the American Chemical Society
Wayne E. Jones Jr. has served as a chemistry faculty member, research leader and entrepreneur for more than 35 years, recently retiring from the University of New Hampshire. He earned his B.S. from St. Michael’s College in 1987 and his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1991. Following postdoctoral work at the University of Texas at Austin, he joined the chemistry faculty at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he served in numerous leadership roles for 24 years.
In 2017, Dr. Jones moved to the University of New Hampshire to serve as Dean of Engineering and Physical Sciences, becoming Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 2018. An award-winning researcher and teacher in inorganic and materials chemistry, he has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (2010) and a Member of the National Academy of Inventors (2020). He has published more than 180 research articles, review chapters and patents in the areas of photoinduced electron and energy transfer in macromolecular systems, with more than 7,500 citations. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board Directors for the American Chemical Society and on the Board of Chromananotech, a startup company created based on his patented research.