Having graduated from high school during the height of COVID-era precautions, Carmen Rhinehalt didn’t get the chance to celebrate with a traditional graduation ceremony.
She’ll make up for it this weekend, when she walks for the second time at the University of Toledo.
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Rhinehalt, a double major in chemistry, cosmetic science and formulation design, attended UToledo’s spring commencement earlier this year after completing coursework in chemistry. She will walk again on Saturday to mark the end of her studies in cosmetic sciences.
A native of Northeast Ohio, Rhinehalt chose the University of Toledo in large part due to the efforts of a chemistry faculty member to establish a personal connection with her as she narrowed down her choices in an environment of higher education which had been disrupted.
“Because of COVID, I had to choose an online university,” she said. “I had visited Toledo, but I wanted to come back here and to a few other universities to make my final decision. All these tours have been canceled. Toledo was the only school where I Skyped with a professor in the chemistry department. She showed me around the instrumentation lab and told me about all the opportunities I would have as a student at UToledo. That’s why I came here.
As a freshman in fall 2020, Rhinehalt focused exclusively on chemistry. A chance decision to take an introductory cosmetic science course when she was a sophomore opened her eyes to new possibilities and helped her focus on a specific industry.
“I always loved science, but I don’t think I really knew what I wanted to do with my chemistry degree when I started,” she said. “When I discovered the cosmetic science program, that’s when I finally understood. I didn’t want to give up chemistry because I knew I could apply both fields to my future career, so I decided to do both. It probably would have been a lot easier to choose one and I would have graduated in four years, but I have no regrets.”
Rhinehalt thanked two faculty members in particular for their mentorship and help in ensuring the success of both programs: Dr. Gabriella Baki of the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Dr. Michael Young of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Rhinehalt spent two years researching alongside Young, associate professor of chemistry, while Baki, director of the undergraduate program in cosmetic sciences and formulation design and associate professor of pharmacy practice, helped her see the potential of cosmetic science and encouraged her to pursue a double major.
“Double majoring in Chemistry and Cosmetic Sciences has allowed Carmen to deepen her technical knowledge in chemistry and formulation of personal care products, with the advantage of approaching the structure and function of ingredients from a slightly different,” Baki said.
Her dual background in chemistry and cosmetic sciences helped Rhinehalt land a summer internship at Cargill Inc., the largest private company in the United States.
A double major in chemistry, cosmetic science and formulation design, Carmen Rhinehalt attended UToledo’s spring commencement earlier this year after completing work in chemistry. She will walk again on Saturday to mark the end of her studies in cosmetic sciences.
Cargill is well known for its efforts in the food and beverage sector, but the Minneapolis-based company also has a small personal wellness division. As a beauty research and development intern, Rhinehalt was able to do hands-on mascara formulation work while connecting with key executives.
“It was interesting because I got a lot of experience in the industry, but I also learned how businesses work, especially very, very large companies,” she said. “And cosmetics is such a big niche sector at Cargill that even though I worked at a large company, the cosmetics team was small, so I had a lot of unique opportunities. Top executives from Cargill also came to see our internship presentations, which was a very exciting experience.
Rhinehalt said part of what attracted her to the cosmetic science program was the breadth of career opportunities the degree prepared her for. While chemistry focuses on the hard sciences, the cosmetic science program addresses marketing, sales, and industrial regulation in addition to the hands-on formulation work performed by students.
“With a basic knowledge of color theory and an understanding of how to create aesthetically appealing products, she is proficient in overcoming a variety of challenges on the bench,” Baki said. “And the business courses she has taken allow her to communicate technical problems and potential solutions to business units within companies. »
Although Rhinehalt was focused on finding an opportunity to work in ingredient synthesis, she appreciated the additional career opportunities available if she ever chose to move away from the lab.
“Having to decide where to go to college when I couldn’t see them again seemed like one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. And I know now that I did the right thing,” she said. “I was as involved as I could be in a sorority, research, and two majors. I got into the University of Toledo and it gave me a lot of opportunities in return.