13th in a series of stories highlighting the academic, community and personal achievements of University of Toledo student-athletes.

By Steve Easton, Associate Athletic Communications Director

Growing up in Ham Lake, Minn., Raelyn Nyren's father noticed something special about his daughter. He made a suggestion that would make a lasting impact on her.
 
Seeing that his daughter had an affinity for math and science, Delroy Nyren suggested that Raelyn take a robotics course in ninth grade. She agreed, and the decision ended up setting the course of her academic path.
 
"Learning about robotics early in my high school career really piqued my interest," Nyren said. "It was one of those elective courses that you don't need to take, and he suggested it just to see what would happen."

Nyren became intrigued with how technology could be used during the class and later decided to take two engineering courses as a senior at Centennial High School, which gave her a head start on what she would be studying at UToledo.
  "Those courses really did a great job of helping me learn engineering principles at the high school level," Nyren said "That really prepared me for my engineering courses in college. It was really where I found my passion for designing and really applying those engineering basics to everyday problem solving."
 
That preparation has led Nyren to acquiring even more knowledge about the engineering field and resulted in her majoring in both bioengineering and mechanical engineering. It's a decision that she said has been helpful in seeing how everything relates in the world of engineering.
 
"I'm glad I have experienced mechanical engineering, because it has also given me a better understanding of how everything works," said Nyren, who possesses a 3.702 grade-point average. "I do like bioengineering a little better because I really enjoy the human interaction piece of it. I think if I was just solely a bioengineer, I wouldn't have quite as broad of understanding of how this relates to everything that we're doing."
 
Nyren is learning a lot out of the classroom, as well.
 
Her first internship was in the summer of 2019 when she worked in a UToledo biology lab studying sperm infertility and analyzing sperm movement. She performed extensive programming with a high-level German software to see if the symmetrical or asymmetrical movement by the sperm had any correlation with its ability to achieve successful conception.

"I learned a lot about working in the world of academia with Dr. Tomer Avidor-Reese in the biology department," Nyren said. "He was very knowledgeable about everything and really helped me see what it would be like conducting academic research in the engineering field."
 
Last summer, Nyren interned with Medtronics, which is located near her hometown and one of the largest medical device companies in the world. Some of the products it produces include cardiac devices, cranial and spine robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools and patient monitor systems. Nyren worked in the lung health division with the specific focus of helping to make a lung biopsy tool used in a bronchoscopy Bluetooth compatible.
 
"There were a lot of cords and wires from devices that were spinning that can get tangled," Nyren said. "We were really trying to eliminate some of those cables by making that wireless."
 
Nyren will return to Medtronic again this summer, working in the pharmaceutical department as a manufacturing engineer. She believes that this opportunity will provide her a different perspective about the differences between mechanical engineering and bioengineering.
 
Nyren will then return to the Glass City for a fifth and final playing season next spring, an option that was made possible by the NCAA awarding student-athletes an extra year of eligibility due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Her coach, Joe Abraham, is pleased that she will be able to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
 
"Raelyn is a driven person who is going to get the most out of herself and life, and it's great that she can finish both her degrees while playing," Abraham said. "It's impressive how she manages to balance her large class workload, maintain excellent grades and a high level of softball."
 
Nyren said Abraham's support for her and her teammates' academic pursuits is something she greatly appreciates and does not take for granted.
 
"He is very supportive of my dual major and his support of our academics has been phenomenal," said Nyren, who has played 33 games for the Rockets at first base. "I don't think I would have made it this far in my college career without it. His mindset of school always coming first before softball has done wonders for me. Just knowing that I have his support has reduced my stress level and knowing that there are other girls on the team that are taking majors with a similar intensity level to mine really helps too."

Abraham credits UToledo's strong engineering and science departments to helping him attract student-athletes interested in these subjects and creating a culture of support.
 
"The quality of our academic programs makes recruiting a little easier and assures we're going to have a strong squad academically," Abraham said. "We try to emphasize our academics when talking to recruits as well as the opportunity to play a high-level of softball."
 
For Nyren, that was exactly what she was looking for coming out of high school and one that she would not change as she engineers the next step on her career path.
 
Previous Stories
Feb. 24 - Tycen Anderson Draws Inspiration From His Grandmother
March 3 - Thailand Native Thawin Suksathaporn has found a home in Toledo
March 10 -  Freshmen Women's Tennis Players Take Aim at Medical School
March 17 - Lexa Bauer's Passion for Justice Leads Her Toward a Law Career
March 24 - Alexia Moehling on Track to Career as a Dentist
March 31 - Lauren Wegener Takes the Fast Lane
April 8 - Jacob Harris is on Track to Becoming a Coach
April 15 - Lavel Dumont Builds a Unique Friendship Out of Shared Love of Football
April 21 - Botha Brothers Find a Home Far From Home
April 23 - Liz & Meg Beasley Follow Family Footsteps into Nursing
May 5 - AJ Edu's Love for Basketball and Business Pays Off
May 7 - Yaniah Curry Follows Her Passion for the Spanish Language