Excelling in academics, research, and music as undergraduate students
Grace Koo and Jack Nomina shined in multiple areas at Miami University
Excelling in academics, research, and music as undergraduate students
Grace Koo and Jack Nomina shined in multiple areas at Miami University
Grace Koo and Jack Nomina both performed in the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra in high school. She played violin, he played oboe.
As Miami University undergraduates, both excelled in academics, research, and music.
This Saturday, they will graduate with bachelor’s degrees. But both Koo and Nomina will remain at Miami as they work toward finishing their combined master’s programs, so more Miami commencements are in their future.
Koo is a Statistics and Business Analytics double major whose research lies in precision medicine and statistical genetics. She earned an Astronaut Scholarship and became the first non-music major to hold the position of concertmaster for the Miami University Symphony Orchestra (MUSO).
“I will be graduating with my undergraduate degree in Data Science and Statistics this May, undergraduate degree in Business Analytics in December 2026, and master’s in Statistics in May 2027 through the combined program,” said Koo, who plans to apply for Ph.D. programs after that.
Nomina, a Mechanical Engineering and Music Performance double major, received a perfect score for his research presentation at the Ohio Space Grant Symposium. The principal oboe of the wind ensemble and MUSO also won the university's concerto competition this year, earning an opportunity to perform a solo piece accompanied by the orchestra in March.
“After graduating with my undergraduate degrees, I will be sticking around at Miami to finish up a combined M.S. in Mechanical Engineering,” said Nomina, who expects to graduate with his master’s next spring. “After that, I plan to apply for a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering to research bio-inspired robotics.”
Grace Koo
Koo, who graduated from Sycamore High School, is a Presidential Fellow and member of the Honors College. She was one of two recipients of the Astronaut Scholarship at Miami for 2025. She called receiving the scholarship “the greatest honor of my academic career” and said she’s in awe of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) — “the people, the mission, and the commitment the organization has to securing the future of STEM.”
Koo said the “financial support has been invaluable, but what sets ASF apart from other scholarships is its mentorship program and alumni network … That kind of access and guidance has been just as meaningful as the scholarship itself.”
Her faculty mentor, Donghyung Lee, is an assistant professor of Statistics.
Koo said, “I’m fascinated by how we can leverage complex statistical models to understand large datasets, ultimately personalize treatments for individuals, and drive more inclusive genetic research and equitable healthcare solutions.”
This summer, she will be interning in the Biostatistics department with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
Koo called leading the Miami University Symphony Orchestra (MUSO) “one of the greatest highlights of my time at Miami.” She remembers conductor Ricardo Averbach pulling her aside before rehearsal her junior year and offering her the role of concertmaster.
“I couldn't answer right away — I was in complete shock. It seemed unheard of for someone outside the Music department to hold that position, and I remain deeply humbled by the trust he and the ensemble placed in me,” she said. “Since stepping into the role, we've had some truly remarkable moments, including performing at the Ohio Music Education Association Conference and, most recently, winning The American Prize, which is an extraordinary achievement.”
How has she successfully balanced academics with music?
“Honestly, music is what keeps me balanced. I've been playing violin since I was 5, and it's always been with me through everything. Being part of MUSO gave me a built-in break from the intensity of STEM coursework and was a way to release stress and do something I love,” Koo said.
“That said, juggling demanding classes, fast-paced research, and a leadership role wasn't easy. I’ve learned that it came down to effective time management and building habits that protected time for the things that are most important to me.”
Koo called her Miami experience surreal, and she’s glad she came to Oxford.
“What set Miami apart for me was its emphasis on undergraduate teaching. I really value my relationships with professors and faculty, and in choosing Miami, I knew I would be getting an education that was centered on that relationship,” she said. “Getting to know my faculty and collaborating with them on research opened doors I never could have anticipated, including internships, scholarships, and lifelong mentors.”
Looking back, Koo sees how much she has grown during these four years.
“I came in as a freshman doubting every decision I made, and I'm leaving with so much more confidence in who I am and how I want to use what I've been given,” she said. “Miami gave me lifelong friends, mentors, and experiences I genuinely couldn't have found anywhere else. I'll miss this campus deeply, but I'm also excited for what's ahead. And I get to enjoy it for one more year!”
Jack Nomina
Nomina, who graduated from Lakota East High School, won an award at the Ohio Space Grant Symposium for his research on haptic technology that could expand the applications of virtual reality to train individuals in healthcare, astronautics, aviation, and other professions.
“Presenting at the Ohio Space Grant Symposium in the last two years has been a highlight of my undergraduate experience,” he said. “Receiving feedback on my research was very educational, and winning the poster competition in my junior year made my hard work feel very worthwhile."
He added, “I strongly recommend that anyone who is able to participate in research takes the chance, it is beyond rewarding. My research has connected me with many professional opportunities as well, such as internships, scholarships, and even an opportunity to work in a lab abroad one summer.”
He described his research advisor, Jeong-Hoi Koo, as “such a positive force in my life; I would not be who I am today without his mentorship.”
Nomina said he was “quite busy” during his undergraduate years. In addition to two majors and doing undergraduate research, he held executive leadership roles in various student organizations.
He was vice president for Miami’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders and vice president for Miami’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, both in 2024. He also has served as vice president of Theta Tau, a professional engineering fraternity.
“I think that managing a busy schedule becomes much easier when you love what you do. I am very fortunate that my two favorite things, engineering and music, are fields that can be studied in university,” he said. “Filling your life with the things you love feels more like fulfillment than busy work.” And, he noted, keeping a calendar up-to-date to manage meetings and tasks is irreplaceable.
This is Nomina’s 10th year playing oboe.
“Music has been an important creative outlet for me growing up, and my favorite part of it has always been performing,” said Nomina, who received a music scholarship.
“The perfectionism of music performance can be a bit tough sometimes, but the environment has forged me into a better person and engineer. I wouldn’t be who I am without music and wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Nomina said he has been very happy with his undergraduate experience at Miami.
“I’ve made so many lifelong friends both in engineering and music (and beyond), picked up some pretty useful skills for my career, and overall become a much more mature person from my experience here,” he said. “I am a bit sentimental about my time in undergrad ending but am excited to move forward into new frontiers.”
Nomina, whose parents are Miami Mergers, said he decided to come to Miami after meeting some of the faculty.
“I really appreciated the undergraduate focus of the engineering department here, with manageable class sizes and every course being professor-taught,” he said, adding that he also appreciated the green spaces, walkability, and general feel of campus.
“Miami quickly shot up into my top few choices, and a generous combination of scholarships sealed the deal,” he said “This school has more than lived up to my expectations.”