The Roy and Marcia Armes Engineering Leadership Institute at the University of Toledo is dedicated to preparing students to become impactful leaders in an increasingly complex and competitive global environment. Established in 2009 through the generous support from Roy and Marcia Armes, ELI reflects a vision for cultivating young people into the leaders of tomorrow.
Roy Armes — a 1975 alumnus from UToledo’s College of Engineering — believes that cultivating leadership skills alongside technical expertise is crucial for long-term success. Through his commitment in giving back to campus, the institute that he and his wife founded has enabled students to expand their potential both personally and professionally. Today, the institute continues to cultivate an intimate community of driven individuals who are committed to grow, collaborate and impact society.
For many students, the journey into ELI begins with a moment of curiosity. Krishna Agrawal, a computer science major and current ELI member, shared his experience with the Juice House Team of what being involved with the institute has meant to him.
Juice House: What motivated you to become a member of ELI and how did you get involved?
Krishna Agrawal: I first learned about ELI during my freshman year when members of the organization gave a presentation in my professional development class. They talked about the personal and professional growth opportunities ELI offers, including leadership workshops like Dale Carnegie Training, domestic and international trips, social events and co-op opportunities. Hearing about all of that immediately caught my attention. It felt like the kind of community I wanted to be part of. After class, I went home and started looking into ELI more. I checked their Instagram page, read about their events, and realized that one of my RAs in Parks Tower, Scottie Burden, was also a member. I remember reaching out to him and asking him so many questions about his experience in ELI. He was very patient and helpful, and our conversation gave me a much clearer picture of what the organization was really about. What stood out to me most was that ELI was a community of driven, positive and leadership minded people. I have always believed that the people you surround yourself with shape your growth, and that belief really motivated me to apply.
The process itself was both exciting and challenging. It started with a written application, followed by a mixer style interview where applicants rotated from table to table and spoke with different ELI members. Since it was my first professional style interview, I remember feeling overwhelmed at first. But I stayed confident, trusted myself, and gave each conversation my best. The final round was with the ELI advisors, including the Dean of Engineering and Geoff Humphrys. In the end, I was selected as one of nine students from a pool of 88 applicants.
Since then, ELI has been one of the most meaningful parts of my college experience. It has helped me grow not just as a leader, but also as a person. Through the workshops, events and relationships I have built, I have learned so much and found a community that genuinely inspires me.
JH: How do you feel you’ve grown as a leader?
KA: Since joining, I’ve really grown as a person and leader. I have learned so much from the people around me, whether through workshops, discussions or simply conversations after meetings. Being surrounded by driven, thoughtful and supportive individuals has pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and think more intentionally about the kind of leader I want to become. The community within ELI is something I truly value, and the friendships and memories I have built there mean a lot to me.
Throughout the semester, ELI stays very active through its four main committees: New Member, Personal, Professional, and Retreat and Banquet. Each committee usually organizes multiple events that focus on different aspects of leadership and growth. The New Member Committee helps with recruitment and outreach, while the Personal and Professional Committees organize events that help us build real life skills outside the classroom. Some examples include yoga nights, guest speaker events on personal finance, presentation nights, HR workshops on interviewing, public speaking sessions and company visits like our trip to Cenovus. These events have helped me grow in areas that are just as important as academics, such as communication, confidence, professionalism and self-awareness.
This semester, I took on a leadership role as the head of the Retreat and Banquet Committee. In this role, I have helped organize the semester retreat and several bonding events for ELI, including a movie night, bowling night and pickleball night. I genuinely believe these kinds of events are important because leadership development does not only happen in formal workshops. It also grows through shared experiences, laughter and meaningful conversations. Life can get super busy, and I love seeing everyone come together and simply enjoy each other’s company. Being able to create those moments has been incredibly rewarding for me.
JH: Tell us about the upcoming trip abroad you will go on with ELI. How has this rare opportunity to go abroad and the investment in your undergraduate experience changed your sense of what is possible for your future?
KA: For our upcoming ELI abroad trip, our cohort is planning to travel to Germany, Switzerland and Italy for about 10 days in the summer of 2027. This will be my first international trip with ELI, and I am genuinely very excited about it. What makes it even more special is that each cohort helps plan the trip together, so it feels like something we are building as a group rather than just attending. That collaborative process itself makes the experience meaningful because it reflects what ELI is really about: leadership, teamwork and shared growth.
The trip is still being planned, so we are still deciding on some of the details, but we know it will include a mix of professional development, personal growth and leisure. We will likely visit companies, attend leadership related workshops and meet professionals who can give us insight into global industries and different workplace cultures. At the same time, we will also get to explore new places, experience different cultures and enjoy the fun side of traveling together. I think that balance is what makes the opportunity so unique.
More than anything, this trip has expanded my sense of what is possible for my future. Before college, opportunities like international travel, global networking or even the idea of an international co-op felt far outside my reach. Through ELI, those possibilities now feel real. I have learned that some ELI alumni have even turned these trips into international co-op opportunities through the companies they visited, and that is something that really inspires me. It has made me think more seriously about pursuing global opportunities, whether that means an international co-op, study abroad experience or simply building a career with a broader perspective.
JH: Why is it personally important for you to see the world now while you’re still a student? What are you hoping to gain from the trip and from your remaining time in ELI?
KA: For me, seeing the world now is personally important because college is a time when growth happens very quickly, both academically and personally. As a student, I am still learning not just from classes, but from new people, new environments and unfamiliar experiences. I know that traveling at this stage of my life will shape how I think, how I understand others and how I see my own future.
As an international student, moving to the United States already pushed me far outside my comfort zone and taught me how much growth comes from unfamiliar spaces, and because of that, I want to keep expanding my perspective while I am still young and open to learning. I do not want my understanding of leadership and success to be limited to one environment. I want to experience different cultures, ways of working and perspectives on life.
One of my biggest inspirations is my brother. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Oxford and has been to around 15 countries through fully funded opportunities from Oxford. He has attended many international conferences, and watching his journey has been very inspiring for me. Seeing how much those experiences have helped him grow motivates me to pursue similar opportunities in my own life.
From this trip, I hope to gain both personal and professional growth. I want to become more open minded, culturally aware and confident, while also broadening my understanding of global industries and future opportunities. From my remaining time in ELI, I hope to keep growing into a more thoughtful leader and make the most of the rare opportunities the organization offers. More than anything, I want to leave ELI knowing that I fully embraced the experiences it gave me and used them to grow as a student, leader and person.
Note: Responses from the interviewee were received by email and have been edited for grammar and clarity.
