Ronnie Tront is an accomplished photographer and Ford retiree who returned to college in 2007. After earning an associate degree, she transferred to UM-Dearborn in Fall 2011 to complete her bachelor’s degree.

“My dream job is to be a computer teacher or STEM educator in an elementary school or college setting,” said Ronnie.

Ronnie received the UM-Dearborn Transfer Scholarship and the Margaret Dow Towsley Scholarship from the U-M Center for the Education of Women. She was selected as a December 2014 Chancellor’s Medallion recipient, representing the College of Education, Health, and Human Services.

In her spare time, Ronnie enjoys working as a mentor in the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics program. “Ronnie is heavily involved in FIRST robotics and is always willing to bring her robots to various community events to educate youngsters in engineering,” said Patricia Hartshorn, physical sciences lecturer.

Over the past 15 years, Ronnie has shared her STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) experience with thousands of high school students and their teachers. She also has volunteered with the Michigan Engineering Zone (MEZ) program, where she helped Detroit students acquire the knowledge and tools needed to propel themselves to higher education and careers in STEM through challenging hands-on experiences.

Having received her Bachelor of Arts in education with a focus in integrated science, Ronnie aspires to work in a STEM program in the upper elementary level up to high school in an underserved area. She also plans to continue her education by earning a Master of Arts degree in education technology starting in the fall of 2015.

Ronnie had a striking realization during her first class at UM-Dearborn. “I realized I had a lot of work ahead of me, but also that I would have a journey I would never forget,” she said. “My goal was to earn a teaching degree and I knew that this class was the start to reaching that goal.”