Biochemistry and molecular biology major earns Charles J. Ping Student Service Award

Biochemistry and molecular biology major Bella Coenen ’26 entered The College of Wooster with plans to pursue an English major, but her first-year seminar about Amish culture took her down a different path. A physician came to speak to her class about rare genetic diseases found in the Amish community and mentioned that research related to these diseases was being done in the College’s chemistry department.

Coenen was intrigued and quickly connected with the research lab to assist with the study. “For the first time, science did not feel abstract to me,” she said. “It was a tool for helping real people. That realization cemented my academic journey in chemistry and my personal commitment to service.”

Coenen was one of ten students at schools in Ohio to receive the Charles J. Ping Student Service Award, which recognizes undergraduates at Community Campus Coalition partner institutions for outstanding leadership and contributions to community service on their campuses and within their communities. Two of the student winners (including Coenen) received an additional recognition as Legacy Award winners, and a $250 donation will be made in their honor to a nonprofit of their choice. Coenen has designated her donation to go to Dream Catcher Stables, a nonprofit in her hometown of Houston where she has taught horseback riding to children with special needs.

Coenen volunteers Dream Catcher Stables, a nonprofit in her hometown of Houston where she has taught horseback riding to children with special needs.

One of the first service opportunities Coenen explored at the College was volunteering with the Wooster Volunteer Network as a first-year student. She became president of the organization and coordinated campus-wide service events to raise money for local nonprofits. In addition, she interned for three years in the College’s community engagement office where she worked to build and maintain relationships between the College and local non-profits. She also served as service chair and treasurer of her sorority, Pi Kappa.

In her letter nominating Coenen for the award, President Anne McCall stated, “Throughout her undergraduate experience, Bella has demonstrated that service is not an isolated activity but a guiding principle that informs her academic pursuits, leadership roles, and professional aspirations.”

Service also drove Coenen’s Independent Study, which applies modern analytical chemistry tools to improve detection of designer ‘date-rape’ drugs commonly missed by forensic labs. “I hope to empower other women to see chemistry as a practical tool for advocacy and societal change,” she said. Coenen puts these hopes into practice through the mentoring of younger students as a teaching assistant for the chemistry department. “I love to help students find ways to move their knowledge outside the classroom,” she said.

Coenen’s dedication to service extended beyond the campus community. She volunteered at One Eighty, a Wooster domestic violence shelter, where she completed extensive training to serve as an advanced level three volunteer to support survivors.

After graduation, Coenen will pursue a doctorate in analytical chemistry at Vanderbilt University. “I’m proud to begin this journey supported by the values instilled in me at Wooster, knowing that leadership, service, and scholarship are strongest when they work together,” she said. “I entered Wooster unsure of my place in the world and am leaving with a clear purpose and intention to use science as a tool for justice, change, and community impact.”

Featured image: Coenen celebrates turning in her I.S.

Posted in Experiential Learning, Homepage Featured, News on April 17, 2026.