What’s next for the Class of 2026: Madison Horvath

“What’s next for the Class of 2026” is a series that features Lafayette grads—where they’re headed, and the mentors, resources, and experiences that inspired their future path. Stay tuned for more stories throughout April and May.

By Kelly Huth

(Photo | JaQuan Alston)

Major/minor:

Chemical engineering

Destination/future plans:

After Lafayette, Madison Horvath ’26 will be working for Johnson & Johnson in its GOLD program (Global Operations Leadership Development Program). The rotational program will allow her to experience different areas of the company’s supply chain, starting as an engineer in Memphis, Tenn., before rotating to a new spot.

Involvement on campus: 

Horvath has been involved with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) serving as co-president (2024-26) and secretary (2023-24). Horvath and her fellow SWE members took on the leadership of a badge for Girl Scout Badge Day in 2025, breaking down engineering concepts to help second and third graders earn their Fling Flier badge by designing and building simple flyers. 

Horvath says the event was a favorite moment for her, adding “It’s been really great to work with younger girls, showing them representation of being a woman in engineering and inspiring them.” 

Madison Horvath ’26 works on an engineering badge with a Daisy scout during Girl Scout Badge Day.

Horvath also noted that alongside SWE, she has worked to fully fund 10 members to attend the national conference each year. She stated that these conferences are incredible opportunities for networking, internships, and jobs, and she is proud to have aided SWE members in securing these experiences.

In addition she’s shared her time and talents with Landis Center for Community Engagement’s LafKid Connect (2025), serving as a mentor to Easton Area middle school students. She also participated in Stress Less Club (2022-23) and works as a Writing Associate (2025-26).

She is also involved with Lafayette’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), serving as co-president in 2025-26, co-vice president 2024-25, and sophomore representative in 2023-24. Another highlight for Horvath is helping to coordinate the annual Chemical Engineering Symposium, where Lafayette alumni return to campus to talk about their paths, offer career advice, and current students present research during poster sessions. 

“I always enjoy coordinating that event and seeing the impact it has on our students.”

The experiences that mattered most:

“Something I’m grateful for is being able to travel, which is not something I had the opportunity to do prior to coming to Lafayette,” Horvath says. 

She traveled to Portugal during her sophomore winter interim break while taking INDS: The World Runs on Processes. Horvath says the course was eye-opening, allowing students to examine processes, both technical and nontechnical, in a wide variety of fields—from translating poetry to the manufacturing of sardines. 

Madison Horvath ’26 is shown at right with Maya Maynard ’27 during the 2024 interim trip to Portugal.

Horvath also had the opportunity to present at conferences across the country through AIChE, which helped to hone her presentation and communication skills. 

How Lafayette shaped your future:

Being able to take a role in research at Lafayette her first semester on campus helped Horvath figure out her path. Alongside Ryan Van Horn, associate professor, chemical and biomolecular engineering, Horvath assists with research focused on polymer drug delivery, which aims to find a better way to deliver drugs to targeted sites in the body in a slow release sustained over time.

“I really appreciate that I’m at an undergraduate institution getting to be on a project as a leader, being at the forefront of the work,” Horvath says. “I really appreciated the ownership I’ve had over my research here.”

She stayed on campus the summer after her first year to continue the research, and it has since inspired her honors thesis.

Horvath says she’s also thankful for summer internships and externship experiences she’s connected with at Lafayette. For two summers she interned with Air Products, learning about project management and process engineering. An externship her junior year allowed her to shadow an alum in chemical engineering at Merck. “That was really influential for me because it made me realize I want to pursue a career in pharmaceuticals.”

“I really have Lafayette to thank for those experiences,” Horvath says, noting how Lafayette encourages students to go for those experiences to learn about career paths, and whether you can see yourself in a particular role.

Why Lafayette?

Lafayette’s small class size drew Horvath in. “I wanted to come to Lafayette because I came from a really small high school and having relationships with my peers and teachers was something I really wanted to continue in college.” 

“I didn’t want to just be a number in college. I wanted to know my peers and my professors, and I wanted those connections,” Horvath adds. “Those relationships were really important to me.”

Horvath explains that at Lafayette she got to know everyone in her classes—a dynamic that made her feel more comfortable asking questions, going to office hours, and presenting in class.

She also thinks the liberal arts education, where she could study engineering but also learn effective communication, ethics, and a wide range of other courses, made her experience unique. 

She loved Lafayette so much she convinced her sister to apply to study chemical engineering too.

“My sister is a first-year here, and she’s my best friend,” Horvath says of Makayla Horvath ’29. “Honestly once I committed here she knew she’d be here too. I’ve had so many great mentors here, so for me to be a mentor to her has been really nice.”

The people who inspired you along the way:

Horvath counts Maureen Walz Boehmer, director of special programs for Gateway Career Center, among her influential mentors. Horvath says as her career counselor, Walz Boehmer talked her through her LinkedIn profile development, reviewed her resume, offered interview tips, and gave advice on her job search and career path. 

“Having those consistent conversations has really helped my experience and shaped the trajectory of what I’m hoping to do post-grad.”

She’s also grateful for the support of Prof. Van Horn, her faculty and thesis adviser. 

“He’s been incredibly supportive of me in my time here,” Horvath says. “He’s always been there to listen or to give advice on my career path, and I’m really thankful for his mentorship and support.”

Horvath also shouts out the chemical engineering department as a whole—students and faculty. “Everyone gives really good advice and wants you to succeed.”

Advice for future Leopards:

“Take every opportunity you have. Everything that’s presented to you, say yes. There’s so much that Lafayette has to offer, from doing research to joining clubs, going to conferences, taking random electives, studying abroad, talking to your Gateway adviser…all you have to do is say yes,” Horvath says. “It’s so influential on your college experience and your personal development. Taking these opportunities allows you to continue to become the best version of yourself.”