Payton Hostetler ‘27

For many aspiring filmmakers, the value of a four-year degree is a common debate. It’s a question Payton Hostetler wrestled with until he discovered the community at RMU. “What RMU gave me wasn’t a direction,” the Ohiopyle, PA native says. “It gave me something more valuable: people who believed in me.”

A Cinema and Photography major, Payton has already made an international mark. Under the mentorship of Dr. Steve Mancini, he served as head editor and cinematographer for two award-winning documentaries, Fedeltà and Innocenti. Beyond his technical skill, Payton’s entrepreneurial drive led him to the Rockwell Fellowship in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where he founded his own production company, Ferncliff Media.

Despite initial hesitation about the complexities of business ownership, Payton found the courage to file his LLC in 2025 with the support of his advisors. Today, he balances his studies with real-world projects ranging from branded content to documentary films. “I want to tell stories at the highest level,” says Payton. “I want to build something that matters.”

Kamille Horton ‘27

Kamille Horton’s path to RMU began with a life-changing surprise: a visit from President Michelle Patrick to award her the Presidential Scholarship. For the Greensburg, PA native, that moment sparked a journey of academic excellence and deep campus involvement within the School of Engineering and Science.

A Mechanical Engineering major, Kamille is passionate about bridging the gap between design and manufacturing. Her technical precision earned her a spot on Dr. Ben Campbell’s laser welding research project and, most recently, a competitive internship with Westinghouse. There, she will focus on sustainable energy, a cause she connects with on a personal level.

On campus, Kamille is a leader and mentor, serving as Vice President of Zeta Tau Alpha and Freshman Outreach Chair for the Society of Women Engineers. Whether she is assisting first-year STEM students or designing structural trusses, her focus remains on collaboration. “This university has given me the confidence to try new things and learn from failure,” Kamille says. “I hope to use my background to create sustainable solutions for the problems we face today.”