Each Year in Review

Freshman Year:

This year I learned a lot about myself. Being away from home was hard, especially since I had to leave my dog behind. I formed many friendships that will last a lifetime. I had to learn a lot about myself academically. My first semester I was taking courses that were similar to classes I took in high school so second semester was a big change for me. I had a hard time adapting with the large load of coursework each course had. Overall, this year was hard, being away from family and taking college courses for the first time, but I learned a lot about ymself and grew a lot personally and socially.

 

Sophomore Year:

This past year I have focused on improving my study habits while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. While cramming the night before an exam can seem like a good idea to improve your score, it did not work for me. Periodic lack of sleep really took a toll on me my freshman year so I worked on that throughout my sophomore year. I kept a planner with monthly and weekly calendars to stay ahead of exams, projects and homework. This helped me to make sure I would have time to study leading up to exams. It is hard to study when you still have lots of homework to complete. I also tried not to stay up past a certain point at night so I would always be awake and alert for classes the next morning. I also worked a lot on my study habits, trying many different methods of studying. I found rewriting notes and utilizing note cards helped me prepare for exams best. Overall, I feel I really improved upon my academics my sophomore year and am a better scholar as a result.

G.O.A.L.S.

My G.O.A.L.S

 

  • Global Diversity
    • I would like to take an engineering service course that travels abroad and helps a community solve a problem through working with community members. I have also thought about joining the peace corps after graduation or someday in the future.
  • Original Inquiry
    • I would like to take a course within chemical engineering that promotes individual research with the instruction of a faculty member.
  • Academic Enrichment
    • All my courses are preparing me to be an engineer in the future. I would like to work for a pharmaceutical company after graduation and there are courses I can take at Ohio State to prepare me for that.
  • Leadership Development
    • I am a member of SWE which allows me to interact with other women in engineering and there are many events for professional development. I also am a member of the WOW Program where I volunteer at elementary schools in Columbus. We complete science projects with the kids to improve their knowledge on many subjects covered in their state tests. Through leading these science activities I gain leadership experience.
  • Service Engagement
    • As stated previously, I am a member of the WOW Program where I gain volunteer experience. This allows me to engage with the children in the Columbus community. It has shown me how important it is to me to encourage other young girls to be interested in STEM fields!

 

 

For Humanitarian Engineering Scholars:

On Saturday, October 20th, my HES peer group went to Katalina’s for breakfast. We took a bus down to the Short North and walked the rest of the way. When we arrived, we were shocked to see how crowded the place was; fortunately, the lined moved quick and we were able to find a table. My favorite part about the trip was the tables! They had markers and you could draw directly on the table! I also really enjoyed the pancake balls we all split. They were literally balls made of pancake and filled with Nutella. If I were to go back, I would make sure to go at a time when they are less busy. From this, I learned that I should definitely try out new food places around Columbus. I would definitely recommend this place to a friend! I had a really good time and the food was worth the wait!

 

On Tuesday, November 27th, my roommates and I went to Kafé Kerouac. It was a short walk from Drackett Tower and we stayed for lunch. I ordered a James Joyce coffee and zuchinni walnut bread. The food and coffee were very good but the coffee was very hot and burnt my tongue! My favorite pat about the experience was spending some quality time with my roommates in a setting other than our room. My least favorite part of the experience was the walk there—it was so cold outside. I learned that there are places off campus to get cheap coffee (compared to Starbucks) and study. The cafe had light chatter and was very homey. My roommates and I talked about definitely coming back to study sometime! I would also recommend this place to a friend who loves coffee. Overall, my experience at Kafé Kerouac was great and I’ll definitely be coming back for more coffee!

Career

My resume is linked below. This is as of May 2020.

Katie Jenkins’ Resume

 

Reflection:

Last summer and this school year I have had an internship at a Engineering Consulting Company. I have gained a lot of experience working here and it has helped me narrow down fields I would like to look into in engineering. I am still deciding what I would like to do after graduation but any experience is still great and I have enjoyed working here. I have gained experience through working in the lab, following procuedures, recording information/data, using computer applications, and technical information.

 

Strengths Quest:

After taking the Clifton Strengths test, I learned that my top 5 themes are achiever, analytical, learner, restorative, and woo. An achiever is someone who perseveres until they have gained the knowledge and skills needed to attain a goal. When studying and learning new subjects I cannot go without not knowing pieces of information. I work until I understand everything within the subject. My second strength is being analytical. Since I enjoy known facts, numbers and trends are my go-to for learning. I periodically follow an established procedure to get certain things done and create plans. As a learner, I am eager to be knowledge, whether that is about people, data, or discussions. I often as people questions to gain more insight on their interests and goals. Restorative people are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it. I always think about what I could be doing in the upcoming future. I keep a planner and make sure I am organized and work to figure out how I can save myself more time. The woo theme involves deriving satisfaction from breaking the ice and making connections with people. In social settings, I get the urge to introduce myself to others.

 

 

Artifacts

Orchestra really shaped and made my high school career. I made some really great friends and was constantly pushed. Orchestra for me was a team and individual activity. I played the viola for my school’s Chamber Orchestra, but also took private lessons and played in solo competitions. A lot of my time spent after school was spent practicing my school music and my solo pieces. I will never forget any of the trips my school orchestra class went on. My sophomore year we went on a trip to Canada and played with in Montreal with an elementary school. The young girl I was stand partners with only spoke French (which made communication difficult since I had only taken Spanish classes). My junior year we competed in the National Orchestra Festival in Pittsburgh, which was very nerve wrecking, but, in the end, very rewarding. My senior year I was Co-President of the orchestra allowing me to gain leadership experience. Through orchestra and playing my viola, I have grown to be who I am today. Playing the viola in an orchestra has taught me the values of commitment, honesty, and hard work.

 

I have wanted to go to Ohio State for a long time because both of my parents went here and I am from Columbus. My mom gave me the lanyard when I committed to Ohio State and now I to use it for my dorm key. This room key is very symbolic of my freshman year of college. I was nervous to move into Drackett because I knew I was going to be living with 3 other girls I did not know. I wasn’t sure how everything would play out.  However, after going through the OWL program with two of my roommates I realized we would all get along great! Now my roommates are some of my greatest friends here at Ohio State and I lived with them all again my second year. This experience has really showed me to put myself out there and be open to new experiences at Ohio State because you never know who you’ll meet or what great experience you will have.

About Me

         My name is Katie Jenkins and I am from Hilliard, Ohio. I am a third year Chemical Engineering student. I am a member of the Humanitarian Engineering Scholars program and a national member of the Society of Women Engineers organization. I engage with the Columbus Community on campus through the WOW Program. 

         I decided to come to Ohio State to obtain my degree and to join the Buckeye family. In high school I discovered my interest in the STEM field and through my time at Ohio State I have come to find Chemical Engineering is right for me. My academic goals are to strive to do my best in each class. I know I cannot hold myself to impossible goals but I can be proud of myself if I believe I honestly worked hard and gave each class my all.