Within this e portfolio, you will find a few of my experiences that I have had during my time at OSU and see what my goals are for both the present and the future. I hope that my insight into these experiences and my time at OSU give you insight into who I am and who I want to be in the future. I plan to add more experiences that relate with my goals and allow me to grow in a way that will help me in my field.
Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio
Please explore this portfolio to get a glimpse into the activities I have been involved in. Please contact me at klopfstein.4@osu.edu if you have any questions.
Year in Review
First Semester
The biggest change that my first semester at Ohio State University has caused in me was academic. During my time at Batavia High School I was never challenged as much as I have been during these last few months. As I adjusted to these new courses, I quickly found that there was no way that I could accomplish my goals for courses like Chemistry without searching for help. Throughout this semester, I found myself constantly going to resources such as the LRC for help understanding chemistry concepts and to Café Plus for comprehension of the French language. Through these resources, especially the LRC, I developed better understandings of the material. After the first few weeks of the semester, I got a part-job at Union Market which reinforced the importance of time management. I had to learn to balance having a job while also keeping up with my classes which I never had to do while in high school.
Besides academics, the major change that I am still trying to answer is how I want to be involved at such a large school. While I have been at many volunteering events and have been on two scholars recreational teams, I have not found a long term group to commit my time to yet. The size and pure number of organizations has made it hard, as a first-year, to find a group that matches my interests and has constant events through the semester.
G.O.A.L.S.
Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences through interactions with others. For Biological Science Scholars this includes taking course work with science focused on international issues, study abroad, and involvement in cultural organizations or activities that focus issues that are present in many different groups. I am considering adding a minor in an English course that focuses on analyzing literary works to facilitate in creating a greater global awareness.
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. I plan to engage in original inquiry through research opportunities during my Sophomore year.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom. This is the main focus of the university experience as a student is trying to accumulate the necessary knowledge for the future. I plan to accomplish this by succeeding in my class while trying to gain necessary knowledge in extracurricular activtives.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society. Taking leadership opportunities is important because it shows that a student can be a leader in future endeavors. I plan to take leadership positions in BAFC and other organizations that I join next year.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community. Service is important in developing as a student because service is the best way to grasp the true extent of social issues in the society and to begin to understand methods to solving these issues. I plan on finding a service group that does constant work, even if the work is not related to my field, and also trying to find a long-term service opportunity that is related to my career focus.
Career
Click here for my resume.
Current Employment: Student Assistant at the Union Market
- Interacting with customers at the Union Market
- Working with others to run different stations.
Artifacts
Community Commitment
The 2015 Community Commitment event was one of my first experiences on campus at Ohio State University. During the event I was volunteering at the ARK house. The ARK house is a place for people with mental disorders who cannot care for themselves to get the care that they need. During my time at the ARK house, the group I was with did small activities ranging from mulching the garden to painting different parts of the house. I was part of a small group of people who helped paint a cellar door that was in an awkward location of the house. While these jobs were small in their scope, the cumulative effort got many jobs completed for the staff of the house which allowed them to focus on helping the people in the house other then doing these jobs. This event was my first chance to get involved in service at OSU and showed me the importance of small volunteering opportunities. Even if a project is not the largest or most significant, volunteering can help create significant positive change for people. I look forward to continuing to finding other volunteering opportunities during the time I spend at OSU.
Chemistry 2510
This photo demonstrates how I had to prepare for the 2510 final. Throughout 2510, I had to work harder on this class than I ever had in any other class. While the class was difficult, I enjoyed both the people around me that I worked with to gain an understanding in the class. Also, this class showed me what I would have to do in order to succeed in other class that I intended to take. Unlike in other classes, this class pushed me farther than any other class while I enjoyed learning the material.
About Me
My name is Karl Klopfstein. I grew up in Batavia, Ohio and was the valedictorian of Batavia High School. I am majoring in biology with a pre-med focus. My want to major in biology was first fostered during my experience in AP biology. The teacher was one of the best teachers in BHS and I discovered my love for science in that class. Outside of school, I volunteer in many different organizations and have always wanted to find ways to help others. I volunteered for both basketball and volleyball games and had the most service hours in the Batavia chapter of NHS.