Author: luikart.28

Career

As of today, I am set on pursuing a career in Mechanical Engineering. As I further my education and start to gain more work related experience, my career options might change. I chose Mechanical Engineering over other fields of engineering because of how broad the topic is. Mechanical Engineering provides me with many disciplines to focus my studies towards as I progress in my college career. The RAISEC code was a little surprising to me. My code was SEI.  1) Social  2) Enterprising  3) Investigative  I learned I have a little more skills in the business side of engineering than I thought. After thinking about my results, they started to make more sense. I have always enjoyed working on team projects and always found myself falling into leadership positions in groups and clubs that I spend a lot of time with. In high school, I was the band vice president for our marching band of 309 members. In my first month of being at OSU I was the new leader for the agriculture committee in Engineers Without Borders. Project management, problem solving, and working with a team have always been favorite tasks in school.

Some of the careers O*Net recommended for my code are patient representative, post secondary teacher, and community health worker. While none of these careers appear to align with my current career plans, there are some similarities. All of these careers, including mechanical engineering, involve working with people to solve problems that help others. Engineering did not show up on in my code’s results. However, I think seeing these other career options have made me think about what I really want out of an engineering degree. Yes, I enjoy math and science. I enjoy problem solving, but I will feel complete in my career if I have a strong social aspect and room to grow. As I dive deeper into my major I will consider looking towards a business or consulting minor or possibly come back to school for my MBA. These test results helped me see that I enjoy the connection between business and engineering more than just the math and science behind how things work. For now, I plan to continue my involvement with Engineers Without Borders. I will also start a search for other clubs that can help me get a taste for the business side of engineering. I have heard about a club called, IRIS, that combines problem solving and consulting that I want to look into more.

Mentor Meeting

I had a conversation with my mentor, Kayla Flick. Kayla is a second year Chemical Engineering major with a bio molecular focus here at Ohio State. I asked Kayla these five questions:

  1. Outside of your room, what is your favorite study spot on campus?
  2. How have you chosen to get involved on campus?
  3. What ENR Scholars opportunities are you glad you participated in?
  4. What do you plan to do with your major after graduation (enter workforce,
    graduate/professional school, travel, etc.)?
  5. What is your dream job and why?

Outside of her room, Kayla’s favorite spot to study is the library in Orton Hall. She also enjoys studying in empty rooms in the RPAC. I have not tried studying in either of these buildings yet. However, Orton Hall is super quiet and I would like to give it a try soon. Kayla is involved on campus with more than just ENR scholars. She is also the grant writing chair for Engineers Without Borders and on a Buckeyethon team. I joined Engineers Without Borders as well. Sometimes I will see Kayla the meetings or events. I have heard of Buckeyethon, but unfortunately did not sign up this year. After hearing more about it, I am very interested in getting involved with Buckeyethon next year. Kayla plans to enter the workforce after graduation. She has a few options. She is interested in doing research and development with tissue engineering or work with sustainable energy sources. Kayla’s dream job is to work for a small company on a secret project like genetic research or development of new materials. I am also considering working with sustainable energy sources! In fact, I am working on the Smart Campus Challenge project right now in attempt to make Ohio State’s campus more sustainable. Kayla’s favorite ENR scholars memory this year was the camping trip. My favorite memory was also the camping trip. One part of the camping trip in particular that stuck out to me was playing Werewolf around the camp fire with a bunch of first and second years after our long hike. Kayla and I were on opposite teams that game and were both trying to convince everyone that we were on the good side.

Having Kayla as a mentor this semester has been awesome! She is another engineering student I can ask questions to and she was very welcoming from the very beginning of the year. In fact, within the first week of being at school, I got the chance to go rock climbing with Kayla and some other mentors. Making the transition to college was much easier with the help of these second year mentors.

About Me

Hello! My name is Evan Luikart. I am a first year undergraduate student pursuing a major in Mechanical Engineering. I am a member of the Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) scholars group on campus. ENR scholars is a living, learning, and service based community that focuses on the environment and sustainable living here at Ohio State. Along with ENR, I am the Agriculture Committee leader for Engineers Without Borders. This student led organization focuses on solving problems for third world countries. Our current project is designing and constructing a community garden and irrigation system for a small town in The Gambia (West Africa). We are working with the community to build a more sustainable source of nutritionally dense foods. We are also providing further education about maintaining the garden and general hygiene practices to help make the town a healthier place to live.

When I’m not in class, I enjoy playing sports, being outside, and cheering on the Cleveland Indians. Some of my favorite outdoor activities are hiking, fishing, camping, kayaking, rock climbing, ultimate frisbee, and baseball. I am also a new member of the club dodgeball team for Ohio State. We compete against other schools around the country. Being involved in these activities allows me to relax between study sessions and meet an incredible amount of new people with different backgrounds.

As a new student, I still have many opportunities ahead of me. I am looking forward to make the most of the experiences and knowledge the next four years at Ohio State will provide.

Year in Review

My first year in college flew by! Every week and every month felt so long in the moment, but looking back on it, where did the time go? I experienced a lot in my first year at Ohio State, more than I could have ever imagined. One thing that specifically impacted me from inside the classroom is when the ENR scholars watched the documentary, “Chasing Coral.” I learned that the oceans are affected by carbon dioxide more than our atmosphere. Carbon dioxide traps heat and ends up affecting the ocean’s temperature and the life that exists under water. I was not aware of how fast coral reefs are bleaching or how little time coral reefs will be on Earth. After watching this film, I have a better understanding of how humans affect life around us and different precautions we can take to minimize our impact. One thing I learned outside the classroom came from a book lent to me by a friend. I am a big Bill Nye fan, so my friend let me borrow the book, “Unstoppable” by Bill Nye. This book also focuses on how humans impact the world and what we can do to provide future generations with the best possible version of what we have today. I learned that methane is another gas that traps heat like carbon dioxide. Methane actually holds 30% more heat than carbon dioxide! One of the biggest sources of methane comes from livestock, often raised for meat and dairy products.

Throughout this year, I have been able to explore many different passions. I learned that I am passionate about the outdoors! I already knew I enjoyed being outside and being active, but this year made me realize I want to pursue a career that can allow me to continue learning and exploring nature. I would like to be able to go into an engineering field that works with renewable energy to combine my passions in math, science, and nature. I have had so many fun memories from this year, it is hard to choose a favorite. My top two favorite moments from first year have to be the backpacking trip with scholars and the Xichigan football game. The ENR backpacking trip through Dolly Sods, West Virginia allowed me to take a few days off during fall break to enjoy outside with my friends and not worry about school. This trip was also my first backpacking experience and I loved it! I grew up going camping and hiking through national parks every single summer. My family didn’t do beach vacations. Backpacking combined my two favorite aspects of my family vacations. The Xichigan football game was also so much fun! The energy in Ohio Stadium during every big play was unmatched. I had so much fun because the stadium was packed and everyone was loud and cheering the entire game. All the best parts of Ohio State football games lasted the entire game. Plus, we won 62-39, not too bad.

Although this year was so much fun and I am sad for it to end, I am very excited for next year too. I am excited to live in a suite with my friends and be able to watch sports with them and hang out in our common space when we have free time. I am also very excited to apply for my major and start taking the Mechanical Engineering classes I have been waiting for instead of just prerequisite courses.

Columbus To-Do List

 

Part I

For my Columbus To-Do List, I have chosen the ice cream and desserts list. I chose this list because desserts are generally cheaper than full meals in the local food favorites section. I also chose ice cream and desserts over the nature and outdoor recreation list because winter is approaching soon! I am looking forward to exploring Columbus and its neighboring communities. Along with that, I am looking forward to finding some local shops to enjoy dairy free desserts! Being lactose intolerant on campus often limits my food options. My goal for this to-do list is to find some local places to take my friends from other schools when they come to visit. I would also like to get more comfortable using the COTA bus system.

One experience I have had so far is visiting Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams for my first time. Jeni’s had a few dairy free options for me to choose from. I ended up getting a single scoop of dark chocolate truffle ice cream. This flavor is made with coconut cream so it is dairy free! While this ice cream was a little expensive, it was arguably the best ice cream I have ever had. The chocolate flavor was so rich and I could not tell this flavor was dairy free at all. I would highly recommend Jeni’s to a friend. The shop has a nice seating area in the back that is quiet. I might try going to Jeni’s in the future for a nice off campus place to study, with a bonus of ice cream for when I’m done.

 

Part II

Another experience I have had this semester is visiting Rocket Fizz Candy Shop. I took the COTA bus line 2 with my friend Ryan to get there. We went right after scholars class! Rocket Fizz was not at all what I expected when I got there. The shop is small, but packed with candy, soda, and posters from floor to ceiling. I enjoyed walking around and looking at all the different candy and soda flavors. There were some crazy soda flavors like bacon and key lime pie. I chose to stick with a slightly more traditional flavor with watermelon soda. To compliment my soda, I picked one of my favorite candies as a kid; Runts. On the way back to campus, Ryan and I opted to walk instead of taking the bus. I had a lot of fun seeing all the local shops and restaurants the Short North area has to offer. I learned that Columbus has a Condado Tacos restaurant on the way back from Rocket Fizz. Condado Tacos is very similar to Barrio back home in Cleveland. I would recommend Rocket Fizz to a friend if you’re looking for something new and different. Rocket Fizz has more candy and soda to offer than I ever would have imagined.

My final experience for my to-do list this semester was taking a visit to Pattycake Bakery. Pattycake Bakery is a pretty small shop compared to Jeni’s ice cream and Rocket Fizz. However, Pattycake Bakery is an all vegan shop! I could choose any dessert in the bakery without having to worry about it containing dairy. With that being said, it was also a little expensive for my taste. However, just like Jeni’s ice cream, the banana walnut muffin I ate was fantastic. I also learned how to use the COTA bus system much better on this trip. I learned that you can text a number at each bus stop to see when the next bus will come. I am confident I can get around Columbus with minimal walking after this trip. On my way home from the bakery, I also learned Columbus has a Goodwill store! Of course, I stopped by to check it out. I ended up finding a cool Ohio State Hawaiian shirt for my brother. I would definitely recommend Pattycake Bakery to a friend. If you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or have a dairy allergy, Pattycake Bakery is the place to be.