My name is Christian Meadows. I was raised in a small rural town called Amanda, Ohio. I have two very supportive parents that taught me the value of hard work at an early age. This desire to work hard translated to my work in school. For the first five years of my schooling, I went to a private academy. I switched to a public school at the beginning of my fifth grade year. Throughout middle school and even the beginning of high school, I had a small interest in math and science. I was only worried about getting good grades because I felt that they would reflect my hard work.

It wasn’t until the end of my junior year in high school that I truly found my interest in chemistry and mathematics. I became less concerned about my grades and more focused on learning in these two fields. Fortunately, I had a teacher that took me under his wing and challenged me beyond what was expected in the classroom. Without his influence, I am not sure I would have ever found my desire to be an engineer. He believed in me, and I know without a doubt that he is the reason I am here today. This same teacher allowed me to gain my first few experiences in the STEM field. For two years in a row, I was a participant in the Moody’s Mega Math Challenge. These two projects sparked an interest in the STEM field for me.

Throughout high school, I stayed very involved both in and out of school. I played soccer and football all four years and was a member of national honor society, class council, student council, and several other clubs. However, I never let my involvement interfere with my grades; I ended high school ranked first in my class. Outside of school, I was heavily involved in my church youth group. This was more than just an activity I could put on college applications though. Without my youth group’s influence, I don’t believe I would have the positive outlook on life that I do today. I learned the value of compassion and selflessness.

At first, I chose to study at Ohio State because of its engineering program. I figured that since their program had a great rank it would look great to employers. Also, Everyone I talked to claimed that it was a great college, so why not go there? Although these were not the best reasons for coming to Ohio State, I can say with confidence that I made the right decision. Prior to arriving to campus, I was completely unaware of the countless opportunities this school had to offer me. It truly amazes me; the possibilities for my future are endless and it’s all because I chose Ohio State.