"What I Did This Summer"

Alwyn Aliwarga

Major: Industrial and Systems Engineering

"I interned at Guardian Automotive, a glass manufacturer for vehicles in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. I worked on Final Line Booth Reorganization project, where I utilized Smart Chart methodology being developed in my department to create standard procedure, organize the workplace, and reduce inefficiencies. I worked on the Process Connectivity project, where I connected upstream and downstream processes. I identified three root causes, proposed several concepts to connect the processes and to release inventory, recommended different ways to organize inventory and staging areas, and developed a lean simulation game. I made a big impact to the company and obtained an extremely valuable experience."

Michael Eizyk

Majors: International Relations and Diplomacy, Spanish

"I received a Mershon Center scholarship to live in Jerusalem and take classes at Hebrew University. The courses focused on Israel's foundation and development and theories of conflict management and resolution. These classes not only served as a capstone to my major, but also helped me formulate a topic for my senior thesis. I participated in an intensive Hebrew language program and was able to interact with Israelis from many ethnic backgrounds. My time at Hebrew University gave me the opportunity to make connections with world-renowned professors and helped me combine what I have studied about international relations with my newfound interests in social psychology and conflict resolution."

Donnie Evege

Major: Strategic Communications

"I spent a lot of time conditioning for football, but I also had amazing experiences launching a new student organization and helping with President Gee's summer tour. Because all voices are important and should be heard, a few other football players and I created 'Strike the Mic,' an organization that turns the tables and lets athletes ask interview questions of other students, staff, faculty, alumni, and others. We want to help share the stories and characters that make Ohio State the best...on the field and off."

Chirantan Ekbote

Major: Computer and Information Science

"This summer I participated in a research program at the Center for Brain Science at Harvard University. For 10 weeks I worked on developing programs that could read medical images to recreate the complex neural mappings of the brain. I was one of about 50 students from colleges all across the country working on projects ranging from studying self-assembling nanoparticles to designing robotic bees. I really enjoyed the opportunity to explore a new city, make new friends, and learn about some of the really cool research currently going on that will shape the future we live in."

Rebecca Fredin

Major: Social Work

"I spent nearly three months in rural northern Minnesota where I inherited 220 acres of land. I restored the land as a functional and sustainable tree farm and this summer I pruned trees, wrote a thesis, and involved myself in the local community which includes the Fond-du-Lac Reservation, where I will also be doing my field work. I lived alongside a remote lake in my family’s frontier-style cabin and blogged about my experience."

Lindsey Grant

Major: Nursing

"Volunteering in Guatemala was a great way to get hands-on patient care experience. We worked in a little hospital triaging, treating traumas, and giving immunizations. We learned so much just from becoming friends with the Guatemalans. Their culture is so different from ours in terms of how they treat each other. Everyone smiles and says hello in passing on the streets, they make room for each other on their mopeds if a neighbor needs a ride to work, they let you pay your bar tab a couple days late. Even the seemingly poorest individuals dropped coins in the cups of the ‘less fortunates’ on the streets. In short, they look out for each other like they are all from the same family."

Kelly Hartnett

Major: Industrial Design

"This summer I worked on the Venturi Buckeye Bullet, the world's fastest electric vehicle. A land speed streamliner that races on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the Venturi Buckeye Bullet was designed and built entirely by students. I am one of the few 'non-engineers' on the team, and work on things that are very different from my typical classroom exposure. On a small team such as this, every member wears many hats. My tasks ranged from redesigning the team logo and web site, to packaging and recording data for over 3,500 battery cells. At the end of each summer, we ran our car and broke world speed records. This summer's result: 307.66 MPH, a new FIA world record!"

Kevin Heisler

Major: International Business and Strategy

"I participated in the Global Summer Fellowship program through Fisher Professional Services. I traveled to Hong Kong to work on a business development strategy consulting project for Mast Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of Columbus-based Limited Brands. Working alongside four fellow Fisher students, I had an invaluable project experience. We were all extremely proud of our end result. In my free time I was able to explore the many interesting and beautiful areas in and around Hong Kong, as well as take unforgettable trips to Thailand and Macau. I'm looking forward to returning to Southeast Asia for business or pleasure soon after finishing my MBA at Fisher.

Andrew Kalar

Major: International Business

"This summer I had the chance to study abroad in South America, where it is winter right now. I arrived at the end of July and have been taking classes at Chile's Pontifical Catholic University in downtown Santiago. I am studying Latin American economic development and am witnessing firsthand how Chile has come to be one of the Latin American powerhouse economies. I am putting my Spanish minor to good use on a daily basis conversing with my host family, and have developed many friendships with both Chileans and students from all over the globe."

Ruth Kee

Major: Accounting and Finance

"This summer I visited Ireland, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates before arriving in Bangkok, Thailand--the location of my study abroad term. Traveling so extensively was a great opportunity for me to learn about many different cultures and compare them while they were fresh in my mind. Seeing other cultures before arriving in Bangkok made my transition to living here much easier because I was already partially used to adapting to new customs. I am looking forward to my term here and further travel while living in Bangkok."

Kaitlin Kuvin

Major: Flute Performance and Choral Music Education

"This summer I participated in the nine-week pilot program of the Development Internship for Career Exploration, or the DICE internship. As one of 10 interns working in the Ohio State's Development Office, I gained valuable knowledge about University Development strategies and the importance of philanthropy. I was able to network through weekly classroom sessions, as well as work on my own projects for development's marketing department. I really enjoyed the real-world experience I acquired."

Clayton LeHotan

Major: Operations Management and Logistics

"This summer I interned for Mobile Devices at Motorola Inc. in Illinois. It was really exciting to work at Motorola because they released new versions of the DROID phone this summer and consumer demand was beyond expectations. I worked on projects very relevant to the company and applied my education to a practical, real-world setting. The experience was great: working with interns from other schools, exploring Chicago, observing negotiations with a Japanese part supplier, great managers and mentors, and taking employee development classes contributed to a great summer as an intern!"

Michael Niday

Major: Russian

"Studying in Moscow, Russia, was unbelievable. As a first-time traveler I could not have had a better experience abroad. This experience taught me a lot about the language and culture that I studied every day, but I also learned a lot about myself. Life in Russia taught me invaluable lessons that couldn't be learned in a classroom setting. I am proud to say that I stepped outside of my comfort zone, learned a lot, and met some amazing people along the way."

Jordan Nader

Major: Mechanical Engineering

"This summer I worked on reconstruction efforts in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. I was tasked with adapting designs from a civil engineer and architecture firms in the states to the conditions and materials we had available to us in country. These designs were for schools, clinics, and churches. I worked side by side with a Haitian engineer to ensure that the design was possible given the circumstances. I had to overcome language and cultural barriers in order to effectively communicate with my peers and the men who worked with me. I also explored economic development opportunities in coffee and cocoa.

Christine Sielski

Major: Social Work

"I spent three weeks on the College of Social Work trip to Mexico. Where else could you go and climb to the top of a pyramid, visit a school where a first-grade child takes you by the hand and teaches you a dance, experience what it is like to enter a U.S. embassy housed in a foreign country, or speak to people who have illegally immigrated to the U.S.? Other highlights included visiting a local hospital, a wealthy businessman’s home, an indigenous sweat lodge, palaces, and staying with a rural family. I came away from this trip realizing that although many of the Mexican people are financially poor, they live rich lives."

Elizabeth Ulm

Major: Biology

"This summer I had an internship in the Conservation Department at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo helps fund conservation research projects around the world. Learning about this research really opened my eyes to some of the difficult issues facing endangered and threatened species. The good news is that researchers are working hard to preserve these animals and teaching other people how to keep them safe. I also developed educational materials for high school and college classes to use when they visit the zoo. Hopefully these materials will enhance their trip and allow them to learn even more about the animals they see at the zoo!"

Jue (John) Wang

Major: Master of Labor and Human Resources

"I gained invaluable experience this summer by spending two months working in Hong Kong for one of the best companies in the banking and financial industry (Bank of America/Merrill Lynch). This experience not only allowed me to expand my career path internationally, but also gave me the opportunity to network with high-level members of the management team. Even though I have lived in two Asian countries, this brought me a new understanding of a familiar culture from the perspective of an adult. And the view from the 23rd floor looking down at Hong Kong Island was amazing!"

David Wilson

Major: JD/MBA

"I worked as a summer legal associate with Santos e Furriela Advogados, a business law firm with offices in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and Porto Alegre. The internship offered several opportunities for professional growth. I actively participated in four international business transactions; enabled foreign companies to do business in Brazil and Brazilian companies to do business abroad; personally researched and drafted agreements and contracts; and reviewed documents in preparation for both U.S. and foreign corporate filings. Nearly every week I participated in intimate client meetings and conference calls with C-level executives and partners!"

Emily Wong

Major: Microbiology and Chemistry

" I spent the summer conducting biochemistry research at Ohio State. As part of my program, I also attended the Beckman Symposium in Irvine, California. I got to meet other scholars from all over the country, present my research, and listen to some of the best scientists in the nation present theirs. We covered everything from solar energy pigments to plastic-degrading fungi, and it was incredibly encouraging to hear what my fellow undergraduates are accomplishing nationwide! Thanks to a Pelotonia Undergraduate Research fellowship, I'll be continuing my project on catalytic archaeal RNA into the rest of the school year."

Xiaoxi Zhao

Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering

"During the summer quarter, I helped Professor Furrukh Khan with his completely cool new Electrical Engineering 294 sequence. My job was to edit the introductory videos for the lab and try some lab experiments in order to help Professor Khan design the class better. In addition, I took an individual research class with Professor Betty Lise Anderson and designed a lab for demonstrating beam steering using Fourier cell (modeled by using biconvex lens). It was a good chance to combine what I have learned into practical usage."

Matt Zielke

Major: Operations Management and Logistics

"After a short summer working minimum wage jobs at home, I moved to Thailand to begin school at Thammasat University. I spent the first two weeks here becoming acquainted with the very different culture, discovering the intricacies of a place where no one understood what I was saying, and adapting to a new university. After finding a place to live and some like-minded students, I began to travel between classes. I have now visited Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Ayutthaya, with plans to soon see Ko Tao, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Study abroad. Everyone."