Who Am I?
My name is Christian Lipa, and I am pleased to have you looking at my Honors Portfolio. I am currently enrolled at the University of Cincinnati working toward my Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Minor degree in Materials Engineering. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and have lived on the East Side of town my entire life. I attended the Summit Country Day School, starting from the age of three. I graduated with honors from Summit in 2013 and plan to graduate from the University of Cincinnati in 2018. I have always enjoyed taking things apart, working with technology, and improving my world so that it works faster and more efficiently. I also have a passion for animals, soccer, running, music, automobiles, engines, strategy-based board and video games, movies, and origami. I was diagnosed with ADD at a young age and have always had a different way of viewing things. I think outside the box and use my past experiences to solve everyday problems. In order to deal with my ADD I became organized and hardworking. I am a hands-on type of person and learn the most in a lab or workshop environment rather than through lectures and reading. Outside of my working environment, I am a fun-loving, strong-willed, and charismatic person. I enjoy spending time playing recreational sports, such as paintball, and hanging out with my small group of friends. I make it a priority to help others and live my life by a simple code: "Treat others the way I want to be treated.” What Are My Goals?
One of my greatest passions that lead me to pursue mechanical engineering is cars. Ever since I was a boy I have loved automobiles. Each year I traveled to Lexington, Ohio with my father to the Mid-Ohio race track to watch the Le Mans and Indy Cars. Watching the performance vehicles buzz around the turns of the track exhilarated me. My favorite part of the races was going into the paddocks to see engineers work on the cars. Seeing the intricate internal structures of the vehicles I had just watched race fascinated me beyond measure. I was the kid who always asked the engineers a billion questions about how the cars work, which parts do what, and why each car is built differently. My love for cars has led me to buy a Mustang and work on it myself, recently installing a Cold Air Intake system. I have three long-term goals. First and foremost, I want to graduate from the University of Cincinnati in the Honors Program. I plan on studying hard, getting plenty of sleep, and making the most out of the resources available at school. I am already getting involved in various leadership positions so that I can have a positive impact on the college community. Secondly, I want to work in the car industry for a company like Tesla Motors, BMW, or Ford or in the aerospace industry for GE Aviation or Boeing. My ultimate goal is to assist in the design and development of modes of transportation that are not only stylish and fun to drive, but are also energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Finally, my final goal is to be a family-orientated man. While I want to be an engineer with a job that I enjoy and that challenges me, I also want to be a husband and father whose priority is his family. My dad is my role model. He defines success in life by the close relationships he has with his family. He has been there for me my entire life, sometimes staying up past midnight to help me with my schoolwork or give me advice about my problems. I can honestly say I would not be where I am today without him. |