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Student Profile: Jennifer Kleinhans Bridges Scholastics and Sports

Sophomore Jennifer Kleinhans leaves for the National University of Singapore (NUS) in January, where she will continue her Biomedical Engineering studies for the spring semester. She is one of just seven UConn students to take advantage of the University's new study abroad exchange with NUS, which commenced in the fall of '06. Jennifer is no stranger to foreign travel. A German citizen by birth, she is among a small group of undergraduate students who hail from overseas. In addition to tackling the challenging Biomedical Engineering curriculum, she is a member of the competitive UConn field hockey team. Her profile appears below:

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Year: Sophomore (3rd Semester), expected graduation date Spring '09

High School: Karl-Friedrich-Gymnasium in Mannheim, Germany

What attracted you to UConn?
"Most importantly, the combination of great undergraduate programs and high-level research, but also a successful field hockey program. My dad is German and I was born and raised in Germany. After high school I decided that I wanted to go to college abroad and the US was my first option. The flexibility that schools in the U.S. offer students when it comes to choosing a major is simply unmatched in Europe."

Impressions: "When I first came to UConn I was not even sure what I wanted to major in, but Kevin McLaughlin, Director of the Engineering Diversity Program, encouraged me to look into engineering. As the year went on I decided to pursue biomedical engineering because of the variety of courses the program offers. I enjoy being around other engineering students and like the friendly atmosphere within the School of Engineering. Students are helpful and there is a sense of community."

What's next?
"I will be studying abroad at the National University of Singapore this upcoming spring…I am not set on a specific profession, but I know that I enjoy laboratory work. This fall was the first semester I took more specialized courses and specifically enjoyed biomechanics, so I will definitely try and learn more about that field."

Beyond academics
"During most of my free time I practice and compete with the UConn field hockey team. The weekend before Thanksgiving we played in the NCAA final four at Wake Forest University, which was fun and very exciting. Coming to UConn from Europe, my teammates have been very helpful and I developed some great friendships."