Alex(andra) Karakuc '17 Recruiting Profile

I hadn't really planned to play sports in college.  As I love all sports, I didn't want to have to choose one sport and give up all the others in high school to be good enough for college.  By the time I graduate,I will have earned 4 varsity letters in swim, 4 varsity letters in Soccer, 2 in Basketball, and danced competitively as well.  Oddly, swim was the last sport I learned.  I first began swimming my 9th grade year.  I have not swam on or received any additional swim training outside of the school seasons, so my times are from only swimming 3 high school seasons.  As I have really just started, I feel I still have a lot of untapped potential, and could greatly improve my times.  My biggest focus is on school.  I plan to earn a doctorate in biology, but can now see swimming as part of my future.  I am extremely competitive and like to win.  I work extremely well with others, and see the team as more important than the individual.  I come from an extremely athletic family with many members who played collegiate sports, including both parents, my mom played division 1 volleyball, and my dad division 2 skiing.

I am very interested with the surrounding world, and what it has to offer. I have a thirst and curiosity that drives me to seek out new experiences, gain knowledge, and face challenges. I also enjoy extreme sports including: skiing, snowmobiling, white water kayaking, scuba diving(which I am licensed for), rock climbing, and cave exploration. Some of my hobbies include: horticulture, astronomy, archery, geology/paleontology, jewelry making, pottery, water color painting, reading, camping, fishing/hunting, traveling, creative writing, photography, and dancing. I love to meet new people and learn about them and the other cultures of the world. 

The department of science, I truly adore is biology, but due to my love of the vast array of science since I was a child, I have not yet been able to select a specific area of biology I  want to specialize in.  Although I am confident that my experiences in college will help me to decide this, my overall goal in life is to make a difference in this world. Whether that be helping to find a cure for a disease, restoring an endangered species, or creating and proving a new scientific theory.  At this point in my life I have received a number of awards,  with the most significant being; first place in the 2013 Michigan.org State science fair, second place in the 2013 Flint Regional science fair, the Broadcast Masters award, and the Hurley Hospital Medical Center award.  

As far as leadership and athletics go, I am a member of our National Honors Society and Rho Kappa ( History Honor Society) organizations.  I am a member of our student council and leadership programs.  As part of these organizations, I have been involved in many community services, including; Blessings in a backpack and canned food drives (food for underprivileged elementary students and families within my community),  helping out in the elementary classrooms and pen-pal program, and  assisting in running and coaching elementary and middle school basketball camps.  In addition, I am a "big sister" to a  person who has a traumatic brain injury for over 3 years.  Within athletics, I have been nominated by my school for  the MHSSAA (Michigan athletic student advisory council),  MASH leadership training programs, and the  Sports leadership future coaches camp.  I have also received "athlete of the week" for our tri-county area (in swim).  In addition to swim achievements (which are documented in the key stats area), I have received; the scholar athlete award (5 times), the teamwork award in soccer and swim for 2014,  MVP in swim for 2015, and  Captain of soccer team for 2106.