Learn About Ryan Kopf
The nerd and Otaku whose ideas, intelligence, and ambition will change the world.
Kopf, originally your average nerd, started making more and more friends in the first few years of college. He gained insights into other people's suffering, and learned that a better world could be created through a single person's dedicated effort. Kopf turned the negative energy he encountered around, into a solemn dedication to making a better world for everyone.
Ryan Kopf is a beacon of hope for geeks and nerds everywhere.
Kopf, a self-described nerd, embraces the stereotype and hopes to transform the meaning of the word.
“Maybe we could redefine it as people who are going to take over the world someday,” he said.
And that is exactly what Ryan Kopf is trying to do.
Don’t believe him? One visit to his self-titled website, ryankopf.com, may change your mind. Kopf, a senior majoring in computer science at the University of Iowa, operates this and several other websites as part of a growing list of unique ventures. Visitors to his site can view his plan to become “World Emperor,” check out his policy platform, donate to his cause, and even enlist as Kopf’s “personal henchmen.”
Kopf, 21, could go on for hours talking about his dreams, plans, and projects. Becoming “World Emperor,” a vague plan he references constantly, may be out of reach. But one thing is certain, Ryan Kopf will change the world.
Ryan has always fought to stand up for others, even since high school.
“He often got blamed for provoking problems because he would not let a bully get the last word,” said Andrea Wilford, a teacher at Muscatine High School and Kopf’s advisor in the History Club.
Kopf, very much a nerd in his own right, was sometimes picked on himself. Kopf’s mother said he would simply brush it off, and he always told his mom that he would handle it.
“I always tried to teach him to never let people bring him down,” she said.
This inspired Kopf to work to make the world a better, kinder place for everyone else. When recalling it, he finds a way to shift the conversation from his past experiences to his desire to change the world. Especially for nerds like him, he says.
Kopf said he had two options. He could get sad about people making fun of his nerdiness, or he could resolve to show those people who was better. He chose the latter.
“If I can make the world a better place,” says Kopf, his voice becoming louder and faster to the point where he nearly runs over the words, “then people will say ‘that nerd from high school did this thing to make the world a better place’.”
Validation at last.
During high school Kopf founded sanctuary in co-creating the History Club.
“The club itself became a haven for nerds,” said Wilford.
Kopf, a self-described nerd, embraces the stereotype and hopes to transform the meaning of the word.
“Maybe we could redefine it as people who are going to take over the world someday,” he said.
And that is exactly what Ryan Kopf is trying to do.
Don’t believe him? One visit to his self-titled website, ryankopf.com, may change your mind. Kopf, a senior majoring in computer science at the University of Iowa, operates this and several other websites as part of a growing list of unique ventures. Visitors to his site can view his plan to become “World Emperor,” check out his policy platform, donate to his cause, and even enlist as Kopf’s “personal henchmen.”
Kopf, 21, could go on for hours talking about his dreams, plans, and projects. Becoming “World Emperor,” a vague plan he references constantly, may be out of reach. But one thing is certain, Ryan Kopf will change the world.
Ryan has always fought to stand up for others, even since high school.
“He often got blamed for provoking problems because he would not let a bully get the last word,” said Andrea Wilford, a teacher at Muscatine High School and Kopf’s advisor in the History Club.
Kopf, very much a nerd in his own right, was sometimes picked on himself. Kopf’s mother said he would simply brush it off, and he always told his mom that he would handle it.
“I always tried to teach him to never let people bring him down,” she said.
This inspired Kopf to work to make the world a better, kinder place for everyone else. When recalling it, he finds a way to shift the conversation from his past experiences to his desire to change the world. Especially for nerds like him, he says.
Kopf said he had two options. He could get sad about people making fun of his nerdiness, or he could resolve to show those people who was better. He chose the latter.
“If I can make the world a better place,” says Kopf, his voice becoming louder and faster to the point where he nearly runs over the words, “then people will say ‘that nerd from high school did this thing to make the world a better place’.”
Validation at last.
During high school Kopf founded sanctuary in co-creating the History Club.
“The club itself became a haven for nerds,” said Wilford.
Ryan organized fundraisers and events that paid for the club members to take a trip to a medieval live theater.
It offered Kopf, who became the club president, and other students a place where they could feel comfortable being themselves. He and his fellow History Club members frequently talked about the importance of looking out for the weak, those in need of looking out for – “nerd and geeks like us,” said Kopf.
One of Kopf’s current goals is to create more havens for nerds and geeks to come together. In July, he created an anime-themed dating website, maiotaku.com. Anime is a Japanese style of animation that has become very popular on the American teen geek-scene.
Today his website boasts over 1,400 registered members. Kopf says playing nerd-matchmaker is important because others like him don’t have the same places to socialize. Making the world a better place for the smart people will probably build a better world for everyone in the end, he says.
According to Kopf, this desire, to bring hope to the disenfranchised, has driven him ever since. Although he admits he relishes the exposure as well. With newfound confidence and leadership experience from the History Club, Kopf embarked on a journey for higher office.
At 18, he launched a campaign for mayor of Muscatine, his hometown. The recent high school graduate hoped he could upset the city’s longtime incumbent and make the town of 23,000 a more youth-friendly community by creating a gaming center and bringing in high-tech jobs.
Despite finishing with just under a quarter of the vote, Kopf says he harbors no regrets and looks back on the campaign as an “awesome experience.” He even drew the attention of a documentary film crew who followed him and other young candidates running for office around the country, although his part was eventually cut.
“I was the super positive candidate. We weren’t mudslinging or fighting. It was my friends and me outside polling places cheering ‘Ryan, Ryan, Ryan’”, he recalled, his eyes lit with excitement and fists pumping in the air.
Kopf’s campaign may have been mostly positive, but there were occasions where he couldn’t help but take a jab at his opponent.
“If Dick O’Brien (his challenger) was here right now, I’d say go ahead and keep your office chair. I’ll be getting a new one when I take your office,” he told the documentary’s crew. A pretty cocky statement for such a heavy underdog.
Kopf’s most recent attempt at elected office came in 2009, the same year he transferred to the University of Iowa from Muscatine Community College. He organized the campus political party “L” and participated in student government presidential election.
Despite not winning at the polls, Kopf became Technology Director and has already slowly started to change the world. Kopf’s electoral defeats have done nothing to curb his energy, and he has not ruled out another run in the future, possibly for even higher office.
“I don’t want to be a politician, I want to be friends with people and have them like me,” he said. "My friends and I can make the world a better place."
- Original Article by K. Paulsen
One of Kopf’s current goals is to create more havens for nerds and geeks to come together. In July, he created an anime-themed dating website, maiotaku.com. Anime is a Japanese style of animation that has become very popular on the American teen geek-scene.
Today his website boasts over 1,400 registered members. Kopf says playing nerd-matchmaker is important because others like him don’t have the same places to socialize. Making the world a better place for the smart people will probably build a better world for everyone in the end, he says.
According to Kopf, this desire, to bring hope to the disenfranchised, has driven him ever since. Although he admits he relishes the exposure as well. With newfound confidence and leadership experience from the History Club, Kopf embarked on a journey for higher office.
At 18, he launched a campaign for mayor of Muscatine, his hometown. The recent high school graduate hoped he could upset the city’s longtime incumbent and make the town of 23,000 a more youth-friendly community by creating a gaming center and bringing in high-tech jobs.
Despite finishing with just under a quarter of the vote, Kopf says he harbors no regrets and looks back on the campaign as an “awesome experience.” He even drew the attention of a documentary film crew who followed him and other young candidates running for office around the country, although his part was eventually cut.
“I was the super positive candidate. We weren’t mudslinging or fighting. It was my friends and me outside polling places cheering ‘Ryan, Ryan, Ryan’”, he recalled, his eyes lit with excitement and fists pumping in the air.
Kopf’s campaign may have been mostly positive, but there were occasions where he couldn’t help but take a jab at his opponent.
“If Dick O’Brien (his challenger) was here right now, I’d say go ahead and keep your office chair. I’ll be getting a new one when I take your office,” he told the documentary’s crew. A pretty cocky statement for such a heavy underdog.
Kopf’s most recent attempt at elected office came in 2009, the same year he transferred to the University of Iowa from Muscatine Community College. He organized the campus political party “L” and participated in student government presidential election.
Despite not winning at the polls, Kopf became Technology Director and has already slowly started to change the world. Kopf’s electoral defeats have done nothing to curb his energy, and he has not ruled out another run in the future, possibly for even higher office.
“I don’t want to be a politician, I want to be friends with people and have them like me,” he said. "My friends and I can make the world a better place."
- Original Article by K. Paulsen