Why did I start ISP?

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I joined the International Scholars Program (ISP) on somewhat of a whim. Initially, I was contacted about the program through an email upon returning from my first trip abroad. I thought the program could be a good way to help me to market my international experience and develop my awareness of economic and social events around the globe. Now as the close my time as an undergrad, I have found that I have gotten all that was promised and more. The growth of my self-confidence, ability to embrace new situations, and the diverse friendships I have gained as a result are the things I have come to most value about my time in ISP. In this final reflection, I will expand on the parts of the program I have most benefited from. Those being the coursework, campus activities, and international experiences.

 

Coursework

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As a mechanical engineering student, I have naturally gained a lot of technical knowledge over the past four years, but I don’t often get the chance to learn about topics outside of my major. That’s why I have found value, personally and professionally, by taking a variety of international coursework that support my other interests. At first, I took the class experiencing music and deepened my appreciation for other musical cultures. Then, I took an engineering sketch book class to work on my art skills to use to better communicate physical ideas. However, the class that has most impacted me the sustainable energy course I took abroad in Iceland. I want to work in the renewable energy field, so it was very valuable to visit a place like Iceland that has already fully integrated its energy system to be purely renewable. That said, the most important takeaway from the program was how many different, and often opposing, perspectives different people can have on the same issue. The power company representatives seemed very optimistic about the future of the industry, as new technology was being developed to improve access to geothermal resources, but some environmentalist and policy advocates were much more cautious. They warned that poor management and policy could potentially ruin the industry, and the entire nation’s economy, if not more careful. These different groups hold opposing agendas but somehow must work together to attempt to work in the best interests of the people. I think that this is a preview of a conversation that will be more prevalent in many other countries in the coming years when I join the industry and has helped give a basis on which to form my own opinion.

 

Campus Activities

 

My secondary academic interest throughout my time in college was economics, so much so that I minored in it. Given this, I have tried to use my campus activities to inform myself economically and politically. As a result, I have attended several lectures on topics ranging from the effects of globalization on developing countries to the elements that allowed Asia to industrialize so rapidly. From these lectures, I have learned the importance of having a breadth of knowledge outside of your specialty. This has allowed me to have more informed conversations amongst my peers and develop a greater understanding of the global economic system and what role I want to play in it.

 

International Experiences

 

My times spent abroad, and domestically, have done a great deal for my confidence, independence, and initiative. As I have already expanded on this in earlier reflections, I will be brief, but it has been one of the most formative of all the experiences I have had in college. My ability to be flexible and open-minded in my approach to new situations has greatly improved and I now find myself craving to travel more often. Therefore, when I start in the industry, I will take every opportunity to incorporate travel as a part of my work and will look to find a position where I can experience a multitude of positions in different locations.

 

Conclusion

 

To conclude, my participation in ISP has been one of the foremost experiences I will remember about my time in my undergraduate studies. Its content has challenged me in many ways that have helped to prepare me for my next step of graduate studies, and I believe it will serve as a great foundation for my professional career as well.