Profiles of Graduate Students Studying in the US

The US is a dream destination for many students around the world who seek a graduate degree that will give them a competitive edge. The following are profiles of international graduate students studying in different programs at various locations in the US. Within each profile are unique perspectives on student life and valuable advice on how to achieve success in an international program.

Insights from International Graduate Students

An ideal graduate school

Prashant Das from Ranchi, India is studying for his master's in Land Development at Texas A and M. He received his undergraduate degree in Architecture from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee. He chose the Texas A and M graduate program because it fitted his description of the ideal graduate school, offering: freedom of thought, great professors, flexibility to design a custom curriculum, cost effectiveness, monetary incentives for good performance, brand name, and virtually unlimited research resources.

Prashant serves as president of the International Graduate Student Association and as Marketing Chair of the Real Estate Development Association. He says that graduate school has given him confidence to adopt a global perspective on his core competencies and refine his approach for research. He recommends that any graduate student be analytical about the return on his or her investment, consider how many diverse courses are offered that align with research interests, and evaluate what all the school can do to add value to his or her profile. Read Prashant Das's profile...

A foundation for international business

Vincent (Yu-Chen) Lin from Taiwan attends the University of Southern California in the Master of Laws program. He previously earned Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws degrees National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan and was admitted to the Bar there in 2000. He came to study in the US to learn about its legal system -- in particular telecommunications law and business law.

Vincent has substantial work experience in a variety of fields including legislation, political committees, corporate law, business administration, and he co-founded the first Web-based health content provider in Taiwan. He currently serves as an elected Social Chair representative of his class at USC Law, and plans to work in international business upon graduation. Read Vincent (Yu-Chen) Lin's profile...

From an island to Iowa

Gleidson Gouveia from Florianopolis, Santa Catarina (Brazil) is pursuing his master's degree in English with an emphasis on Literature at the University of Northern Iowa. Santa Catarina is an island with approximately 50 beaches. He chose UNI after visiting the campus with other advisors as part of the US Department of State-Affiliated Educational Advisor program.

Gleidson teaches English as a Second Language, and is a graduate assistant with the Culture and Intensive English Program (CIEP). His undergraduate degree is in both Portuguese and English language and literature; he has studied Spanish and Italian, and plans to study Chinese. He recommends that international graduate students get to know their professors - not just to help with learning, but so that they see that the students care. Read Gleidson Gouveia's profile...

Balancing hard work with fun

Elena Erbiceanu from Romania is getting her PhD in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida. She got her bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the University of Iasi in Romania, and her master's degree at UCF. She is a member of Women in EECS (a club for female Computer Science and Engineering students and faculty members) and the Media Convergence Laboratory at UCF's Institute for Simulation and Training.

Elena has participated in the Spelunking club and attended many events hosted by the Student Government Association and International Service Center including music festivals, ice skating, salsa lessons and football games. She recommends that newly-arrived international students get settled as quickly as possible. Read Elena Erbiceanu's profile...

A spiritual foundation

Oluwole Oladele from Nigeria is completing his second year of study for a Masters in Government at Regent University, a Christian school in Virginia Beach. He chose to study at Regent for the spiritually-supportive atmosphere, and the numerous platforms it provides for world outreach.

When he first arrived at the school, he participated in an event with other international students where he presented a speech to the entire school about his country's history, culture and challenges. The entire audience of students and University employees then prayed for each country represented. Oluwole has been amazed at how accommodating the campus has been to the needs of international students, and the outstanding service given to foreign nationals. Read Oluwole Oladele's profile...

A fellowship for a future

Christopher Cheleuitte-Nieves from Puerto Rico is a degree candidate for a Ph.D. in Rangeland Ecology and Management at Texas A and M. To fund his studies, he applied for and was awarded the Texas A and M Diversity Fellowship, the Hispanic Leaders in Agriculture and the Environment Fellowship, and the role of Sloan Minority Ph.D. Scholar. He plans to be a professor and researcher, and his interest lies in understanding how animals behave, especially when humans influence their survival through land management, and the effects on disease and parasite spread.

Attending conferences to present his research and network has been an important motivator for Christopher's success. He says, "Graduate school is the transition from only receiving knowledge to imparting knowledge using my special abilities and critical thinking. This is definitely not a trivial task, but a rewarding challenge." Read Christopher Cheleuitte-Nieves's profile...

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