This post has moved to my more popular blog, Study Abroad News. Click here to read.
Related Links: Previous Issues of Global Beat, Nazareth College.
Showing posts with label india. Show all posts
Showing posts with label india. Show all posts
Friday, June 6, 2008
Memories of Rajagiri College, Kochi, India
By: Jennifer Kumar
This post has moved to my more popular blog, Study Abroad News. Click here to read.
This post has moved to my more popular blog, Study Abroad News. Click here to read.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Test Taking Trials and Tribulations in India
By: Jennifer Kumar
It was 2001 November. I was supposed to have finished my final exams in May, but due to a college strike that confused exam fee payments, mine was never processed and hence it forced me back to the land of India after a few months absence to take the tests.
Today, in 2008, I found my old diary from the day of my first exam. In reading it, I impressed myself. If I had been given a test of that day itself, down to the littlest detail, I could study my diary and get full marks!
Here goes with the story...
Friday, November 9, 2001.
Today was the first day of my exams. Though the exams started at 9:30, I left the house toward the college at 8:30. I was due to walk from the West side of Tambaram to the East, over the train tracks to Madras Christian College. I was anticipating the route I used to traverse a little over two years ago when I first landed in Tambaram, before moving to Martin's Hall on the Madras Christian College Campus. I also looked forward to stopping along the way to buy a new pen- this would be my lucky pen for all my exams, including the one I was about to write.
Stopping at my favorite Sriram stationary stall, I was shown a wide variety of pens. The guys working at this stall knew me well as this was my favorite 'school supplies' store in the past two years. Because of this, they did not show me the most expensive pens because I was a foreigner, but because they knew these pens were my favorite. The great thing about buying pens at this stall was being able to try before buying. The consumer can get a good feel for how the pen writes. This was important to me, in preparation for one of four three hour long exams. Also, pens are sold singly, no need to buy in 10 piece packages. You can get as many as you need and come back for more as needed. I decided on buying my favorite pen- the cello pen, two in blue (each Rs. 15) and bic pen (rs. 5) in red for highlighting. I also purchased a 'scale,' (Rs. 5) a much needed item for making sure the answers are written in straight lines and highlighted with straight lines underneath.
In entering the room, I was relieved to see two other classmates in the same fate as me. I was not alone. We had a few minutes to catch up on news before the test was to start.
Test taking is an art in itself. I was not given any training in taking tests when I first landed in India. Yes, taking -or as they say- "writing exams" is a lot different than what I was used to in U.S.
Upon sitting down, the testing staff hand out blank pieces of paper. These white sheets of paper are about 10 inches by 14 inches rectangular. Sometimes this paper is also 20 by 14, folded in half. The papers all have one hole punched out of the top left. Then you are handed a tiny piece of string. This string is used to "tie your papers" together at the end of the exam. Generally, a student is given about 3-4 pieces of paper to start out with. If you want more, you can always request it as needed by raising your hand. It is also imperative to use both sides of the paper- no space is left blank- except the left margins.
Since the paper is unlined, it is required for the students to have a scale to place a margin on the left side, about 3/4 to 1 inch is preferred. Scales can also be used to write lines for one sheet to use as a guide underneath other sheets to make sure your writing is in a straight line and the spacing between lines is equal. The scale is also used for 'highlighting' important parts of your answer. Highlighting was not done with highlighters, but with a red pen and a scale, by underlining.
Keeping all this in mind can improve your marks. When I first landed in India, I did not put margins, keep my writing in straight lines or highlight important parts. I know I was docked for that. I was also docked for not having legible handwriting! Even then, I blamed that on e-mail! (Yeah, right!)
It is called 'writing tests' for a reason. Writing is done throughout the three hours. There was a story once of my classmate's sister who did all the right things on her test- margins, line spacing, neat handwriting and highlighting all the right parts. But, there were parts on her test to fill space she wrote about last night's cricket game! Ah, the shame! But leaving blank space or not having about 1 1/2 pages front and back per answer can also diminish your chances of getting 'full marks.' This goes to prove- "Who reads all that anyway!?"
Talking about marks- the test I was about to write would grant me 40 marks at the highest. It is rare if not a Guinness' world (or maybe in India's case, Limca's) record for a student to get 'full marks.' on a test. It was hard to be graded at 50% marks (20 out of 40). First rank or class toppers had the highest marks at 60%, second rank went to those with 50-60%, and third rank went to those with 40-50%. Those falling under that I believed had to repeat the class altogether.
Every test is also broken up into sections. In this test the break-up in points was as follows:
Part 1 - 10 questions - 2 points each - do all - 1 to 2 page(s) per answer - 20 pts.
Part 2 - 6 questions - 10 points each - pick 4 - 3 to 4 pages per answer - 40 pts.
Part 3 - 4 questions - 20 points each - pick 2 - 5 to 6 pages per answer - 40 pts.
100 pts. total
It is not only the test that appears to be 'against' you, but the atmosphere could also appear to be against you if you're not used to it. Tests were given in regular classrooms on the campus with open windows and no air conditioning. Students sat at wooden desks, two per table, on hard wooden chairs. The climate (weather) was very moist, sticky and hot (in the 80s)- normal for that part of the country, providing a very sultry, sticky place to take an exam. Though there were two ceiling fans in the room, it is quite possible they were not in use during this exam. Because of this, you'd frequently see students take their handkerchief from their pocket and wipe their foreheads throughout the exam. As it was also quite common for the power to be cut throughout the day, ceiling fans and tube lights would occasionally turn themselves on and off throughout the day as well.
As the test nears to an abrupt end, five minutes before we are all released, the test moderator informs us to 'tie our papers and write.' This announcement assures all the students papers will be secured together with the string I mentioned earlier. Staplers and paper clips were not used. Failure to tie your paper would definitely dock marks from you as test readers would not collate your sheets- you as the test taker are responsible for that.
When the time is up, the test moderator informs us and we all get up at the same time, hand in our papers and leave the room, collecting our book bags and belongings that set in the corridor in front of the classroom. Yes, all test takers generally leave all together when the test moderator signals time is up- rarely do students leave testing rooms before time is called even if they are done writing- it doesn't look good. I learned that the hard way!
So, this is a day in the life of taking a test back in 2001 in Madras Christian College, India. I wonder how it has or hasn't changed. If you have any feedback leave it in the comments below.
Thank you for reading.
It was 2001 November. I was supposed to have finished my final exams in May, but due to a college strike that confused exam fee payments, mine was never processed and hence it forced me back to the land of India after a few months absence to take the tests.
Today, in 2008, I found my old diary from the day of my first exam. In reading it, I impressed myself. If I had been given a test of that day itself, down to the littlest detail, I could study my diary and get full marks!
Here goes with the story...
Friday, November 9, 2001.
Today was the first day of my exams. Though the exams started at 9:30, I left the house toward the college at 8:30. I was due to walk from the West side of Tambaram to the East, over the train tracks to Madras Christian College. I was anticipating the route I used to traverse a little over two years ago when I first landed in Tambaram, before moving to Martin's Hall on the Madras Christian College Campus. I also looked forward to stopping along the way to buy a new pen- this would be my lucky pen for all my exams, including the one I was about to write.
Stopping at my favorite Sriram stationary stall, I was shown a wide variety of pens. The guys working at this stall knew me well as this was my favorite 'school supplies' store in the past two years. Because of this, they did not show me the most expensive pens because I was a foreigner, but because they knew these pens were my favorite. The great thing about buying pens at this stall was being able to try before buying. The consumer can get a good feel for how the pen writes. This was important to me, in preparation for one of four three hour long exams. Also, pens are sold singly, no need to buy in 10 piece packages. You can get as many as you need and come back for more as needed. I decided on buying my favorite pen- the cello pen, two in blue (each Rs. 15) and bic pen (rs. 5) in red for highlighting. I also purchased a 'scale,' (Rs. 5) a much needed item for making sure the answers are written in straight lines and highlighted with straight lines underneath.
In entering the room, I was relieved to see two other classmates in the same fate as me. I was not alone. We had a few minutes to catch up on news before the test was to start.
Test taking is an art in itself. I was not given any training in taking tests when I first landed in India. Yes, taking -or as they say- "writing exams" is a lot different than what I was used to in U.S.
Upon sitting down, the testing staff hand out blank pieces of paper. These white sheets of paper are about 10 inches by 14 inches rectangular. Sometimes this paper is also 20 by 14, folded in half. The papers all have one hole punched out of the top left. Then you are handed a tiny piece of string. This string is used to "tie your papers" together at the end of the exam. Generally, a student is given about 3-4 pieces of paper to start out with. If you want more, you can always request it as needed by raising your hand. It is also imperative to use both sides of the paper- no space is left blank- except the left margins.
Since the paper is unlined, it is required for the students to have a scale to place a margin on the left side, about 3/4 to 1 inch is preferred. Scales can also be used to write lines for one sheet to use as a guide underneath other sheets to make sure your writing is in a straight line and the spacing between lines is equal. The scale is also used for 'highlighting' important parts of your answer. Highlighting was not done with highlighters, but with a red pen and a scale, by underlining.
Keeping all this in mind can improve your marks. When I first landed in India, I did not put margins, keep my writing in straight lines or highlight important parts. I know I was docked for that. I was also docked for not having legible handwriting! Even then, I blamed that on e-mail! (Yeah, right!)
It is called 'writing tests' for a reason. Writing is done throughout the three hours. There was a story once of my classmate's sister who did all the right things on her test- margins, line spacing, neat handwriting and highlighting all the right parts. But, there were parts on her test to fill space she wrote about last night's cricket game! Ah, the shame! But leaving blank space or not having about 1 1/2 pages front and back per answer can also diminish your chances of getting 'full marks.' This goes to prove- "Who reads all that anyway!?"
Talking about marks- the test I was about to write would grant me 40 marks at the highest. It is rare if not a Guinness' world (or maybe in India's case, Limca's) record for a student to get 'full marks.' on a test. It was hard to be graded at 50% marks (20 out of 40). First rank or class toppers had the highest marks at 60%, second rank went to those with 50-60%, and third rank went to those with 40-50%. Those falling under that I believed had to repeat the class altogether.
Every test is also broken up into sections. In this test the break-up in points was as follows:
Part 1 - 10 questions - 2 points each - do all - 1 to 2 page(s) per answer - 20 pts.
Part 2 - 6 questions - 10 points each - pick 4 - 3 to 4 pages per answer - 40 pts.
Part 3 - 4 questions - 20 points each - pick 2 - 5 to 6 pages per answer - 40 pts.
100 pts. total
It is not only the test that appears to be 'against' you, but the atmosphere could also appear to be against you if you're not used to it. Tests were given in regular classrooms on the campus with open windows and no air conditioning. Students sat at wooden desks, two per table, on hard wooden chairs. The climate (weather) was very moist, sticky and hot (in the 80s)- normal for that part of the country, providing a very sultry, sticky place to take an exam. Though there were two ceiling fans in the room, it is quite possible they were not in use during this exam. Because of this, you'd frequently see students take their handkerchief from their pocket and wipe their foreheads throughout the exam. As it was also quite common for the power to be cut throughout the day, ceiling fans and tube lights would occasionally turn themselves on and off throughout the day as well.
As the test nears to an abrupt end, five minutes before we are all released, the test moderator informs us to 'tie our papers and write.' This announcement assures all the students papers will be secured together with the string I mentioned earlier. Staplers and paper clips were not used. Failure to tie your paper would definitely dock marks from you as test readers would not collate your sheets- you as the test taker are responsible for that.
When the time is up, the test moderator informs us and we all get up at the same time, hand in our papers and leave the room, collecting our book bags and belongings that set in the corridor in front of the classroom. Yes, all test takers generally leave all together when the test moderator signals time is up- rarely do students leave testing rooms before time is called even if they are done writing- it doesn't look good. I learned that the hard way!
So, this is a day in the life of taking a test back in 2001 in Madras Christian College, India. I wonder how it has or hasn't changed. If you have any feedback leave it in the comments below.
Thank you for reading.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Price of Plagiarism
by: Jennifer Kumar
I found out through personal experience that in some places plagiarism does not have a bad reputation, in fact through plagiarising reputation through higher marks is rewarded.
This place was my study abroad location, India. In fact, the way the educational system was set up at the time I was there, I know why this was happening. In fact before going to India, some international students I studied with here in U.S. from India were plagiarising in different capacities, though not as blatant as what I found in India.
Semesters began with students frantic to find one copy of the latest textbook or written materials for the class. Soon as the coveted collection of materials were found, one student would tally up how many people wanted copies - some wanted their own, and sometimes small groups of students would share one copy among them- and run out of the college gate, across the road and to the 'xerox' station. There, the materials would be handed over to the clerk running the shop, he'd take the materials, tally, ask for single or double sided and if it needed to be bound or not, and tell the student when to come back to collect the finished copies. After collecting study materials, the next aspect of plagiarism was the tests and assignments. It was better to write answers on papers exactly as the teacher had said, or exactly as stated in the favorite text of the teacher. I realized quickly it was better to regurgitate word for word to get better marks.
The thing is I don't think people thought of it as plagiarism, though. Educational systems were not set up for individual thought or any open expression. Students were not encouraged to speak up, especially if the opinions differed from the teachers. This was my impression in comparison to my college experience in U.S. I am thinking Indian students accustomed to growing up with that culture may have a different outlook on that.
The one place, however original ideas was encouraged was in our thesis project. Standards for citing other author's works were equitable to what I experienced in U.S. The majority of the project needed to be the student's original creation based on their personally created social interviews, research and analysis of statistics. Citing other articles was required for justification of arguments.
I am inspired to talk about this after reading two recent articles written on this topic- Australian University May Discipline Staff in Plagiarism Scandal, but Not Students and Yale Professor at Peking U. Assails Widespread Plagiarism in China. A few suggestions I have for colleges hosting international students to alleviate these concerns is:
1. Colleges hosting international students must address this in the orientation sessions.
2. Colleges hosting 2+2 or twinnings programs must assure the foreign university they are paired with have similar definitions for plagiarism.
Before I went to India, I did a lot of reading about the collective culture, but no amount of reading could have prepared me for immersing myself behaviorally, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually in this culture. Collective cultures revere collective and consensus thinking - with the leadership in thought generally coming from someone respected in the family, college, or in the field of study. Words from that person are rarely questioned and are taken at face value. It is a shift in many aspects of life for a person to transition between these two cultures. I do not pose these arguments to justify plagiarism, but to demonstrate that college and university staff must be culturally sensitive in addressing these issues and not expect all students studying in Western countries would by default already be subscribing to the same plagiarism rules as the U.S.
Additional Resources: Australian Government Research Snapshot: International Students by Gender Twinnings (2+2) Programs Gain Popularity Between China and Canada
I found out through personal experience that in some places plagiarism does not have a bad reputation, in fact through plagiarising reputation through higher marks is rewarded.
This place was my study abroad location, India. In fact, the way the educational system was set up at the time I was there, I know why this was happening. In fact before going to India, some international students I studied with here in U.S. from India were plagiarising in different capacities, though not as blatant as what I found in India.
Semesters began with students frantic to find one copy of the latest textbook or written materials for the class. Soon as the coveted collection of materials were found, one student would tally up how many people wanted copies - some wanted their own, and sometimes small groups of students would share one copy among them- and run out of the college gate, across the road and to the 'xerox' station. There, the materials would be handed over to the clerk running the shop, he'd take the materials, tally, ask for single or double sided and if it needed to be bound or not, and tell the student when to come back to collect the finished copies. After collecting study materials, the next aspect of plagiarism was the tests and assignments. It was better to write answers on papers exactly as the teacher had said, or exactly as stated in the favorite text of the teacher. I realized quickly it was better to regurgitate word for word to get better marks.
The thing is I don't think people thought of it as plagiarism, though. Educational systems were not set up for individual thought or any open expression. Students were not encouraged to speak up, especially if the opinions differed from the teachers. This was my impression in comparison to my college experience in U.S. I am thinking Indian students accustomed to growing up with that culture may have a different outlook on that.
The one place, however original ideas was encouraged was in our thesis project. Standards for citing other author's works were equitable to what I experienced in U.S. The majority of the project needed to be the student's original creation based on their personally created social interviews, research and analysis of statistics. Citing other articles was required for justification of arguments.
I am inspired to talk about this after reading two recent articles written on this topic- Australian University May Discipline Staff in Plagiarism Scandal, but Not Students and Yale Professor at Peking U. Assails Widespread Plagiarism in China. A few suggestions I have for colleges hosting international students to alleviate these concerns is:
1. Colleges hosting international students must address this in the orientation sessions.
2. Colleges hosting 2+2 or twinnings programs must assure the foreign university they are paired with have similar definitions for plagiarism.
Before I went to India, I did a lot of reading about the collective culture, but no amount of reading could have prepared me for immersing myself behaviorally, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually in this culture. Collective cultures revere collective and consensus thinking - with the leadership in thought generally coming from someone respected in the family, college, or in the field of study. Words from that person are rarely questioned and are taken at face value. It is a shift in many aspects of life for a person to transition between these two cultures. I do not pose these arguments to justify plagiarism, but to demonstrate that college and university staff must be culturally sensitive in addressing these issues and not expect all students studying in Western countries would by default already be subscribing to the same plagiarism rules as the U.S.
Additional Resources: Australian Government Research Snapshot: International Students by Gender Twinnings (2+2) Programs Gain Popularity Between China and Canada
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Economics of Study Abroad - Reflections
by: Jennifer Kumar
Reflecting on the current state of the American Dollar, I posted a link to an article from Worldhum.com titled American Expats in Britain Suffer ‘24/7 Sticker Shock’. Since, I have located another article titled The Dollars and Cents of Studying Abroad. In reading these articles and being aware of the ever increasing market for ‘study abroad’ loans, I wanted to share my thoughts on the economics of studying abroad.
I admit years ago (1997 to be exact) economics was the main reason I went to India as a matriculated student rather than a Minnesota MSID exchange student. It was a very competitive program to enter, but I was accepted. However, had to decline later when the tuition rules changed and I was expected to pay twice the amount I was paying per year at my home college (the new total was over US$20,000). So, I did not attend that program and took a different route to India. Within two years, I became the first matriculated student from America to attend Madras Christian College. I also became the first American to graduate from the college with a M.A. Social Work two years after that.
How did economics factor into all of this? Well, rather than pay U of M $20,000 for a one year program that would not give me a degree, I paid $2,000 for a two year stay in India to achieve a Master’s degree. Within this US$2,000, I paid for my full tuition, room and board (three semesters on campus and one as a paying guest), mess (hostel food), in country travel and miscellaneous expenses. Within this budget I lived very well. The fight tickets to India and back were more costly than my degree and in-country living expenses! When I began working in U.S., I came to find out that I really saved a bundle as my colleagues had spent upward of US$50,000 for their social work master’s degrees here in U.S., and were in major debt.
So, economics played a different role for me than today's study abroad students. Today, the toll of economics is set against the fluctuating dollar, which seems to be loosing purchasing power around the world. This encourages students to choose the countries where the dollar can go father for daily living expenses. This may encourage students and colleges to take new approaches to study abroad. Of the many approaches that exist, I will discuss two:
1. Comparing prices based on total amount spent on tuition and living expenses once in country. Quoted from The Dollars and Cents of Studying Abroad, “For Middlebury College students, for example, a year in Florence costs around $37,000; at Santiago, Chile, it's $27,000.” This, of course, is an extreme example, but none the less quite realistic. I know this kind of comparison haunted me in my study abroad choice between India and Japan in 1997. Of course, India won out – and must I add for many other reasons beside economics!
2. New approaches to study abroad that expel the myth that study abroad is a diversion on the path to getting a degree and that Americans have to pay American tuition even in other countries where those expenses would be less. Twinnings programs allow for the smooth flow of academics so that a degree is the final outcome and saving money is inevitable. For instance, Rajagiri College in Kochi India has Twinnings Programs in various subjects and in various colleges around the world. Economics and the promise of a ‘foreign degree’ for many Indian and non-Indian students alike are the selling points. For more details on this see the Rajagiri Twinnings Brochure for economic breakdown – from the Rupees perspective.
Based on this limited discussion, there are different ways of approaching the economic quandary of studying abroad. It may seem that as the dollar fluctuates, study abroad is out of reach. I challenge this assumption because there are so many avenues to study abroad and with enough research and the right mindset there is a good study abroad fit for your academic, professional, personal and economic goals!
Share you experiences or other study abroad economic considerations below.
Note: The link I have found for MSID India appears to go to Jaipur and not Pune. I could not find the Pune program. If it exists, please send the link to me by leaving it in a comment below.
Related Posts/Sites: One list of India Study Abroad Programs
Reflecting on the current state of the American Dollar, I posted a link to an article from Worldhum.com titled American Expats in Britain Suffer ‘24/7 Sticker Shock’. Since, I have located another article titled The Dollars and Cents of Studying Abroad. In reading these articles and being aware of the ever increasing market for ‘study abroad’ loans, I wanted to share my thoughts on the economics of studying abroad.
I admit years ago (1997 to be exact) economics was the main reason I went to India as a matriculated student rather than a Minnesota MSID exchange student. It was a very competitive program to enter, but I was accepted. However, had to decline later when the tuition rules changed and I was expected to pay twice the amount I was paying per year at my home college (the new total was over US$20,000). So, I did not attend that program and took a different route to India. Within two years, I became the first matriculated student from America to attend Madras Christian College. I also became the first American to graduate from the college with a M.A. Social Work two years after that.
How did economics factor into all of this? Well, rather than pay U of M $20,000 for a one year program that would not give me a degree, I paid $2,000 for a two year stay in India to achieve a Master’s degree. Within this US$2,000, I paid for my full tuition, room and board (three semesters on campus and one as a paying guest), mess (hostel food), in country travel and miscellaneous expenses. Within this budget I lived very well. The fight tickets to India and back were more costly than my degree and in-country living expenses! When I began working in U.S., I came to find out that I really saved a bundle as my colleagues had spent upward of US$50,000 for their social work master’s degrees here in U.S., and were in major debt.
So, economics played a different role for me than today's study abroad students. Today, the toll of economics is set against the fluctuating dollar, which seems to be loosing purchasing power around the world. This encourages students to choose the countries where the dollar can go father for daily living expenses. This may encourage students and colleges to take new approaches to study abroad. Of the many approaches that exist, I will discuss two:
1. Comparing prices based on total amount spent on tuition and living expenses once in country. Quoted from The Dollars and Cents of Studying Abroad, “For Middlebury College students, for example, a year in Florence costs around $37,000; at Santiago, Chile, it's $27,000.” This, of course, is an extreme example, but none the less quite realistic. I know this kind of comparison haunted me in my study abroad choice between India and Japan in 1997. Of course, India won out – and must I add for many other reasons beside economics!
2. New approaches to study abroad that expel the myth that study abroad is a diversion on the path to getting a degree and that Americans have to pay American tuition even in other countries where those expenses would be less. Twinnings programs allow for the smooth flow of academics so that a degree is the final outcome and saving money is inevitable. For instance, Rajagiri College in Kochi India has Twinnings Programs in various subjects and in various colleges around the world. Economics and the promise of a ‘foreign degree’ for many Indian and non-Indian students alike are the selling points. For more details on this see the Rajagiri Twinnings Brochure for economic breakdown – from the Rupees perspective.
Based on this limited discussion, there are different ways of approaching the economic quandary of studying abroad. It may seem that as the dollar fluctuates, study abroad is out of reach. I challenge this assumption because there are so many avenues to study abroad and with enough research and the right mindset there is a good study abroad fit for your academic, professional, personal and economic goals!
Share you experiences or other study abroad economic considerations below.
Note: The link I have found for MSID India appears to go to Jaipur and not Pune. I could not find the Pune program. If it exists, please send the link to me by leaving it in a comment below.
Related Posts/Sites: One list of India Study Abroad Programs
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Insatiable Interest in International Exchange
by: Jennifer Kumar
Bullet Points of My International Education Inspirations
- 11th and 12th grade met and made friends with international students.
- 12th grade I tried to apply for study abroad to Spain.
- Junior and Senior year of College I learned Hindi, Japanese, Asian History.- Junior and Senior year of College I performed Japanese Cultural Dances.
- Senior year of college I worked for the Global Ambassadors international students mentor program.
- 1998 December made my first trip to India, visiting Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Thirupathi and Mumbai.
- 1998-1999 worked for Harvard Institute for International Development as a project accountant for economic development programs in India and African countries.
- 1999 created a dream team of friends and influential people to provide me the opportunity to be the first American to study at Madras Christian College.
- 1999-2001 was the first and only American to attend and graduate from Madras Christian College, India.
- Active participant in Indian cultural clubs from 2001- present.
- Series of cultural competency trainings on Indian culture at Hillside Children Center 2004-2007.
- Organized two conferences on unifying cross cultural issues attended by over 100 people.- Visited Rajagiri College, India, presenting a talk on Utilizing Indian Social Work Degrees in U.S.
- Performed Indian cultural dance, Thiruvathirakali, in Rochester, New York. (see videos below)
- Volunteer at Nazareth College Center for International Education 2007. (I am the graphic designer of the fall 2007 issue.)
To see more of my career accomplishments, visit my career portfolio.
Study Abroad Resources at Amazon
International Education Resources at Amazon
Search India at Amazon
Bullet Points of My International Education Inspirations
- 11th and 12th grade met and made friends with international students.
- 12th grade I tried to apply for study abroad to Spain.
- Junior and Senior year of College I learned Hindi, Japanese, Asian History.- Junior and Senior year of College I performed Japanese Cultural Dances.
- Senior year of college I worked for the Global Ambassadors international students mentor program.
- 1998 December made my first trip to India, visiting Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Thirupathi and Mumbai.
- 1998-1999 worked for Harvard Institute for International Development as a project accountant for economic development programs in India and African countries.
- 1999 created a dream team of friends and influential people to provide me the opportunity to be the first American to study at Madras Christian College.
- 1999-2001 was the first and only American to attend and graduate from Madras Christian College, India.
- Active participant in Indian cultural clubs from 2001- present.
- Series of cultural competency trainings on Indian culture at Hillside Children Center 2004-2007.
- Organized two conferences on unifying cross cultural issues attended by over 100 people.- Visited Rajagiri College, India, presenting a talk on Utilizing Indian Social Work Degrees in U.S.
- Performed Indian cultural dance, Thiruvathirakali, in Rochester, New York. (see videos below)
- Volunteer at Nazareth College Center for International Education 2007. (I am the graphic designer of the fall 2007 issue.)
To see more of my career accomplishments, visit my career portfolio.
Study Abroad Resources at Amazon
International Education Resources at Amazon
Search India at Amazon
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