Global Connections with Tij

Transcript

All right, everyone. Now, we’re heading over to Panther Plaza. A really cool spot here on campus, to meet Tij Vishwakarma. Tij received his undergraduate here in aerospace engineering, and has started his master’s degree in ocean engineering. Tij is gonna speak about the warm, and welcoming culture and community he found here at Florida Tech. Tij has some great stories about how this school has positively affected his life. Tij, you are on, take it away.

Thank you, Alex, for that amazing introduction. You know, students from all over the world, come to Florida Tech. If you ask me, there’s something very special about this place. The very first time I came on campus, was also my very first time in the United States. My parents were nervous. I was nervous too, but you know what? The moment we met the welcoming community of Florida Tech, every worry disappeared.

In the first week itself, I met students from across the globe. Each person I met was friendly, and had a positive attitude. I never expected to meet my friends like Tom, Jess, and Daniel. Tom, is a guy from Scarborough, Maine, who I met during an orientation icebreaker. It just so happened that he loved table tennis as much as I did. And so naturally we bonded. First, we became friends, then we became roommates, and now, we’re like brothers.

Now, let me tell you about Jess. I met her in the Evans Library while I was studying for my Physics 2 exam. I shared my stories about India, and she told me about her life in Greenville, South Carolina. We realized that even though we were worlds apart, we had so much in common. I could not let this opportunity go. So, I asked her out. Now, she’s my long-term girlfriend, and also my closest friend.

In the summer of 2016, in a breather between classes, I sat down next to a guy named Daniel. I asked him where he was from, and he said, Gambia, West Africa. We talked for hours. He told me about African traditions, and I realized how similar they were to the Indian traditions. We shared our love and interest for technology, and now we’re best friends. When we all first met, the only thing we had in common, was Florida Tech. Now, we are all like family.

As an international student, I feel like Florida Tech does everything it can to make me feel like home, from Panther Dining Hall’s International Dinner Series, to the university’s annual International Festival, during which the students, and community organizations come together to celebrate the sights, tastes, and sounds of various world cultures. But what I think really brings me, and people like Jess, Tom, and Daniel together, is the unique community that Florida Tech fosters. Florida Tech is an amazing place to live and learn, and I would not trade my experience for anything else. Back to you, Alex.

Tij, Great job. Thank you for opening up, and getting personal about the culture and community here at Florida Tech. That was special. Cheers, Tij.