With the final weeks of the 2021-2022 school year quickly approaching, many international students are reaching the end of their time at UT Austin. We asked some graduating international students to reflect on their memories and achievements from their time as Longhorns. Here is a selection of their responses.
Vagessha Khanna
Kanpur, India
Psychology
What were some of your most challenging moments at UT?
When I felt homesick, it reflected in many areas of my life. All I needed to do was ask for help, and I had resources available for me. From programs to workshops, I was able to find my community, and engaging in the UT community truly made me feel like I belonged. This helped me do better and go beyond what I imagined myself to do.
What are you most proud of during your time on the Forty Acres?
I’m really proud that I got involved in various peer mentor programs through a class and UTurn. I’ve made a difference in the lives of other students, and it has really fueled my passion for psychology. Opportunities like this gave me a chance to improve while making sure people around me progressed.
What advice do you have for international students who may be considering choosing Texas?
There’s no decision to make: Become a Longhorn! The experiences and the opportunities this campus exposes one to are pretty awesome. Whatever you want to be, UT Austin will support you in being the best at it.
Aleksandar Dimitriev
Skopje, Macedonia
Ph.D., Information, Risk, and Operations Management
What is your major, and why did you choose to study that?
I studied machine learning because working in artificial intelligence is more exciting than anything else for me. But even more importantly, it’s useful to society, and there’s a lot of demand for it.
What were some of your most rewarding moments at UT? Most challenging?
It was incredibly rewarding to see my work published, cited, compared to and engaged with. On the other hand, COVID—which happened in the middle of my Ph.D.—completely changed my last two years. It was not easy keeping up productivity at first.
What advice do you have for international students who may be considering choosing Texas?
Whatever your image of Texas is, Austin is almost nothing like it. This is an incredibly diverse city, rich in culture, full of things to do, excellent variety of cuisines … but you have to love breakfast tacos.
Valeria Colunga
Monterrey, Mexico
International Relations and Global Studies
What were some of your most rewarding moments at UT? Most challenging?
One of my most challenging moments at UT was taking online classes due to COVID-19. Nevertheless, the friendships I made motivated me to continue moving forward. One of my most rewarding moments at UT was celebrating my class ring with my mom, who is a Texas Ex!
What was your experience like, making friends and connecting with your fellow Longhorns? Making friends as an international student might be an overwhelming experience. Getting involved on campus as soon as I arrived was extremely helpful because it allowed me to meet new people based on common interests. I connected with fellow Longhorns by participating in school spirit events and attending sports matches. I knew very little about UT traditions and football at the beginning, but the friends I made taught me about all things UT!
How has your time at UT impacted your career path and personal growth? UT impacted my career path by providing me with resources and opportunities to explore what I could do after graduation. When it comes to my personal growth, UT connected me with mentors and friends who have meaningfully impacted my life for the better.
Quincy Lee
Singapore
Economics
What were some of your most rewarding moments at UT? Most challenging? The most rewarding moments were the memories I made with new friends and mentors along the way. The most challenging was being halfway across the world from my family.
What are you most proud of from your time on the Forty Acres? I was appointed the philanthropy chairman for Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Mu Chapter.
What advice do you have for international students who may be considering choosing Texas? Join student organizations as soon as you can. I think it’s one of the best ways to acclimate quickly to a new environment. Also, you only have four years in college, so make the best of it by embracing new challenges and experiences. Keep an open mind!
Alexandre de Saint Germain
Hong Kong
Master’s, Petroleum Engineering
What was your experience like, making friends and connecting with your fellow Longhorns?
I’ve had two very distinct years at UT. One was entirely online; the other was entirely in person. During the first year, I met maybe four people that I connected with, I went to the campus area no more than five times and spent over 95 percent of that year in my bedroom. In a way, I’m grateful to have known that it enabled me to set my mind to working and focusing on my studies. However, it was hard to make friends and escape from my studies.
The second year was markedly different. Having validated a year, I could afford to take my foot off the gas a little and take better advantage of Austin and this new culture. I moved closer to campus and have been trying to make the most of this freedom. Exploring campus, attending games, wandering the city, etc. I have met many more people and deepened existing connections. It was also amazing to walk around campus and see so much life. Whenever I walked down Speedway last year, there would be at most five people. Now there’s always hundreds of people!
