Following is a Q&A with one of the 763 students who received a diploma Dec. 15 at UW-Stout
Hometown: Birgunj, Nepal
Major: Master’s in food and nutritional sciences
Awards, honors: Catherine Ott Scholarship, Food Safety Auditing Scholarship, International Student Scholarship, Stout Student Association Leadership Scholarship
Why did you choose UW-Stout? I completed my bachelor’s in food science from Nepal, and I had further interest to pursue my master’s degree in food processing. Having researched many universities, I chose UW-Stout because of its academic program and generous scholarships. Being an international student, managing finances with limited resources and coping with occasional necessary expenses like medical, logistical and other accidental expenditure makes life abroad challenging. But because of UW-Stout’s various scholarships and grants it became easy for me.
What are the biggest obstacles you faced in earning your degree? As a graduate student, working with multiple research projects, brainstorming innovative ideas, managing work and student life were the biggest challenges.
What stands out among your college experiences? Everything that I was involved in at Stout stands out the most. Along with my studies and research projects, I was involved in a student organization that not only helped to build my leadership skills but also made me fortunate enough to be friends with talented and amazing people around campus. Participating in various local events, making new friends and understanding different cultures have been amazing experiences. Lastly, the encouragement and help received from professors of my department as well as a co-op experience in the fresh produce industry stand out. Overall, I have had an amazing experience at Stout.
What’s next? I accepted a job with Cut Fruit Express Inc., Inver Grove Heights, Minn., as a quality assurance specialist. It is the same company where I have been working as an intern for past seven months, and I was fortunate to have been offered a position. I am very excited for this new adventure
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