Global

Time commitment: 4 years (August 2014 - May 2018)

By attending UMBC, I have had the privilege of connecting with people from all walks of life, each of whom have contributed to my global perspective in one way or another. Most of the GCSP experiences are identifiable by a number of credit hours or a title, but I believe that my experience at UMBC as a whole is the most valuable global experience I could have. UMBC celebrates diversity, which is evident through the vast collection of cultures I encounter daily in my classes and around campus.

At UMBC I have been influenced by friends, professors, classmates, and the surrounding community throughout my time as an undergrad. Two of my most influential professors/mentors are from Mexico. Through my interactions with them, I have participated in various aspects of their culture and learned how they view the engineering and scientific world. My friends and classmates have given me insight into the experiences of the lower, middle, and upper classes, second or third generation immigrants, and people from throughout the U.S. of all ages. These are just some of the many examples from my time at school.  

While traveling around the world is an amazing way to gain global experiences, UMBC has taught me that I do not need to go far to learn about the world from another perspective. It is true that many schools pull students and staff from all over the place, but UMBC does an incredible job celebrating the small differences that make us unique, instead of turning us into cookie-cutter students. At UMBC, there is no such thing as a typical student, which I believe has contributed greatly to my global interaction and perspective.

I have learned that the challenges with which my generation is faced require collaboration between all kinds of people. My time at UMBC has fostered the ability to connect with people from all around the world and work effectively to solve problems. Scientific discovery is not limited to a certain group of people; many of humanity’s greatest accomplishments have been achieved by teams of diverse individuals. This is exactly the kind of experience I have gained by attending UMBC, through class projects, extracurricular activities, and on-campus jobs.

Meeting the Core Learning Objectives

My experience has had an immense impact on my ability to work within a team. Even in the last semester alone, I feel as though my interpersonal skills have improved a great deal. I find I am more patient and more understanding. I have learned to value unique personal experiences that members within a group use to contribute to a common goal and act in accordance with my own ideals. I have been taught how to be flexible and deal with adversity and ambiguity when they arise in order to be persistent in my goals and aspirations. I have learned how to accommodate the perspectives of all those involved and how to incorporate multiple perspectives into the formation of a realistic vision. Without the inclusive environment for which UMBC is known, I do not believe I would be as well equipped to be involved in global conversations and work in global teams. 

Meeting the Global Learning Objectives

Working with diverse teams has been a core part of my academic career. I have worked with a number of groups in various situations and succeeded in each. As an active member of the UMBC community, I have interacted with people from all over the world in my classes, jobs, and service, which played a large role in forming my cultural awareness and ability to act as a global citizen. I do not believe I could have succeeded at UMBC without gaining the ability to be open to difference, including difference of opinion, past experience, and ability. The collaborative nature of my academics has taught me to exhibit consciousness of the connectedness of the world. Assessing the needs of the world and establishing a method to best provide a solution requires the ability to identify cause and effect relationships across cultures. UMBC has given me access to people with first-hand knowledge of these relationships as a source of inspiration. This has also made me more aware of cultural differences in product design and use. I have learned that a solution in the U.S. is not necessarily a solution elsewhere in the world. Many smart solutions have failed elsewhere due to a lack of resources, education, or awareness. With such a diverse culture on campus, I have gained knowledge of some of the barriers faced around the world and can therefore approach issues with a more informed perspective.