By Asma Elmahdi, BYTE
I am a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Benghazi-Libya. I got the chance to participate in the virtual exchange program called, Business & Culture. When I first heard about this program, I was very excited because quarantine was so hard to deal with. I was very happy to apply, and I was over the moon when I got accepted.
Being in this program was an experience that improved my abilities. The subject matter was completely different than my area of study, which was exciting. The course made it possible for different cultures to get together and collaborate. Working on the final project with a diverse team was a great experience – we put together our different ideas, points of view, and knowledge of our respective cultures. I believe something great happened during this course. Every student was able to contribute their ideas and it was magnificent. My favorite lecture was when Professor John Branch’s discussed his suit and where it was made, the way he broke down what goes into making one simple suit and how many companies from different countries are involved. It was marvelous!
I hope this experience will diversify my future job opportunities and help me develop new techniques to keep up with the fast-changing world. Expanding my knowledge and skill base in the program helped me develop into a better version of myself. This program turned out to be the most outstanding and humbling journey. It allowed me to grow professionally and personally, to levels I didn’t even imagine, and make good friends. I look forward to what I will be able to achieve with what I’ve learned.