Pathway Reflection
I came to United State to become a successful International graduate student especially in civil engineering field. However, road to success is not easy, there are a lot of challenges in the process to be a successful graduate student. In order to accomplish my mission, I join a program called pathway program to help on my progress. In the program, I learned so many things such as adaptation, language skills, and finding a job. In addition, I would like to share my experience related to those issues.
As International student, I have an issue with adaptation. I have to adapt to other international student in campus. Here in pathway program, I learned how to make a new international friends. Friends are very important for international student like me because they can help me to success. I am glad because in George Mason University, there are a lot of organization that can help me to get new friends. They help us international student to find friends by providing a lot of activities in campus. On the other side, classes in pathway program also teach me how to adapt in my new society. From one of my reading “Communication Strategies for International Graduate Student” by Nadine Le Gros, taught me how to survive in United State. To success in United State, I have to learn their culture and adjust myself with Americans.
Language skills is one of big issue for international students. Many international students have some problem with English language proficiency. However, as a master program student, I have to improve my language skills in order to communicate and success in my field. In pathway program, they train me how to improve my English language skills by giving me a lot of interaction program. In my opinion, having many interaction with other people can improve my communication skills. Moreover, Pathway program help me to success in my field by improving my English language skills including my written and oral skills.
Pathway program also help me to find a job in my field. To success in my fiend is not completed without finding a good job in my field. Finding a job is not easy especially in United State. From the program, I learned how to make resume, cv, and cover later. Those documents are really important for me to find a good job, it can increase my chance to get an interview from a company. For example of principles that I learned are CRAP. CRAP mean Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. This principles help me to design a better presentation in my field. Moreover, this principles could make my presentation more professional than other.
For conclusion, from this two semester of pathway program, I learned so much things start from adaptation until finding a job in my field. This program not only help me to survive as international graduate student, but also help me to improve my English skills to finally find a job in my field. Maybe it is too early to called success in my field. However, this pathway program help me on my first step of being international student. First step is like a foundation I build for my next step until I reach my success. Without a good foundation, I can easily fall down before i reach my goal.