Student Stories

It’s graduation day. When Paulina Leder ‘23 walks across the stage, four years of late nights studying history, conversations in German, and term papers in French come to a close in a singular handshake from the dean of the College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) and the flash of a graduation photographer’s camera. Leder has joined the ranks of other fearless alumni of one of the top 50 global universities in the world. Her first order of business? One more international exchange with her alma mater.

Maryland Athletics—you know them, you love them, you go to their games. Sporting events are an undeniable part of what it means to be a Terp—alums and current students alike can share in the same core memories of walking to SECU stadium or Xfinity Center, cheering as loud as they can when we score, and donning jerseys with an easy pride that lasts a lifetime. 

Kislay Parashar became involved in student leadership at the University of Maryland as soon as he stepped foot in the U.S., becoming the Student Government Association’s international student representative at the start of his freshman year. Three years and many leadership roles later, he serves as the first international student to become SGA president in UMD history.

Maryland-in-Florence (PHYS), with its careful academic design including visits to physics facilities across Europe, stands as an increasingly successful Education Abroad program founded in collaboration with ISI Florence, a strong institution partner overseas.

Public Health Beyond Borders (PHBB) president Meghna Pandey '24 shares her experiences traveling to India and conducting menstrual outreach—one conversation and comic book at a time.

Using several programs under the Office of International Affairs as stepping stones to engage with her immediate international community, Angie Lee found friends, leadership and growth that characterized her undergraduate student experience. 

Incoming undergraduate students from Pune, India, share their experiences planning a meetup ahead of their arrival to the University of Maryland.

Sophia Wooden ‘24 shares her experiences interning in Paris, France at the Aeffe S.p.A. showroom.

French exchange student, Clémence Pautrat, shares her experience finding community in the U.S. through the University Orchestra.

Xinyu Zhai, coordinator for the Language Partner Program at UMD, shares the value of second language acquisition as it relates to community building on campus.