For Keyur Shah, its about learning all that he can in Mechanical Engineering so he can eventually return home and give back to the country by starting his own business. “I’m actually from Dubai. I was raised and brought up in Dubai, but I have an Indian passport. The reason I came to the U-S is to pursue my masters, the facilities over here is kind of better than what we have back home and I am attending Clemson University at South Carolina.
My master’s program is supposed to be around two years, but it depends on my thesis. I’ve taken a thesis option so when its over I will get my master’s degree. So I just plan to do my master’s here and then go back home and apply the knowledge that I’ve gained here and building my country back home.”
Feeling like he is in a foreign country is one thing Keyur says he doesn't feel; in fact he says he feels right at home at Clemson. “It is my first semester at Clemson and I would say it is a really friendly atmosphere from the time I landed in the U-S from immigration to Clemson University here we have a small society of Indian society. They took care of my accommodations and everything and then that was followed by an orientation in college where the professors themselves they just came forward and they made us feel at home and the professors over here are really good. The level of education is extremely good. The courses that I have taken are kind of hard, but then the professor makes it very simple,” he says.
“So far I’m doing very good. I’m at the top ten of the class. There is a program called Host family where the family kind of adopts you for a year or so and they call you over and you can just share your culture and values and everything and there is another program called the Language Partner program where a guy or a girl with American background and culture become more like a friend with you and basically you go out and hang around and have some fun,” he says. “So far I would say like I don’t feel like I am in a foreign country. Everyone here is very friendly and you just ask for help and there are maybe fifteen people waiting there for you.”
Already in his first year, Keyur says there have been a few memorable experiences where his professors are concern and outside of his studies. “Well in college the thing I like really much is the professors over here actually look more about your contents they don’t really care how much you score on an exam or something and I am really happy and the memorable experience is I’ve been to Smoky Mountains, The Blue Ridge, Ceasars Palace and the place is beautiful. It’s a nature’s paradise and I’ve done a bit of hiking I’ve seen the waterfalls and everything…it is beautiful. It is a good pastime apart from studies you just go out in nature and enjoy every bit of it,” he says. “It’s been a very pleasant stay so far.”
Keyur says now days it is important to have more than one degree. He says he is very happy with his decision to study in the United States. “Well the thing is that to get through this world a bachelor’s is not enough you need to get multiple degrees a master’s or a double master’s or something and the quality of education in the U-S is very high and in order to sustain now I really needed to get into a good university and get my master’s so I am really lucky and happy that I got into Clemson and hopefully life from here will go on up exponentially that is what I am hopping.
Keyur says he feels he will be able to complete his program and graduate in the next two or three years.
