黑料网

'Everyone Is Here To Make You Feel At Home'

Graduate student Harsh Mishra shares his thoughts on studying epidemiology, working in research and enjoying 黑料网.聽

Students from India are currently the largest international student population on campus, with about 470 students currently enrolled. Harsh Mishra, is a graduate student in 黑料网鈥檚 College of Education, Health and Human Services. Hirsh is also the president of the Kent Indian Association.

Mishra is currently completing his master鈥檚 program in public health, majoring in epidemiology. He plans to pursue a doctoral degree in epidemiology, to complement his medical degree, with the goal of a career in research. 

'Everyone is here to make you feel at home'

If he were speaking to an international student, and their parents, to encourage them to send their student to 黑料网, Mishra said, 鈥淔irstly, I would say you don鈥檛 have to worry. That鈥檚 the best thing I can say to them. I know, coming here for the first time, my parents did worry. They said, 鈥楬ow will I live?' 'How will I survive?' and everything. But I would say, the campus, the people, everything around and even all the staff and faculty 鈥 everyone is here to make you feel at home.鈥

Public health and epidemiology

鈥淵ou know, back in India, public health is not given that much importance, until COVID,鈥 said Mishra. 鈥淏ut after COVID, the importance of public health has increased a lot. So, after my master鈥檚, I鈥檓 planning to do research in epidemiology, regarding, I would say, some of the most common infectious diseases. I won鈥檛 say I鈥檓 not looking at some chronic ones, but yes, for the infectious ones, because they are the ones which should be a concern right now.鈥

Mishra was happy with the research opportunities he found at 黑料网 and at how quickly he was able to able to begin working with researchers here. 鈥淲hen I came here, I hadn鈥檛 applied for any job beforehand,鈥 he said. 鈥淎fter coming here, I approached all of my professors about research, even graduate assistantship, research assistantship and even as a teaching assistant.鈥

One of his professors sent him some links to investigate about where to seek research opportunities. He followed one of those links, approached a professor, and was working with that professor on research less than a month later. 

鈥楾he best part is the faculty鈥

Mishra says the best part of studying at 黑料网 is the faculty. "They are the best, I would say one of the best I鈥檝e come across. And the second thing I would say is my co-students, who are in my class. They are TOO good,鈥 he said with a laugh. 

He finds the faculty exceptionally helpful and always willing to go the extra mile for students. 鈥淭hey are approachable, any time you want,鈥 said Mishra. 鈥淚t was a Sunday. I e-mailed one of my professors about a question and he replied in a half hour. What more can you expect than someone replying to you on a Sunday?鈥

Help from O.G.E.

黑料网鈥檚 Office of Global Education (O.G.E.) provides support for international students even before they arrive on campus. Mishra said 鈥淭he Office of Global Education helped me in several ways, like clearing all my doubts about how I can live here, my residence and about my program. They even helped me get a campus job. They even gave me good counseling when I was wondering what I might do, because, you know, it鈥檚 a foreign place. Something very different from where I鈥檓 coming.鈥

鈥淥n my first day, they gave me a welcome kit with all the necessary equipment that I would be needing here. They helped me in my immigration process, in filling out my forms about my immigration status and everything. Even after getting my job, they helped me get my Social Security Number and all the documents required to live here and work.鈥

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Students enjoying tastes from around the world at the International Food Cook-Off
The Office of Global Education also has a full schedule of events for international students.  鈥淭hey host event where you can meet new people, you can communicate with them and interact with them,鈥 said Mishra. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 how you make friends.鈥

When asked about any funny stories about his time here at 黑料网, Mishra shared, 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say that it鈥檚 a funny story, but I would like to mention that the day I came here, that day they had the snowstorm here. I heard it was the heaviest snowstorm they had in years. And that continued for a week or two. Trust me, we don鈥檛 get that snow back in India.鈥 

 

POSTED: Thursday, November 17, 2022 11:24 AM
Updated: Friday, December 9, 2022 07:14 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Phil B. Soencksen