iSchool International: Studying abroad in Singapore

Thomas Walsh

BSIS student Thomas Walsh discusses his study abroad in Singapore, an experience that has helped him move outside of his comfort zone and prepared him for working abroad in the future.

Why did you decide to study abroad?

I decided to study abroad because I love traveling and wanted to go beyond the scope of my usual experiences.

Where are you currently studying, and how long is your program?

I am currently studying at The National University of Singapore for the Spring 2023 semester.

Tell me about your experience so far.

I chose Singapore because Southeast Asia is an area of the world where I have never been. I thought that being able to spend a whole semester here would be a great way to experience the region for the first time. My semester has been eye-opening—between traveling to extraordinary places throughout Asia, taking regional history courses, and learning about different cultures, I have learned so much. As is only natural for someone who has moved to the other side of the planet, I have had challenges to overcome as well. Having a mindset of facing any difficulties I have and learning from them has certainly helped me a lot this semester. Now, at the end of my time in Singapore, I can say that my experience abroad was more of a personal journey than simply an opportunity to study and travel in a new place.

Would you recommend study abroad to other students, and if so, why?

Everyone will have different goals and experiences when it comes to studying abroad. One thing that students studying abroad will experience is learning about themselves. Being placed in another part of the world for an extended period will force you to adapt to new, and sometimes difficult, situations. It may come in different forms for everyone, but I believe that anyone who studies abroad will grow and mature from their experiences.  Students who go into their semester abroad willing to overcome the struggles they face and make the most of their time will have a great experience, wherever they choose to go.

How has this experience benefited your academic and professional life?

Like many others, I hope to live and work abroad in the future. I think this semester has helped me work toward this goal by giving me experience in moving out of my comfort zone on many occasions and learning to adjust to living in a new place. It is certainly important to learn through classes, jobs, and internships to prepare for life beyond school. However, I think that my study abroad has also helped me develop skills that will be valuable in my professional life such as adaptability and willingness to overcome difficult situations.

Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Allgood is 'all in' on information science

MSLIS student Evan Allgood's volunteer work showed him that a career in information science would bring all his interests together in one field: accessibility, literature, history, technology, databases, and community building.

Evan Allgood

iSchool researchers to present at ASSETS 2024

iSchool faculty and students will present their research at the 26th International Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group (SIG) ACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2024), which will be held on October 28-30 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The conference is the premier forum for presenting research on design, evaluation, use, and education related to computing for people with disabilities and older adults.

MSIM students win Chicago round of NASA hackathon

A team including MSIM students Kritika Singh and Jainam Rajput won the Chicago hackathon of the NASA Space Apps Challenge, which was held in over 450 locations worldwide on October 5-6. The students partnered with computer science master's students Shraddhaa Mohan, Jinang Gandhi, and Sai Krishna Rohith and engineering in autonomy and robotics master's student Jugal Upadhyay to form Team Cuberts.

Members of Team Cuberts:  Jugal Bipinkumar Upadhyay, Jainam Rajput, Sai Krishna Rohith Kattamuri, Shraddhaa Mohan, Kritika Singh, and Jinang Gandhi.

Spectrum Scholar Spotlight: Armaan Singh Kalkat

Twelve iSchool master's students were named 2024-2025 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services. This "Spectrum Scholar Spotlight" series highlights the School's scholars. MSLIS student Armaan Singh Kalkat graduated from the University of Florida with a BA in linguistics and BS in psychology (with an emphasis on neuroscience).

Armaan Singh Kalkat

iSchool well represented at ASIS&T 2024

iSchool faculty, staff, and students will participate in the 87th Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T), which will be held on October 25-29 in Calgary, Canada. The theme of this year's conference is "Putting People First: Responsibility, Reciprocity, and Care in Information Research and Practice." The meeting is the premier international conference dedicated to the study of information, people, and technology in contemporary society.

iSchool Building