OIE Student Stories

Meet Bryan

Hometown: Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Degree you are pursuing at UTA: Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering

Volunteering with the Office of International Education and Global Engagement department has helped me grow professionally by not only giving me my first on campus job, but also by improving my interpersonal skills through frequent opportunities to interact with new people. I have been active on campus in several other roles including UTA Volunteers, the African Student Organization, East African Society, French Club, International Student Organization, International Peer Advisor, and in many Global Engagement programs.

These experiences have helped me understand and appreciate different cultures and people, as well as adjust to new environments. My favorite thing is the connections I made with amazing people and the friendships I got out of it. Global Grounds is one of my favorite events from Global Engagement. The weekly social event lets you meet people, drink chai, get snacks, and learn new things about the campus. On special days it can also become a whole celebration. For example, the Día de los Muertos event was awesome. One piece of advice I would give to new students is do not hesitate to try and explore things that UTA offers, you do not really have anything to lose. On the contrary, you have a lot to gain out of it.