International Student Stories brought to you by Study in the USA Study in the USA

Dr. Dimitrios Vonofakos joins us to pick up where we left off on our previous episode, “Life’s Pop Quiz: The Unexpected Lessons of a Grad School Exam,” alongside Anish Merchant. Dimitrios summons up his encyclopedia of knowledge on the psychological aspects of test-taking to bring us a fresh perspective on test anxiety, facing your fears, and applying problem-solving frameworks to real-world challenges (not just test-taking). Join us for an in-depth guide to overcoming mental hurdles and acin...

Anish Merchant often recounts “The Hero’s Journey” — the story of a hero who goes on a grand adventure to find where he or she belongs. Stories like this inspired Anish to leave the U.S. in pursuit of his own grand adventure — one that helped him find where he belonged: in Buenas Aires, Argentina. Rather than this signaling the end of his journey, it was the birth of a new one. Anish’s new calling took shape in the form of his company, Merchant GMAT & Admissions, which helps students navi...

Introduction Maryam Esmat, a Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 honoree, returns for the second part of her interview. In this episode, Maryam shares the work she’s done for NASA by AURA on the James Webb Space Telescope, her current research on the topic of dark matter, and the rarity of Arabs in the physics realm. Join us to hear how Maryam is mentoring the next generation and paving the way for students looking to follow in her footsteps. Episode Summary 02:00 - Maryam...

Introduction Maryam Esmat’s 24 years of life have played out like a greatest hits album. She’s graced the pages of Forbes Middle East 30 Under 30 for her work in astrophysics and donned the title of the youngest published author in the Middle East — yet, if you ask her where we are in her life’s story, she’d tell you we’ve only read the prologue. Maryam is currently pursuing her PhD at Johns Hopkins University, and if that’s any indication, her story is shaping up to be one for...

Introduction Danny Nguyen returns for Part 2 of his two-part interview. In this episode, Danny shares his optimistic outlook for the future of international students and the importance of elevating student voices. Despite his optimism, he sees areas for improvement, particularly in accounting for the experiences of international students. Join Simon and Danny as they discuss the state of job prospecting, the weight of comparison, and the importance of community. Episode Summary&nbsp...

Introduction 1977 — In a year remembered for the “Fall of Saigon,” and “Black April,” Danny Nguyen and his family were caught in the middle of a war-torn Vietnam. Call it courage or call it desperation — Danny’s parents wanted a better life for their five children, and if that meant sailing out into the dark, cold ocean to find it, then so be it. The VP of Administrative Services at Mission College you see today is in stark contrast to the four-year-old who’d just landed in America in 19...