Being selected as
a Global UGRAD scholar representing Nepal and getting to study
at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois for a
semester was truly one of the best chapters of my life. This program not only
gave me a chance to study in the U.S. but also helped me grow as a person, step
outside my comfort zone, and learn so many new things that I would have never
explored otherwise.
In Mathematical Statistics, I was especially
happy to be taught by Dr. Ranju Karki, a professor originally from
Nepal. We learned about estimation theory, hypothesis
testing, and how to apply statistical concepts to real-life problems. It
really improved my analytical and research skills, and I could relate many of
these methods back to the data I’d later work with in my politics class too!
Even though I’m from a STEM background, I’ve always been
curious about politics and how the world works. So, I challenged myself and
took two electives from Political Science—International Relations and Comparative
Politics with Dr. William Muck. These classes were
eye-opening! I explored global power shifts, world conflicts, theories
like Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, Feminism, Marxism,
and studied big topics like nuclear weapons, terrorism, cyber
war, and foreign policy.
One of the highlights was the foreign policy
simulation we did as a group project. I acted as a representative of a
country, where I worked on negotiating trade and building diplomatic
relationships while protecting national interests. It felt like real diplomacy!
In Comparative Politics, I played with data (thanks to my stats class!) and compared democratic and authoritarian systems using global indexes and reports. I studied countries like India, China, France, Brazil, Russia, Iran, Germany, and more—understanding how democracy works, how it’s threatened by populism and nationalism, and how globalization and migration are reshaping political orders today. I even did a small research project on how far-right political leaders are gaining autocratic power through democratic elections.
For the U.S. Studies course required by the
Global UGRAD program, I took The American Political System with Dr.
Suzanne Chod. This class gave me a solid foundation in understanding
the U.S. Constitution, the three branches of government, political
parties, and elections. We even worked on a podcast discussing
how constitutional amendments have evolved. I also studied important U.S.
Supreme Court cases like Brown v. Board of Education, Roe
v. Wade, and Miranda v. Arizona.
What made it even more exciting was attending the Monarch Landing community event, where I met Naperville city council members, a U.S. federal veteran with over 25 years of service, the Police Chief, and other guests from different sectors. Talking to them helped me learn how local governance and public service actually work in practice, beyond just theories.
📚 In total, even though
I’m a Math and Physics student, I ended up diving deep into the world of politics,
diplomacy, statistics, and law. I went beyond numbers and formulas—and that
made this journey even more fulfilling. I tried my best in all subjects, and in
the end, I secured a GPA of 3.844 and was honored to be on
the Dean’s Scholar List.
More than the grades, it was about learning something new,
challenging myself, and seeing how everything—science, politics, culture, and
people—are all connected. This semester was not just an academic journey; it
was a personal transformation.
