In fall 2020, International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) was pleased to launch our inaugural Global Spartan Scholarship, created to recognize and provide financial support to SJSU international students. We received several hundred applications from continuing international students for a very limited number of scholarships. This large number of applicants not only made it difficult for the committee to make their selection, but also demonstrates the need for more financial support for international students. This spring, in addition to the Global Spartan Scholarship for continuing students, we were able to open a separate Global Spartan Scholarship for newly-admitted international students. These applications are currently under review for the 2021-22 academic year, and winners will be announced in the coming weeks.
Today, we would like to recognize our first cohort of scholarship recipients, who were awarded funding toward their spring 2021 tuition and fees. Spring 2021 Global Spartan Scholarship recipients: Congratulations on your achievements, and thank you for your contributions to our Global Spartan, SJSU, and global communities!
Meet the spring 2021 Recipients
Alvin Lin
Senior | B.S. Computer Science | Taiwan
Alvin Lin
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
- Led a team from Computer Science department and won TreeHacks Award. 2. NLP Research Paper was accepted at ACMSE21 supervised by Dr.Teng Moh.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
- Big Data System Engineer Intern at thingnario ltd. and Software Engineer Intern at KeepTruckin. 2. The experience sharpened my technical skills and soft skills.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
6F – 8F in the library are the best.
Read more about Alvin.
Jie Kai Teo
Junior | B.S. Mechanical Engineering | Malaysia
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
Jie Kai Teo
I transferred into SJSU right when the pandemic started back in Spring 2020. As an international student, it’s not easy to socialize and network around when I did not have a lot of connections on campus. So I started becoming more involved in clubs and social events, and that helped me to stay active during the pandemic. I also met a lot of like-minded peers and inspiring people whom I look up to. That is my greatest accomplishment at SJSU.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
I am an electronics designer on the Spartan Racing, SJSU Formula SAE team. Honestly I couldn’t have made it to where I am today without the team. The club gave me a lot of hands-on experience in the automotive industry and I love working with a team of car enthusiasts. It’s so inspiring to see how passionate the team members are.
I’m also an officer/member of the Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi honor society. These honor societies helped me in making connections as well as getting job-hunting tips from industry experts.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
Follow your passion, find your group of people. SJSU is a diverse community and there are tons of opportunities out there waiting for you to be explored.
Joel Alvares
Graduate Student | M.S. Computer Science | India
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
Joel Alvares
I learned as much as could during my Masters at SJSU. I tried to be debt-free before I graduated college by working as hard as I could. I made the most of the opportunities that were offered to me.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
I represented SJSU at a hackathon at Stanford where my team developed an application to aid Alzheimer’s patients by helping them remember their loved ones. My team managed to get the runner-up prize for Make the World a Better Place Hack by Oracle. The experience helped me apply my skills to make a difference. I also met and worked with a bunch of talented people from SJSU.
I am currently interning with Intel as a Software Engineer. I was able to land this opportunity through an event conducted by SJSU.
I tried my best to be involved in whatever SJSU had to offer and make the most of it.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
It is important to persevere so that you are constantly learning and improving. It is important to be an opportunist so that you never miss the right opportunity. It is a whole new experience so make good friends and enjoy it before you enter a new phase of your life.
Kasturi Paranjpe
Graduate Student | M.S. Human Computer Interaction | India
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
Kasturi Paranjpe
We all had most challenging, uncertain and difficult year due to COVID pandemic. It was more stressful for international student like me who was away from my home and family. I was still able to secure highest grades and corporate internship. I pushed myself a lot and tried to excel in everything. For the first time I realized my true potential and this realization was my greatest accomplishment at SJSU.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
I worked at Lurie College of Education (SJSU) from Feb 2020 – March 2021. I helped college admin to design information architecture and migrate all 7 department websites. I was able to contribute to SJSU community by using my skills gained in graduate program. This job gave me insights into efforts put by SJSU University staff to support students. I started appreciating and participating in more activities arranged by University.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
Life is all about new opportunities and the chances it has to offer. Step out of your comfort, look for new opportunities and never be afraid of taking new chances.
Ksheeraj Vepuri
Graduate Student | M.S. Computer Science| India
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
Ksheeraj Vepuri
My greatest accomplishment at SJSU is that I published my first research paper at an international conference (ICIMCS 2021) and received the “best paper award” for it. Although the pandemic has affected my “university” experience to a certain extent, I did get to meet some amazing people and develop meaningful relationships with them, which I consider more important than any accomplishment.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
I interned with Intel as a Machine Learning Engineer intern. I have always been fascinated with the different ways ML/AI can be leveraged to augment our daily lives. This internship has enriched my SJSU experience in different ways. I learnt to identify business problems, communicate effectively, and apply my knowledge to develop robust solutions.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
Having spent almost two years in the United States, I see why it is called the “land of opportunity”. The country has much to offer irrespective of our background, race, ethnicity, and culture. All we have to do is leverage the resources in the right way and put in the efforts to achieve our goals. SJSU has helped so many students achieve their goals, whether it is landing their dream job or doing amazing research work. I would advise all the international students to make the best use of their time here by exploring their interests, develop meaningful connections, and of course, work hard!
Last but not the least is to take the time to focus on your mental health. Moving out of our comfort zone (away from home) and managing the responsibilities here can be daunting at times. Do not hesitate to seek out help when needed.
Mai Thi Tuyet Truong
Junior | B.S. Advertising | Vietnam
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
Mai Truong
My greatest accomplishment is becoming a project management trainee. During my time at SJSU, I have improved my social skills and abilities in pursuing professional goals.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
I have worked as a supervising producer for Flaws of an Everlasting Memory LLC with current SJSU students from the Film Department. My position involves supporting the co-producer in constructing the marketing strategies and comprising sponsorship packets to cater to brand awareness. Participating in real projects helps me approach new knowledge effectively. Thus, I utilize these experiences in my study and shape my strengths.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
As an international student, I understand what obstacles that you are facing. My advice is you should treat your current community as your hometown to feel the love and share. You are not alone because SJSU always stays by your side to listen to your story and empathize with your challenging circumstance. Another piece of advice is to give back to the community whenever you can. Focusing on the study is good, but participating in social activities would expand your awareness and open your heart to create unforgettable memories during your time at SJSU.
Mindy Trieu
Graduate Student | MBA | Vietnam
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
Having students reach out to me on LinkedIn and Instagram for further questions and advice after seeing me as a host/panelist at campus workshops. Or just simply receiving a screenshot of my tutee’s high grade on the exam. It’s my pleasure to be a helpful resource to our SJSU community.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
I’m currently 1) an Advisory Board Member and a Global Leader at International Student & Scholar Services and 2) an Instructional Student Assistant at Jack Holland Student Success Center. I’m also a member of a few campus organizations. The involvements have been enhancing my personal and professional skills and my overall SJSU experience. I have a supportive circle of friends and mentors thanks to that.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
“Studying abroad is about experiencing a foreign country — and the most beautiful, important part of a country’s culture is its people.” Immerse yourself in this diverse culture, open up to new friendships, and show the world how cool it is to be an international student like you.
Read more about Mindy.
Puneet Jyot Singh Khurana
Graduate Student | M.S. Software Engineering | India
Q: What would you say is your greatest achievement during your time at SJSU?
Puneet Khurana
The proudest moment of 2020 was that out of 80 students in the class, I was one of the 4 selected students by professor Simon Shim for the Research Assistant position. This was the first industrial experience in the United States. The experience was great and it prepared me well for my internship opportunities.
Q: What student or community organizations, internships, etc. are you involved with? How has your involvement impacted your SJSU experience?
I am currently interning at StrongKey Inc. as a software developer intern and am acting as the secretary of Rotaract club of SJSU where our team regularly meet and discuss potential projects to help society in different ways possible. The latest one was tree plantation drive on Earth day. I have also bagged internship opportunities at Amazon and Cisco for the Summer and Fall 2021 respectively. These internship experiences will further hone my skills for the full time roles.
Q: What is your advice/message to fellow international students?
Actively participate in college activities as it is the best way to network with new people and know about new opportunities.
Follow all the SJSU pages on social media like Instagram as they frequently update about the ongoing events and activities at SJSU.