Chemical Engineering’s senior Isthier Chaudhury was in Washington D.C. in January 2011 to share his experiences studying abroad in Beijing, China during a series of events, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, the Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs, and the Institute of International Education.

The event corresponded with Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the U.S. and highlighted the importance of international exchange, particularly between the U.S. and China. It also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and supported President Obama's "100,000 Strong" initiative, which seeks to increase the number of American students studying abroad in China.

Chaudhury was in the audience during the panel, and he traveled to area middle schools and high schools to talk about his experiences abroad. He studied abroad through the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) program at Peking University in Beijing as a Gilman scholar during the 2009-2010 academic year.

"Studying abroad changes your entire undergraduate experience," says Chaudhury, who is a double major in chemical engineering and Chinese. "Not only does it allow students to explore a new culture—it's a two-way exchange—and the people we meet abroad are able to learn about our culture as well."