After she graduates with her Master’s degree, Le is going to apply for a job in the U.S.

“I don’t know if it will work,” she said. “But as an international student, I have just three months of unemployment status.”

If she is unable to find a job within three months, she will have to return to Vietnam, but she remains hopeful.

Chisom Ukpaka

Nigeria

Finance and Economics

After receiving her Bachelor’s degree, Chisom Ukpaka decided not to go to grad school in Nigeria because she “wanted the experience of an advanced country’s economy” and America’s “academic standard is highly recommended.”

She discovered WT through a Google search and chose the University for several reasons.

“West Texas A&M is one of the few schools that offers a combination of Finance and Economics in the U.S.,” she said.

She said the program goals were aligned with her set objectives.

“If you want to be a finance analyst, you have to think on your feet, professionally communicate your findings, understand the business environment you are studying and be able to use quantitative and analytical tools to solve economic problems,” she said.

Another appeal of the University is its affordability.

Ukpaka said her experience at WT has been wonderful and she couldn’t have asked for a better school.

“The professors and students are great,” she said. “Right now I’m taking three courses: Investments with Dr. Macy, Corporate Governance with Dr. Owens, and Advanced Microeconomics with Dr. Meredith and they have contributed a lot to my knowledge.”

Ukpaka is unsure of her immediate future after she graduates, but she plans to eventually fulfill her passion to be a finance analyst.

“I can’t really think so far ahead,” she said. “I’m the kind of person that takes one step at a time. But I will definitely do my optional practical training in America to get real life experience on the job.”

Jen Rowsell

Ontario, Canada

Biology

Jen Rowsell’s discovery of WT was purely a fluke.

She has had a lifelong fascination with spiders and wanted to study camel spiders. She began searching for someone else who wanted to study camel spiders and eventually found Dr. Sissom at WT.

“It was fate,” she said.

Prior to coming in contact with Dr. Sissom, Rowsell had began applications to other schools, but she didn’t complete any other applications after finding that she had been accepted to WT.

“I jumped two feet in, sink or swim,” she said. “And sinking wasn’t an option.”

Shortly after she came to WT, Rowsell applied for a graduate teaching assistantship, and much to her surprise she was selected for the position.

“I teach first year biology labs and my students are great,” she said.

Rowsell feels that her GTA is a bonus.

“I’ve wanted to teach for years,” she said. “This has reassured me that it’s what I want to do.”