{"103291":{"#nid":"103291","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech-Lorraine: An Experience of a Lifetime","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPatrick Rucker\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nElectrical Engineering Undergraduate Student\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI was born and raised in Snellville, Georgia. When I graduated from high school, I came to Georgia Tech, which was my absolute first choice--it was my dream school since sixth grade. Noting all these references to Georgia, one might assume that I lived a fairly parochial life. In part this is true, but thanks to my dad who is a pilot for Delta, I was fortunate to have traveled extensively with my parents throughout my childhood.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen I came to Georgia Tech and heard about the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.oie.gatech.edu\/sa\/programs\/details\/RMZfallsp.php\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech-Lorraine\u003C\/a\u003E (GTL) program, I eagerly seized this opportunity to become not just a tourist, but to really immerse myself in another country. To imagine being able to spend an entire semester in France, living in a dorm with French students, as well as my fellow Georgia Tech students was very exciting for me.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI enrolled in GTL for the first time in fall of 2010 and it turned out to be the best part of my entire Georgia Tech experience. I am an electrical engineering undergrad, and the classes I took were taught by actual Georgia Tech professors. The best part was taking classes in such an intimate environment-my largest class was 20 students, compared to over 100 back in Atlanta. Given the small class size, I was able to get to know my professors in a way that would have been nearly impossible in the more traditional classrooms.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPlus, I got to travel quite extensively! In the four months I was there, I visited 10 different countries and had such incredible experiences - hiking in the mountains near Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, making friends with a Venetian who lived right on the canals, and flying to Ireland for the weekend for less than $10. It is difficult to describe all of the amazing experiences I had.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI will study again at GTL this fall and will even be able to do my Senior Design project there. What a way to cap off my Georgia Tech education! Aside from the amazing academic experience I had there, and the fantastic travel opportunities, I will walk away from this experience understanding myself better, understanding the world better, and knowing more clearly my future path.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"I was born and raised in Snellville, Georgia. When I graduated from high school, I came to Georgia Tech, which was my absolute first choice--it was my dream school since sixth grade. Noting all these references to Georgia, one might assume that I lived a fairly parochial life. In part this is true, but thanks to my dad who is a pilot for Delta, I was fortunate to have traveled extensively with my parents throughout my childhood.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"GTL offers Tech students the best of both worlds."}],"uid":"27164","created_gmt":"2011-08-04 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:17","author":"Rachael Pocklington","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-08-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-08-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1298","name":"Parent and Family Programs"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"8730","name":"ADAPTS"},{"id":"242","name":"disabilities"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003ERachael Pocklington\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EParents Program\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=rpocklington3\u0022\u003EContact Rachael Pocklington\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3920\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["rachael.pocklington@vpss.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}