Paree Pasi

I always wanted to study abroad for reasons beyond just traveling around Europe. To me, it was a chance to expand my horizons in a completely new way, much like my decision to come to Penn in the first place.

Edinburgh’s Engineering program is one of the best in the world, with professors whose teaching is on par with Penn’s. The engineering student body was also incredibly diverse, with students from all over the world. I got to work in groups I never would have at Penn and see how students from different educational systems approach problems, which pushed me to think differently and helped me build friendships with people from completely different backgrounds.

Academically, I took classes across a breadth of engineering disciplines, including computer science, mechanical, and environmental engineering, while also enrolling in a liberal arts class examining controversies in medicine through a social science lens, which was especially interesting to me as a bioengineer. These were subjects I wouldn’t have been able to explore at Penn.

Beyond academics, Edinburgh had an incredible student activities scene. I joined clubs ranging from the Finance Society to “Meet With A Stranger,” where I had dinner with a random club member every month. I also attended their Holi celebration and joined the Bhangra team, connecting me with the vibrant South Asian community I’d looked forward to in the UK. Every one of these experiences pushed me outside my comfort zone. Now, as a senior, Penn has become home, but when I graduate and start my career in finance in New York, I’ll constantly be meeting new people in new environments. Studying abroad gave me the confidence to take new experiences in stride.