Roorkee (The Hawk): The Career Development Cell (CDC) at Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) organized an informative session on March 18, 2023, titled "Studies and Scholarship Opportunities in the USA," in collaboration with EducationUSA, United States India Education Foundation (USIEF), and US Embassy. The aim and objective of the session were to provide students with valuable insights and information about pursuing higher education in the US and the various scholarship opportunities available to them.
CDC is a student-led group at IIT Roorkee, dedicated to providing quality training opportunities and fostering skill development for students. The CDC aims to help students channel their efforts towards securing the best career opportunities available. The session aims and ventures to provide the seeding brains with quality training avenues, especially focusing on skill development. CDC is a team of dedicated members that also makes it easier to access not-so-readily available career prospects as well as assist students in meaningfully channeling their efforts in securing the best career opportunities.
The opening session was chaired by Prof. Umesh Sharma, the officiating director of IIT Roorkee, and attended by Ms. Bhavna Jolly, Senior Program Officer of EducationUSA at USIEF, Ms. Aastha Virk Singh, Senior Advisor of EducationUSA at USIEF, Dr. Sudarshan Dash, Senior Program Officer of Fulbright Fellowship, a Visa Officer from the US Embassy, Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sarma, the Dean of Academic Affairs, Prof. Vimal Chandra Srivastava, the Dean of International Affairs, and Prof. Rajat Rastogi, the Professor In-Charge of CDC. The event attracted around 240 participants, including faculty, students, and staff members from IIT Roorkee, NIH Roorkee, and CBRI Roorkee.
Ms. Bhavna Jolly spoke about the role of EducationUSA in supporting students pursuing higher education in the United States. She also discussed various funding opportunities and higher education programs available to students in the US. Ms. Aastha Virk Singh focused on technical skill development and opportunities in US institutions. Dr. Sudarsan Dash provided insights into the Fulbright Fellowship program and the bilateral exchange of students and researchers between India and the US. He particularly appreciated IIT Roorkee's efforts in facilitating these exchanges at different levels, from undergraduate and postgraduate students to faculty members. The Consular (Visa) Officer from the US Embassy in India discussed the US visa application process, including different visa types, application procedures, and interview processes. The remaining event consisted of two sessions led by EducationUSA and USIEF. In the first session, Ms. Bhavna Jolly and Ms. Aastha Virk Singh from EducationUSA encouraged students to pursue higher education in the US and guided them through the selection process and funding opportunities available for Masters and PhD studies. The next session by Dr. Sudarshan Dash on Fulbright and other scholarships focused on the procedure of obtaining the fellowship and overall experience of the program. The event concluded with an interactive question-and-answer round.
Prof. Umesh Sharma, the officiating director of IIT Roorkee and the chief guest of the event, welcomed the delegates, faculty members, and students to the event. He said, "I congratulate USIEF, EducationUSA representatives, and CDC for organizing this informative session. I commend the CDC for its efforts in organizing various events for skill development and career opportunities like this one."
Prof K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, "The Career Development Cell provides a platform for students to interact with think-tanks of respective industries. All their effort goes into bringing the best of the best to the students so that they can effectively scout the wide range of career possibilities. We are obliged to provide CDC coordination of the technical groups at IIT Roorkee so that they continue to conduct such workshops and institute lectures, providing exposure in a variety of fields."
