Leaving One's Comfort Zone: Study Abroad Program Breaks Down Barriers
Gustavo poses with elementary students in Melbourne. The study abroad program provides engineering students with the opportunity to begin their journey toward becoming an engineer of the 21st Century.
Gustavo De Leon experienced a turning point in his life while studying abroad in Melbourne, Australia. It was "finding things that pushed me out of my comfort zone,” he says about his participation in the program, offered by the Cockrell School of Engineering’s International Engineering Education program.
“We live in a time that’s hard-pressed on moving toward globalization, and technological advances are only pushing us further into that realm,” explains Gustavo, “It is essential that we overcome a certain wall that is inevitably erected, and nothing allows you to break these barriers down more than moving out of your comfort zone and learning new ways to express yourself. If there is one thing studying abroad does, it’s this (and admittedly it’s a blast).”
After completing his studies in Construction Engineering and Project Management, Gustavo plans to put his degree to work.
While in Australia, Gustavo worked with the Reach the World program to correspond weekly with a class of third-graders in Brooklyn, New York to share what daily life was like in Australia: what kind of food do Australians eat? How do people get around? What’s a kid’s life like? To find his answers, Gustavo visited an elementary school near a major Australian city and joined a classroom full of students. “I was, in effect, a journalist tasked with finding out anything and everything a third grader would want to know.” A recipient of the Gilman International Scholarship award, Gustavo enjoyed sharing a new culture with the elementary school students, and he continues to promote the benefits of studying abroad to his fellow classmates.
It is not surprising that Gustavo, who is majoring in Civil Engineering with a focus on Project and Construction Management, holds a particular interest in communication within the engineering profession. Born and educated in the U.S., he was raised just across the border in Mexico. Gustavo credits this “unusual” background with his mastery of two languages, his strong sense of identity, and his ability to integrate into different cultures.
What distinguishes the CAEE department in Gustavo’s eyes is the “feeling of family.” “In a school of more than 50,000 people, that feeling is invaluable,” he says. “The department is truly vested in the success of its students, and it’s inevitable to fall in love with the help and opportunities that are provided for students at the turn of every corner.”
Gustavo describes Austin as “absolutely amazing” because of the diversity of people, activities, and opportunities the city has to offer. To break away from the routine of school, Gustavo engages in physical activity, and to stimulate his mind, he enjoys reading books.
After completing his Civil Engineering degree, Gustavo intends to spend time working, and later plans to pursue a law degree.