Graduate Student Stories Transcripts: Matthew Aruch

Transcript of Matthew Aruch's video

I grew up in New York, but I've been living in the Washington, D.C./Maryland/ Virginia, area since about 2005.

My degree is in International Education Policy, but I work with the Engineering School, I work with the Anthropology School.

Maryland really allows you to, sort of, move between and amongst departments and colleagues which I- which I think is- is great for someone like me who likes to do interdisciplinary work.

I've worked in various departments, on or around, campus- different campus units to build out programs here, and then also, Nationally and Internationally. So, we have a Lego Robotics Program with Prince George's County, that- that I- I helped to run. I helped to- helped to run a study abroad program with University of Cuenca, in Ecuador, and that's, primarily, with College [Park 00:00:54] Scholars, and the Engineering School. And then, every summer, I work with the anthropology department, and we administer, a summer study abroad course, the Brazilian Amazon.

University of Maryland has a great Alternative Breaks Program, and they run an Alternative Breaks Program to Ecuador.

While I was down there, I met some really fantastic people at the University of Cuenca, and we decided that we wanted to keep building on the program, so, when I came back to Maryland, there were some International initiatives in the College of Education, that I became involved in, and- and working with them, was able to c- was able to come up with, kind of, a plan, what it would look like to build short term study abroad programs. And then, that short term study abroad program was implemented, with the support of the College of Education, with College Park Scholars, and then, with the study abroad officers that are here on campus.

So, we take a- a handful of Maryland students, down to, uh, the Kayapo Village of [inaudible 00:01:59]. We spend half the time in the [inaudible 00:02:02] community, and then, half the time at this research station, that was created in the early 90's.

In the community, we do, sort of, village activities, and then, when we go out to the research station, we, sort of model what research activities were like, when research was going, and then, what they could be like if they start up again.

There's a department here for everything that you might want to be able to do.

If you name it, you can find it, and if you can't find it, you can create it.

You don't have to worry about getting around town, we have a great sort of, network of- of buses that will bring you around. There's lots of different food options on campus.

If you're worried about international programming, there's a couple of really good offices that I've worked with, to sort of, start International programs, work with International students, and then, develop new, on-campus initiatives. There are countless numbers of clubs for all kind of interests for graduate students.

I enjoy the process of- of working with colleagues, and thinking through an education program. And then designing it, delivering it, and then, watching those experiences unfold for students.