International Students

Where do you call home?

Since my family often moves countries, I’m currently living between Athens, Greece, and Melbourne, Australia—I call many places home, but my heart is always in Greece! 

Why did you choose to come to Olin? 

I chose Olin for its hands-on, project-based approach to engineering and the chance to study in a new country. I was drawn to the close-knit, supportive community. Engineering programs in my home countries tend to focus more on theory, so Olin’s practical emphasis really stood out to me! 

What are you a part of at Olin?

On campus, I’m an International Program Ambassador (IPA), a member of SWE and the Formula SAE vehicle team. I also enjoy ceramics classes at Babson College. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin.

Some of my favourite Olin memories include playing volleyball with friends and enjoying meals with groups on the great lawn on sunny days 

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin. 

My advice to prospective students is to get involved and learn about Olin as much as possible! Olin is a unique place where the right fit is crucial, so explore its culture and community to see how it aligns with your goals. 

Where do you call home? 

South Korea 

Why did you choose to come to Olin? 

My high school does a tour of several US schools, so that’s where I first heard of Olin. When it was time for me to apply to college, I decided to do more research on Olin, and I thought the curriculum would suit me very well. 

What are you a part of at Olin?

I’m in a band as a guitar player, I’m currently doing web development for PINT, and I’m doing research related to music and chaos theory. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin.

I love going for a quick McDonalds drive with a bunch of friends, it’s always a good time! 

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin. 

At Olin, you can learn so much, but only if you are willing to learn. Put yourself in a mindset that will enhance your learning! 

Where do you call home? 

Chandigarh (India). 

Why did you choose to come to Olin? 

Hands on, Real World, Inter-disciplinary, Experiential Projects with Team Based Learning and mostly no exams ( but projects end up being harder than exams) 

What are you a part of at Olin? (Clubs, Groups, Research, etc.) 

For Olin's Senior Capstone Program in Engineering (SCOPE), I am working on a project to create LLM-powered agents for equitable literacy. This project, in collaboration with Boston University and Red Hat, focuses on developing personalized reading comprehension tools for K-3 students. We aim to create inclusive AI-driven solutions that account for regional dialects and unique learning needs. 

In addition to SCOPE, I contributed as a Research Assistant at the Affordable Design and Entrepreneurship (ADE) initiative, where I assisted a statewide public defender agency in Massachusetts. My work involved automating statistical report generation and creating a data-cleaning framework for thousands of traffic stop records, aiding in efforts to reduce racial bias in traffic-related convictions. 

I also worked as a Research Assistant in Olin’s Crowdsourcing and Machine Learning Lab, where I developed a pipeline to benchmark image matching algorithms for the Clew app. This app aids visually impaired users with indoor navigation, and my work on data collected from 50+ co-designers contributed to refining its functionality and usability. 

Through Olin’s Public Interest Technologies Club, I’m engaged with Community Knights, a nonprofit organization, who we are collaborating with to develop a ride-sharing platform to support vulnerable populations. 

I am also part of Olin's South Asian Student Association. I love to help organize our big events like Holi, Diwali and even smaller events like karaoke and game nights. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin. 

Staying up after Olin Diwali to sing karaoke with my friends. 

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin. 

Reach out to current students and alumni! Oliners love to talk about Olin and we would be happy to answer all your questions. 

Where do you call home?   

Delhi, India

Why did you choose to come to Olin?   

I chose Olin for its innovative approach to engineering, where project-based learning is at the core. I learn best through hands-on experiences, and Olin’s emphasis on real-world application is exactly what excites me about engineering. 

What are you a part of at Olin?  

I’m part of the Health Equity and Access Lab (HEAL), where I conduct research on improving pulse oximetry. I even had the opportunity to present my work at the SPIE Photonics West conference. I also serve as the president of the South Asian Association, organizing cultural events like Diwali and Holi. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin.  

One of my favorite memories is when my friends threw me a surprise birthday party in the pool room during my freshman year. It was such a fun and thoughtful gesture that really highlights the close-knit community here. 

Where do you call home? 

Seoul, South Korea 

Why did you choose to come to Olin? 

Coming from a background with little exposure to engineering, I wanted to find a college that would help me build my skills from the ground up. During Candidate’s Weekend, the faculty and student interviewers at Olin made me believe that anyone could become an engineer. That single conversation was pivotal in my decision to come to Olin. 

What are you involved in at Olin? 

Like many at Olin, I’ve explored a variety of activities, especially during my first two years. Now, I’m part of the Facilities team in the Olin Plasma Engineering Lab (OPEL) and a member of the Sustainable AgTech team in the Olin Robotics Lab. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin: 

Olin’s unique culture defines our experience here, and one of my favorite traditions is "30-Second Videos". Each semester, students create a 30-second video on any topic they want. We gather in the auditorium to watch and vote on the best video, and the winner's video is preserved on the Olin Public Drive. It’s always an amazing night that showcases the creativity of Oliners! 

One piece of advice for prospective Oliners: 

At Olin, almost everything involves collaboration—whether it’s events, projects, or assignments, you’ll often be working with others. While this group-based approach helps you build connections and navigate challenging courses, it can be socially demanding at times. So if you’re not comfortable with frequent collaboration, keep this in mind when considering Olin. 

Where do you call home?   

Singapore mostly, although Boston is starting to feel more like home.    

Why did you choose to come to Olin?   

I wanted to be in an environment where people were less focused on doing better than their classmates and more focused on learning and supporting each other to do well. The project-based curriculum was also a big draw as it means that I apply the theory learned during my classes to real world situations and occasionally work with local communities.  

What are you a part of at Olin?  

I have been an International Program Assistant at Olin since my freshman year and became the Co-President of Olin's black student union this year. Doing student-facing work and being a part of student organizations has allowed me to get to know and become friends with students across grades and interests while also working on organizational and leadership skills.  

One favorite memory of your time at Olin. 

I have a lot of good memories from various events like formal, the multicultural fair, or freshman year hopper night, but my favorite memories have to be from the random nights that stick with you months later. The nights studying with friends with snacks, someone making tea or hot chocolate, working and laughing till everyone is done. Spontaneous movie or karaoke nights in the auditorium, random food runs, and club meetings that descend into anything other than the original topic of the meeting. Sure, the events are fun and exciting, but the good times that sneak up on you have been my favorite.   

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin. 

Talk to current students if you want to know anything about the school, academics, or anything else. We are more than happy to give you a detailed, honest answer to any question you have, and if there is anything we can't answer, we know who can. 

Where do you call home?   

I was born and raised in Suzhou, China

Why did you choose to come to Olin?   

The small class size and tight community among student bodies and faculties is one of major reasons I picked Olin. I also enjoy the available resources and student opportunities Olin has the nowhere else can provide. 

What are you a part of at Olin?  

I am part of the soccer club, Public Interest Tech (PINT) Project Team, and maybe RoboLab in the future. I am the president of my own new club: Olin ICPC Team, too. For most of the time, I would also spend a lot of time working on personal projects with friends and people from Babson/Wellsley. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin.  

My favorite memory at Olin so far is sitting together in Commons room with a group of my best friends eating snacks, doing homework, chatting about school, life, and aspirations late at night.

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin. 

Olin is the best option for someone who has a clear idea of what one wants to do or knows what opportunities can best benefit one. Due to Olin’s unique size and scale, there are rich and ample number of opportunities and freedom to start any clubs/projects, make any changes, conduct researches with any students/faculties in Olin, Babson, or Wellsley. You get to be the leader of your own projects and scale them up yourself!

Where do you call home?  

Faridabad, India 

Why did you choose to come to Olin?

I chose to attend Olin because I was looking for a close-knit community where I could form meaningful connections, collaborate on hands-on projects, and genuinely enjoy learning.  

What are you a part of at Olin? 

I am a member of Olin Electric Motorsports and OSASA (Olin South Asian Student Association). 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin. 

One of my favorite memories at Olin is from my freshman year when my friends and I lay down on the Great Lawn to watch a meteor shower on a freezing night. As other students passed by and saw us, many joined in, and some even returned to their rooms to bring blankets that everyone shared to stay warm. We saw dozens of shooting stars, and it truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin.

A piece of advice I would give is to always be open to learning and willing to invest your time. Olin offers countless opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom, but it’s up to you to seize them. 

Where do you call home?   

I've lived in Nanjing, China, for all 18 years of my life before coming to Olin, and all my family is there, so it's my home in every sense. 

Why did you choose to come to Olin?   

There’re a million reasons to come to Olin! Here the unique curriculum and study mode teaches practical engineering skills, and more importantly, mindset, that really makes us qualified and useful engineers after graduation. Also, I love the special small community that brings everyone together like a family. People here are super nice and helpful, and connections are tight and easy to build. 

What are you a part of at Olin?  

I’m in Catalyst, MIX, Girls Who Code, SWE, and some other clubs, and the project team ORBITAL. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin.  

The hopper night! Freshmen were working on their final prototype, and everyone in the school is coming to help and celebrate on every working hopper. We also had fantastic hopper poetry and songs and acronym for emotional support. 

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin. 

Don’t worry at all about fitting in. I was so anxious before my school year started, but as soon as it did, I knew this was my place! 

Where do you call home?

Madrid, Spain

Why did you choose to come to Olin?   

When I visited campus, I fell in love with Olin's community. Everyone I met was welcoming and easy to talk to, creating a really comfortable environment. I was looking for a college that offered hands-on engineering experience from day one, and Olin delivers exactly that. I've already seen this in action through my project team (Baja SAE) and classes like Design Nature. 

What are you a part of at Olin?  

• Project Team: Baja SAE 

• Paddle Club 

• Catalyst (Entrepreneurship Club) 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin.  

My favorite memory has to be the Carn-O-Val. It's this campus event where there was really good food from lots of different places. There was a bouncy house and a student DJ playing great music throughout the event and I got to meet lots of people in my college. It really brought everyone together and showed off the fun, diverse community we have at Olin. 

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin. 

Don't worry too much about Olin being a small school. There are tons of opportunities here. By our third week, we already had a career fair and learned how to write professional resumes. Plus, having other colleges nearby means even more chances to get involved and make friends all around. 

Where do you call home?  

South Korea 

Why did you choose to come to Olin?  

I chose Olin mainly because of its project-based curriculum, which allows hands-on learning over traditional lectures and exams. Also, Olin’s vision of “Engineering for Everyone” resonated with my values, and I liked the opportunity to engage closely with faculty. 

What are you a part of at Olin? (Clubs, Groups, Research, etc.) 

I’m a member of PInT, where I lead a subteam focused on analyzing and improving ASR models for stuttered speech. Currently, we’re preparing e-posters for the AAAS competition, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to tackle meaningful challenges with a team. 

One favorite memory of your time at Olin. 

One of my favorite memories at Olin is from my first semester in the Design Nature class, when we designed a game for fourth graders. Before diving into the project, we did a team bonding activity where my team of four baked 30 muffins together in the dorm kitchen! It was the perfect way to start a group project, as we worked so well together afterward. We created a game inspired by a porcupine’s acorn scavenging, and seeing the fourth graders enjoy something we designed was incredibly fulfilling and a lot of fun! 

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin.  

Reach out to alumni or current students, especially those from your country if you're an international student! Talking to them can give you a real sense of the collaborative and innovative culture at Olin, which can help you decide if it's the right fit. 

Name, Year of Graduation, Major:

Navya Tiwari, Class of 2028, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Where do you call home?

I was born and raised in Telangana, India.

Why did you choose to come to Olin?

There are so many reasons, but what stood out to me most was how hands-on and engaging the classes are. The practical curriculum really caught my attention. Within just four months, I’ve gained real-world experience designing and working alongside incredibly accomplished professors and staff. It’s been an amazing and rewarding experience so far.

What are you a part of at Olin? (Clubs, Groups, Research, etc.)

I’m actively involved in Olin’s Formula Club, where I get to work on designing and building a high-performance car. Additionally, I’m part of Olin's oceanographic research team, CREST, and in my second semester, I’ve also explored biomimicry, PCB design, and refactoring low-level code with my Formula car team. Olin provides great support and encouragement for my passions and pursuits.

One favorite memory of your time at Olin.

Olin has some of the most fun and unique traditions that really bring everyone together for a little tomfoolery! I love sitting in the dining hall and having conversations with people. Everyone has such different perspectives, and becoming a part of this community has helped me grow.

One piece of advice for others wanting to come to Olin.

Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone! Olin is a place where trying new things, whether it’s a club, a class, or even a wacky tradition, is encouraged and celebrated. You’ll grow so much if you take those little leaps.