Connor Walsh's experience in Hamburg, Germany

Connor Walsh had the experience of a lifetime during his semester abroad through the VT Exchange Program at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany. Ever since his first year at Virginia Tech, Connor knew he wanted to study abroad—but he wasn’t sure if he’d ever find the right program. So when he discovered the opportunity at HAW, he was thrilled to have found a perfect fit and couldn’t wait to take part.

Connor made countless memories during his semester abroad, but one of his favorites was simply spending time with friends in the dorm kitchen, getting to know people from all over the world. Looking back on his experience, he noted how different the course structure at HAW was—there were no homework assignments or midterms, just a final exam at the end. It challenged him to adjust his study habits, but he found that the format actually helped him learn more deeply and take ownership of his education.

Connor highly encourages other engineering students to study abroad. While he admits that adjusting to a new country can be challenging at times, he found the experience incredibly rewarding. He believes that stepping outside your comfort zone is one of the best ways to grow—both personally and professionally. Connor says studying abroad helped him learn more about himself and the world around him. In fact, he made such strong connections that he’s already planning a return trip to Europe to visit one of the friends he met during his time abroad!