Gabriel's Trip to Europe through Deforms in France

Through the “Deforms in France” program, Gabriel Kadi combined classroom theory with real-world engineering while also experiencing Europe for the first time. Over the summer, Gabriel and a cohort of Virginia Tech students completed their Deforms Engineering Mechanics course before traveling together from August 8–18 through Paris, Montpellier, and Nice. What made the experience unique was the direct connection between coursework and the world around them. 

“Working on this in class and then seeing it in real life and all its engineering principles in full action was super cool and was one of the many things that made this abroad experience so gratifying.”

Throughout the semester, students worked on a project applying engineering principles to Paris’s historic Ponts des Arts bridge which was once known as the “love lock” bridge, which previously experienced structural failure due to the immense weight of thousands of locks attached to its railings.

Beyond the classroom connections, the program offered a balance of guided excursions and independent exploration. Gabriel describes evenings watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle over the Paris skyline and visiting La Caveau de la Huchette, the jazz bar featured in La La Land, as standout moments. Still, what meant the most was the people he met as a result of this experience.

“The greatest memory from this experience, however, was meeting this cohort of Virginia Tech students for the first time and forming relationships with them that I know will last well over a lifetime.”

“The Global Engineering Scholarship was pivotal in making this opportunity even remotely feasible for me, and I'm utterly grateful to have been selected.”

For Gabriel, studying abroad was about more than travel; it was about applying engineering in a global context while building lasting friendships. He credits the Global Engineering Scholarship with making the opportunity possible. His advice to fellow students is simple: pursue study abroad relentlessly and remember that financial assistance can make transformative experiences possible.