International Student Stories

Yaman Thapa is smiling into her camera, Zoom connecting my home to her Caldwell University campus apartment. She is holding up a pink origami flower on the screen. It is tiny, intricate and beautiful. Thapa, a chemistry major and neuroscience minor, is explaining how her love of both creative arts and science is allowing her to pursue a fascinating career path.

“It’s all the same,” she says of the different avenues of study available to university students. “It’s all the study of the world. When we create these separations between disciplines, I think that limits us. There is math in aesthetics. There’s science in the arts. It’s all just knowledge to me. I feel like everything’s connected.”

She looks at the flower with a smile.

“This is art,” she says. “But there is a formula to create this.”

It is this creative mindset that has set Thapa, a junior, on the road to success at Caldwell University and sparked her interest in studying the human brain. 

She was accepted into the highly competitive Bernard S. and Sophie G. Gould MIT Summer Research Program in Biology. The 10-week, research-intensive training program is offered to advanced science majors who have an interest in a research career. The program is extremely difficult to enter, and Thapa says it is even more competitive for international students, making her accomplishment all the more impressive.

At MIT, she will work alongside a professor who uses chemistry and biophysics to map the brain.  Through this project, Thapa will expand her résumé and gain valuable lab experience. The MIT program offers the opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment in state-of-the-art research facilities. Over 85% of participants have enrolled in highly ranked graduate programs after the experience.

Long term, one of Thapa’s professional aspirations is to communicate her neuroscience findings to everyone, not just fellow scientists. Working with a variety of skilled faculty as well as students at MIT should give her an opportunity to sharpen her communication skills, as she will be asked to give a presentation on her research and submit a report summary at the conclusion of the program. 

“One of my interests is to communicate to the general population,” she says. “My work is not going to be of any value if I just limit it to scientific journals.”

It is no surprise that Thapa has embraced this approachable mindset when it comes to her research. An international student from Kathmandu, Nepal, Thapa is proud that people in her homeland  are known for their warmth and compassion. She discovered the same spirit on Caldwell’s campus.

When Thapa arrived at Caldwell, she was understandably disoriented. She was experiencing jet lag and the shock of arriving in a new country. On her first day on campus, a woman approached her and asked if she was an international student. When Thapa said she was, the woman welcomed her to Caldwell, told her the university was very happy to have her and offered her a hug. The woman turned out to be one of Caldwell’s vice presidents, and Thapa knew from that very first day that she had arrived in a place with good people who would provide her with a much-needed community. The three years that followed, including the season of COVID, have confirmed that conviction.

Like several international students, during the lockdown last year, Thapa was unable to travel home. It was an uncertain time. Thapa says a lot of students found banks back home were closed and many people unemployed, so it was difficult to receive money from overseas. The university stepped in to make certain that the students had food for all their meals, and the Cougar Pantry was set up outside the cafeteria. Counseling and residence life staff were also available whenever needed to ensure students felt connected and emotionally cared for. Thapa was able to continue her work with the Academic Affairs Department, creating a virtual orientation package for incoming freshmen. 

In spite of COVID, Thapa has managed to keep her many connections and commitments on campus. She has also found time to pursue another passion: She is a writer and has recently completed a children’s book about a Tibetan boy who lives in the mountains and is adopted by a yeti. A skilled communicator with a winning personality, Thapa plans to bring her many interests together in her future work as a scientist. As she works to complete her degree, she is looking toward graduate school and continuing her work in neuroscience.

“We are so different as human beings,” she says, “and I account so much of that to our brain, to our memories and how we perceive the world.”

With her wide range of interests and accomplishments, Thapa’s future is bright. And, of course, she credits her success to the mind and its unlimited possibilities.

“I would emphasize that you might have a lot of talents,” she says, “but what makes you successful is hard work. Things are not going to happen. We need to make them happen. With a growth mindset, we can achieve anything.”

When Reeya Callychurn arrived at Caldwell University, she was the first person from her country to attend the school. Mauritius, her home country, is an island nation located off the east coast of South Africa. Traveling by plane to the United States takes a full day. To some it might seem impossible that a high school student from Mauritius could find Caldwell University, let alone decide to attend. But Callychurn’s path is a testament to her hard work and the dedication of the staff at Caldwell.

Callychurn discovered Caldwell because it met several of her most important desires for a college. She knew she was interested in a school in the United States after two Mauritian students visited her high school during a break from their university studies in America and shared positive experiences. She also wanted to find a school that offered good merit-based scholarships. And if she was going to end up in the United States, she hoped to study in or close to New York City. When she entered her parameters into her online college search, Caldwell University popped up.

“There were other schools that I was considering, but the very first factor which determines what school to choose for an international student is affordability,” Callychurn says of narrowing down her search. “The next factor was a location. Location plays a big, big role.”

The fact that Caldwell provided significant financial aid along with a location that offered easy access to New York City sold Callychurn. Beyond that, she was blown away by the personal attention she received from the staff as she tried to make her decision.

“One person who helped me greatly through every step would be Jan Marco Jiras,” Callychurn says of the director of admissions. “If I’m here today, I would say it’s because of him.”

Once she arrived at Caldwell, Callychurn dove into her studies. As a freshman, she earned the C-Pin, an award given to exemplary students at honors convocation. She came from a very competitive education system in Mauritius and applied her work ethic to her university studies. Callychurn appreciates the opportunity to pursue her higher education in a caring, attentive environment, and this factor has driven her performance. “Caldwell is taking good care of me, and now it is my opportunity to give back as a good student.”

Caldwell’s emphasis on liberal arts stands out for Callychurn. She is studying biology and plans to pursue a career in pharmaceutical research. At the same time she is being exposed to a wide variety of subjects, like theology and more extensive literature studies. This is one of the ways the university has surprised her. She is also thrilled to discover that despite her worries, the Catholic college accepted her, a Hindu, and treated her with care and respect.

Even though Callychurn does not have the company of another student from her country at Caldwell, she has been able to form strong bonds that are bridging the gap and meeting her need for connection and support.

“I feel very valued and treasured,” she says of the Caldwell community. “The persons who brought me here were Jan Marco Jiras and Maulin Joshi. But if you look at the faculty and all the Sisters at school, if you need help, you reach out and they’ll be here. The school provides a very good support system.”

During her 18 months of study, Callychurn has gifted the school with her culture. She has placed the Mauritian flag in the Hall of Flags. She has brought her food to a schoolwide Thanksgiving celebration that was tailored to showcase the many backgrounds of students. Her presence has surely added to the tapestry woven from the diversity found on campus.

As for being a trailblazer as the first and only student from her country, Callychurn says it has its pros and cons. “Sometimes you don’t fit in the crowd, but sometimes it makes you stand out.”  

—Nicole Burrell ’09

Anamika Sharma Paudel ’20 is about to join the ranks of those responding to COVID-19. She’ll be working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as a care coordinator. She comes to the position armed with a passion for service to others and a resume filled with her many contributions to the Caldwell University community.

Sharma, who received her Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration with a minor in Communication and Media Studies on May 17, recalls how when she arrived at Caldwell as a freshman, she wasn’t so sure of her path. In those early days, Sharma wondered who she would meet and how she would grow.  In a completely new environment, the future was filled with questions. The way she describes it, she felt like she was a seed being planted. It wasn’t long before she discovered that Caldwell is a nurturing place for a seed to grow.

Soon after arriving at Caldwell, she was surrounded by kind people, wonderful professors and cool things to do. She found that those kind people were willing to welcome her into their lives beyond the campus. “I still remember sitting in a long bio lab,” Sharma says, “and a girl came up to me and asked, ‘Do you want to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family?’” That student, Stef Konboz, would become one of Sharma’s dearest friends. She represented a larger community of people at Caldwell who nurtured Sharma during her time as an undergraduate student studying healthcare administration with a minor in communication and media studies. Dr. Barbara Chesler, Caldwell’s vice president for academic affairs, celebrated Sharma’s successes with her. Grace, a member of the cafe staff, took the time to learn her name and would speak to her every day. Sister Kathleen Tuite, O.P., vice president for student life, wrote her a note of appreciation for her work. President Nancy Blattner stopped to talk to her. Blattner took the time to get to know her and connect with her as she made her way through Caldwell. These people provided Sharma the fertile ground that allowed her to flourish.

One person who made a lasting impact was Dr. Agnes Berki, an associate professor of biology in the Natural and Physical Sciences Department. Not only did Berki provide comfort while Sharma navigated a change in her major, but she also helped her secure her dream job, working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. While Sharma was an intern there, her supervisor often forgot she was not a full-time employee. Like so many other Caldwell students, she was told that her strong interpersonal skills made her look like a seasoned professional. It is no accident that so many undergraduates and graduates of the university hear something similar. Sharma credits her experiences at Caldwell with making relationship-building a natural part of her work life.

She was extremely involved with campus life, honing those strong interpersonal skills during her time at Caldwell.  She worked as a resident assistant, helping students and organizing self-development programs. Serving as an orientation leader, she guided freshmen as they navigated the same challenges of adjusting to a new atmosphere that she had experienced. She also served as president of the International Student Organization. In that role, she worked with other students to organize the first Global Thanksgiving Day, celebrating the 33 countries represented on campus, an event that is now held annually. Adding to her impressive resume, Sharma served as a member of the Student Government Association, as student representative to the Board of Trustees for Academic Affairs and as a founding member of the Nepalese Student Association. The NSA hosted the consulate general of Nepal at Caldwell University on the occasion of Tihar: Festival of Lights, strengthening the relationship between the Nepalese embassy in the United States and Caldwell University. During the pandemic, the NSA has reached out to Nepalese organizations that helped approximately 80 students with groceries and medical supplies.

At the virtual honors convocation on May 7, she received departmental honors for healthcare administration. She plans to bring everything she has learned at Caldwell to her job. After an experience that has allowedher to stretch herself and grow strong, she is ready to go into the world and flourish. “I am honored to join the front lines of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have found my purpose, and I will be fulfilling it with my heart and soul.”

Caldwell University science students took home a number of  awards from the New Jersey Academy of Science (NJAS) virtual research competition in July.

Shweta Sapkota ’20 won first place in the 2021 senior academy health or medicine category. She was also awarded a grant from the Independent College Fund of New Jersey (ICFNJ) for her research. Sapkota, who received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from Caldwell on May 17, is grateful to the ICFNJ and her professors. “I cannot thank the university enough for providing students like me with an appropriate platform and all the required materials to broadcast our talent in the form of research projects.”

Sapkota discovered her interest in working with cells and microorganisms when she was a student in Caldwell’s science department. The courses and clinical lab experiences prepared her for her current work as a medical technician in a microbiology lab with Quest Diagnostics. “I  was trained to use most of the equipment used in the real world.”

In the ecology, environmental or marine science category, Sudeep Khadka ’21, a biology major, came in second, and Madison Perry ’21 , also a biology major, received the third-place award. Students Venisse Abanilla, Kriti Sitaula, Yaman Thapa and Saliha Ulgur earned honorable mentions.

The NJAS is a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve and promote the advancement of STEM-related fields in the New Jersey scientific community.

William Velhagen, Ph.D., associate dean of Caldwell’s School of Natural Sciences, says he is delighted that Caldwell University was well represented among the awardees. “The success of our students is a testament to their intelligence and hard work and to the excellent mentorship by our faculty.”

The faculty members are very proud of the students. “It was a privilege to witness the unfolding of the students’ research and how they mastered the scientific method while developing valuable professional and excellent presentation skills,” says Agnes Berki, associate professor in the School of Natural Sciences.

Students had the chance to network and to share scientific ideas. More than 100 high school, undergraduate and graduate students participated in the event. They were given the opportunity to present original scientific research, to compete to have their research abstracts published and to participate at a higher level.

The Department of Natural Sciences was renamed the School of Natural Sciences effective July 1; it has become one of the largest academic units at Caldwell. Velhagen says he and his colleagues are proud that growing numbers of science majors have been accepted into internships and into Ph.D. and health profession programs at prestigious institutions. “Students and faculty have also been awarded several grants to conduct research and to support scholars. I am grateful to the university cabinet for recognizing the accomplishments of our faculty and students.”