Deepti Adlakha is doing her Masters degree in Urban Design from Washington University, St Louis. She is one of the scholarship holders of Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship for Leadership Development award. The 25-year-old retreads the path she took to reach St Louis and also gives tips to aspiring students.
Preparing for the programme
I was aware of Fulbright scholarships given by United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) since school days. After completing my BArch course from Anna University, I worked for two years with Edifice, an architectural firm. It was during that time I applied for the Fulbright scholarship.
The scholarship is given for individuals, who demonstrate leadership qualities. It’s also given based on your academics, work experience, leadership qualities, service mentality and so on.
The USIEF will invite applications in February. This one-year-long process happens in two-steps. First is the paper review, where you have to submit the application form along with educational documents, essays and the Statement of Purpose (SoP). Second step is a personal interview, which takes place in
New Delhi.
One needs to take SoPs seriously. The university looks at how focused and serious you are about your studies. You must be clear about what to do. It’s good to take an expert advice. After writing my SoP, I took it to my professor who helped me shape it in a better way.
Reaching the US
Before you leave, you must have a point of contact in the university you wish to study. I had already found a place to stay even before I reach there. Do a lot of networking — take the help of social networks. This will definitely help you find what you want. Once you receive the acceptance letter from the university, start writing to people about accommodation. Also, every university will have an office for international students, which is active across the campuses. In fact, I sent an e-mail regarding my accommodation to them and they immediately responded.
Student life in the US
Washington University is one of the best institutes to study urban designing. And that’s why I chose to take up the one-and-a-half-year programme. The US system of education focuses on proactive learning and self-initiated research. We get an opportunity to interact with critics and theorists from across the globe. The diverse faculty, along with latest technologies has given me a strong foundation in design exploration and research. Studies are further enriched through access to a gamut of resources, museums, libraries and other
diverse knowledge databases.
Lifestyle
I would describe it as a cultural assimilation. A Fulbright scholar is meant to serve as a ‘cultural ambassador’. Meeting people from different walks of life and participating in a wide range of social and community activities provides a holistic experience. Enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner with American friends; singing Christmas carols door-to-door; sharing tips on Indian masala chai, all have been very special moments.
Plans ahead
Once I am done, I plan to return to India and work with some community organisations. Urban design is indeed a field which has a lot of scope. Look out, it’s all around.