Incoming UMD Master's Student Organizes Maryland Day Meetup in Mumbai

On April 29, 2023, UMD celebrated its 25th annual Maryland Day. 7,971 miles away from campus in Mumbai, India, 50 newly admitted international students gathered together to celebrate from afar and share their excitement towards their upcoming arrival for fall term. 

Himanshu Surve, incoming telecommunication master’s student, organized the meet-up as a way to connect with other international students ahead of his departure.

“I believe that it was necessary to bring everyone together to learn, connect and support one another throughout the process. It was important for me to create a space where everyone felt welcomed and valued,” said Surve. 

This cohort of master’s students are taking up a diverse array of UMD programs, including robotics, cybersecurity, business analytics, software engineering, information systems, and more.  

When asked about if he has any plans to host similar meetups on-campus in the fall, Surve is excited about the opportunity to do so, and affirms that these informal gatherings are a key element of long-term community building. 

“I am passionate about creating opportunities for people to come together, interact, and share knowledge with one another, and I believe that hosting more events like this can only strengthen our community,” said Surve. 

Finding these moments of human connection as an international student is crucial to building a support system, on-campus and beyond. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these new fearless Terps!