Matthew Anderson and fellow classmates skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland, with the Matterhorn in the background

Name: Matthew Anderson

ECE student classification: Junior

Major: Electrical Engineering 

Why did you want to study abroad?

I wanted a change of pace from the Purdue routine, and thought studying at a completely different university would be the ideal way to accomplish this. I also love traveling, so studying abroad was the perfect mechanism to enable the travel bug.  

Where did you study abroad? Why did you choose this location/program?

I studied abroad at ETH Zürich, in Switzerland. I chose to study there because of its prestige and strength in STEM fields - Einstein studied and taught here - and because of how different it is from my native culture. Located in the heart of Europe, it's a great place to take weekend trips, too.

Best experience.

Skiing in Zermatt. It was gnarly. That's all I have to say.

What you learned—either about yourself or the culture you’re living in.

Academically, I learned tons from wicked-smart professors and local students. I was told before I left that it would be difficult to break into an established friend group of Swiss students, but two months in I already had several friends from the Zürich area. Being at a new school with a different system than Purdue's forced me to adjust my study habits to accommodate each different teaching style.

Would you suggest study abroad for other ECE students? Why?

If you can afford it, absolutely. (This is a key point if you want to study in Switzerland, where everything is expensive, always.) Aside from that, I am grateful to have made so many friends from around the world with unique ways of thinking and acting - it makes you appreciate diversity and spurn creativity.