Empowering Dreams: My Journey with Ashoka University and Beyond
I still remember the 18-year-old me who, upon landing on the university’s website, was captivated by its interdisciplinary curriculum and educational philosophy.
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My name is Satpreet Makhija, and I work at Google as a Strategic Cloud Engineer. I hail from the city of Jammu. My life trajectory changed when I accidentally stumbled upon Ashoka University’s website.
At Ashoka, I majored in Computer Science and explored various fields such as Economics and Mathematics. Initially, I had intended to study Economics, but I later shifted to Computer Science when my roommate introduced me to programming. Thanks to the flexibility that Ashoka’s curriculum provides, I was able to change my major. I chose Computer Science because, to me, it’s an extension of thinking. Writing a program once allows it to run an infinite number of times. One is only limited by their imagination!
One of my most memorable academic endeavors was a paper I authored on cryptocurrency and its viability as a currency. It was not merely a technical analysis but rather an interdisciplinary exploration, weaving together economics, computer science, and society. At Ashoka, I also had the opportunity to help high school students learn machine learning as a teaching assistant. I found like-minded peers who pushed me to excel.
My journey at Ashoka was made possible by something equally important – Ashoka’s financial aid program. My parents could not have afforded the cost of attending university, and I had contemplated joining a call center after high school. Fortunately, Ashoka’s financial aid program came to my rescue and provided assistance. It covered my tuition fees, housing, meals, and stationery. Without its support, pursuing a college education would have remained an unfulfilled dream for me.I still remember the 18-year-old me who, upon landing on the university’s website, was captivated by its interdisciplinary curriculum and educational philosophy. The university delivered more than it promised. To all prospective students, all I can assure is that if you are seeking a place to learn how to think, Ashoka University is the place to be, and Ashoka’s financial aid program ensures that financial constraints do not hinder your path. It helped me, and hopefully, it will help you too.
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Satpreet Makhija is an Ashoka alum from the undergraduate batch of 2021.
