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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: August 4, 2011
Patrick Rucker
Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Student
I was born and raised in Snellville, Georgia. When I graduated from high school, I came to Georgia Tech, which was my absolute first choice--it was my dream school since sixth grade. Noting all these references to Georgia, one might assume that I lived a fairly parochial life. In part this is true, but thanks to my dad who is a pilot for Delta, I was fortunate to have traveled extensively with my parents throughout my childhood.
When I came to Georgia Tech and heard about the Georgia Tech-Lorraine (GTL) program, I eagerly seized this opportunity to become not just a tourist, but to really immerse myself in another country. To imagine being able to spend an entire semester in France, living in a dorm with French students, as well as my fellow Georgia Tech students was very exciting for me.
I enrolled in GTL for the first time in fall of 2010 and it turned out to be the best part of my entire Georgia Tech experience. I am an electrical engineering undergrad, and the classes I took were taught by actual Georgia Tech professors. The best part was taking classes in such an intimate environment-my largest class was 20 students, compared to over 100 back in Atlanta. Given the small class size, I was able to get to know my professors in a way that would have been nearly impossible in the more traditional classrooms.
Plus, I got to travel quite extensively! In the four months I was there, I visited 10 different countries and had such incredible experiences - hiking in the mountains near Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, making friends with a Venetian who lived right on the canals, and flying to Ireland for the weekend for less than $10. It is difficult to describe all of the amazing experiences I had.
I will study again at GTL this fall and will even be able to do my Senior Design project there. What a way to cap off my Georgia Tech education! Aside from the amazing academic experience I had there, and the fantastic travel opportunities, I will walk away from this experience understanding myself better, understanding the world better, and knowing more clearly my future path.
