International student success story: From Nepal to Texas Tech
Roshan Bhandari graduates from Texas Tech University this spring, proud that he’s not only earning a master’s degree in industrial engineering in the U. S., but also that he is becoming financially independent through the help of a no-cosigner student loan from MPOWER Financing.
Pursuing a master’s degree to compete in the job market
Roshan earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering back home in Nepal and then taught engineering to undergraduate students. He then realized that to do well in a competitive job market, he would have to pursue a master’s degree.
“In this world, I think just having an undergrad degree is not sufficient with the market being more competitive,” Roshan says. “I felt like I needed to get a master’s degree in a field that is relevant to the current job market. If someone has a master’s degree, he has a better chance to get a job. So that’s why I had my interest in doing my master’s in industrial engineering. I had a few options to go to different countries, but I chose the U.S. for my master’s because of its reputation and [because] engineering is very good here.”
Getting help through an MPOWER Financing student loan
Roshan moved to the U.S. and completed two semesters in a master’s program and also interned at a Houston chemical company. “I had to move to Houston, and that added a lot of expenses. That’s why I needed student loans – because I didn’t want to rely on my parents any further. I thought I should be financially independent.”
As he explored financing his education, Roshan looked at all of his funding options, including student loans.
“I searched online for ‘student loans for international students,’ and MPOWER popped up,” he says. An MPOWER Financing loan is a fixed-rate student loan that doesn’t require a cosigner, and it has other advantages, he says: “MPOWER turned out to be the one (lender) that was easy, that required less paperwork, and it had great reviews as well, so that made me want to go with MPOWER.”
Using his knowledge to share with others
Even though Roshan is in Texas now, going to school and working as an intern, he plans to help others in Nepal in the future.
“I think one day I would like to go back to Nepal with the experience that I gained,” he says. “I like working [in the U.S.], having gained knowledge in the field of engineering. And I think I’ll go back and spread what I’ve learned back to Nepal.”
For now, he’s taking in the diversity of his school and learning from other students who are in similar fields. The community of peers he’s building is helping him academically in the present and will also help him professionally as he works toward a career after he graduates.
“I get to meet people from all around the world when I work for my company,” he says. “[Getting to meet] new people, learning new things – that’s what excites me looking forward.”
Roshan is working hard and hopes his parents take notice.
“I hope that they are proud,” he says. “From childhood to this point, they’ve helped me in every step – for my school, my college. And they supported me for my U.S. education, as well. I think for them, seeing their son going to an American university, [earning] his master’s in engineering there – I think they must be very proud.”
