In Limited Student Time, Actively Create and Explore Possible Opportunities | Feng Chia University Department of Aerospace Engineering Chin-Hua Ou

"In a few months, I will begin my senior year and graduate studies in the United States. Over the past three years, I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and developed diverse skills. I will never forget the wonderful life at Feng Chia University." This was the conclusion I drew at the end of my junior year in 2022.

Extended Sharing: Enrich Your University Life, Defined by You! | Feng Chia University Department of Aerospace Engineering Chin-Hua Ou

Going to the University of Cincinnati (UC) for an exchange program is a brand-new journey. In the summer of 2022, I completed my junior year and officially set off for the United States in August to participate in the dual-degree program signed between Feng Chia University and UC. This program is a 3+1+1 scheme, where I study at Feng Chia University for three years, spend my senior year at UC as an exchange student, and then spend another year at UC for my master's degree. In five years, I can obtain a bachelor's degree from Feng Chia University and a master's degree from UC.

In the three years at Feng Chia University, I accumulated a wealth of professional knowledge in the department and developed diverse skills. It was a wonderful life I will never forget. At the end of my first year at UC, I was happy to return to Taiwan and attend the graduation ceremony with my project team members.

Preparation

I learned about this information during the freshman orientation and continued to inquire about the details and selection criteria of the program from my class advisor and department head. The preparation included continuously improving my TOEFL scores to meet the program requirements and maintaining my academic performance in the department. After setting my goals, I was fortunate to pass all the application processes and embark on my overseas study journey.

In addition to the Ministry of Education's Study Abroad Scholarship, I also applied for the President Chang Pao-Lung Memorial Scholarship. Unexpectedly, I received a substantial scholarship from UC for Taiwanese students participating in the dual-degree program, which greatly subsidized my study abroad expenses and reduced the burden on my parents.

During the application process, I also accidentally discovered that I was eligible for another new scholarship. I was truly surprised and grateful for the generosity of overseas Taiwanese who provided scholarships to Taiwanese students. This confirmed that opportunities are for those who are prepared.

In August 2022, I officially set off for the United States to participate in the 3+1+1 dual-degree program signed between Feng Chia University and the University of Cincinnati (UC). During this period, I was honored to serve as the vice president of the UC Taiwanese Student Association, providing learning and living advice to new Taiwanese students at UC. I welcome junior students interested in participating in the Feng Chia and UC 3+1+1 program to chat with me.

American Campus

After three flights, I arrived in Ohio, in the Midwest of the United States. Everything was unfamiliar, and my initial feelings were both excited and nervous. Cincinnati is a small, charming city. Although it doesn't have many tourist attractions, the natural scenery of North America far surpasses any artificial urban landscape. It has the standard university town layout, with basic living functions well-established, and the campus resources are quite abundant. As a student, I must say that the student resources here are very rich.

I personally think this is a very suitable environment for studying. Not only are the professional laboratory facilities complete, but there are also student engineering software, various libraries, an indoor complex sports center, various student restaurants, a free shuttle bus system, diverse clubs, and even the school's American football and basketball teams, all closely connected to campus life. In terms of clubs, besides participating in my project competition club, I often joined the flying club and international student club activities. I also served as the vice president of the UC Taiwanese Student Association, providing learning and living advice to new Taiwanese students at UC.

As an aerospace engineering student, I actively seized the opportunity to participate in aviation exhibitions in the United States because this field is my interest. I also joined the school's flying club, using the school's subsidized funds to personally experience the feeling of flying in a small plane.

Academic Adjustment

The classroom teaching mode here is vastly different from my previous experience in Taiwan. It emphasizes self-directed learning, and the workload is quite heavy, with weekly assignments, midterms, and finals, and sometimes reports to submit for different subjects. Personally, since I just arrived here and didn't have senior students from the same department to ask about course selection and difficulty, the initial adjustment was quite tough, and I struggled during the first midterm period.

Compared to the dual-degree system, short-term exchange students around me had a relatively easier time. While I was worrying about assignments and exams, they were thinking about party locations and whose house to visit tonight. This stark contrast initially gave me quite a blow, making me reflect on why they seemed to have no academic pressure while I was in a slump.

After enduring that period, I adjusted and accelerated my learning pace, adapting to the heavy academic workload of studying abroad in the United States. I also trained my stress resistance and time management skills, learning the feeling of "sweetness after bitterness."

Starting with a bit of hardship and taking more master's credits early on made my second year much easier. Having experienced the initial adjustment period of studying abroad, I became more willing to help future students who face similar challenges, encouraging them to endure the initial pressure adjustment period and better handle future academic challenges.

Besides academic research and course participation, UC's campus also hosts various activities, and the campus facilities are quite abundant. Choosing interesting activities during spare time and participating with foreign students and Taiwanese classmates is also a good opportunity to build connections.

Academic Journey

In my first year at UC, besides taking several aerospace courses to send back to Feng Chia University for corresponding senior year required courses, I also utilized UC's master's pre-study mechanism to take 12 credits of required master's courses in advance, significantly reducing my academic pressure in the second year at UC.

In addition to professional course selection, I also chose the aircraft design course in the department's Capstone as my graduation project. Through team collaboration and participation in international competitions, I earned graduation credits. This is a rare and interesting model, both practical and hands-on. Through the practical process of team collaboration, I completed the solid final mile of the senior year Capstone course.

The competition required us to create an aircraft capable of carrying weight and having a long wingspan that could successfully fly. Our team worked hard for a year, going through five different prototypes and improved models. Finally, we packed the finished product into boxes, and 13 team members drove 18 hours south to Texas to participate in the competition. After three days of competition, we ultimately won fourth place in the world.

The design, analysis, implementation, test flights, improvements, and team collaboration I experienced during this process benefited me greatly. After going through this unforgettable competition together, I made a group of friendly and interesting project partners with deep friendships.

To offset my graduation project credits at Feng Chia, I joined one of UC's aerospace graduation project courses. This is both a course, a competition, and a club, a novel and beneficial experience.

In the second year, which was also my last year at UC, besides the remaining 15 credits, I had a 3-credit master's project. The project completion methods included internships, advisor suggestions, and self-set goals. I submitted a paper to an aerospace professional conference as my master's graduation project. After multiple revisions and corrections, I was fortunate to have it accepted and will go to Montana in March 2024 to participate in the IEEE International Conference and present my paper orally. This is not only my first time writing an international conference paper but also a test of how to introduce my presentation content to participants from various countries.

I was fortunate to participate and be selected for this dual-degree program, allowing me to attend two different degree graduation ceremonies within a year, feeling quite novel and happy. Although the process was busy and fast-paced, it was an excellent stage for enriching content and cultivating knowledge.

Future Plans

I will graduate from the University of Cincinnati with a master's degree in engineering at the end of April. After completing my military service, I plan to enter the workforce immediately. My goal is to work in the aviation-related field, applying what I have learned. Therefore, obtaining a job in the civil aviation field in Taiwan is my goal. The two years passed quickly, seemingly short but very fulfilling. Besides professional course learning, I also experienced various new and interesting things, which significantly transformed and improved my personal qualities.

Coming to the world's strongest country, witnessing different cultures firsthand, absorbing and transforming them into nutrients for myself, and deepening my understanding of various concepts through personal experiences. I hope to explore possible opportunities, find personal aspirations and goals, set a course, and strive towards my goals during my limited student life. With the solid backing of knowledge, experience, and relationships gained during my student years, I will pursue my dreams realistically!

Don't worry about the length of time; actively strive to add and enrich your memories, values, experiences, and knowledge within the given time frame, and transform what you have learned into nutrients for self-growth.