Alumni Spotlight & Testimonials

Rebecca CHARPENTIER
MSME 2000
Ecole des Mines de Nantes

Lean Six Sigma: Human Ressources
Schlumberger
France

Growing up in a small town in the smallest state of the US makes you want to dream big and discover the world. Unfortunately, the demands of an engineering education rarely allow the opportunity to study abroad. So, when I stumbled upon the GTL program, I was immediately interested.

The program was a very positive experience for me, personally and professionally. I knew that my MS degree would be recognized by companies, but I didn’t anticipate the value of the ‘soft skills’ I would learn as well. I believe that it was my improved adaptability, newfound fearlessness, and improved language skills that helped me secure my job with Schlumberger. Since signing on with Schlumberger seven years ago my career has already taken several paths. I started in a traditional design engineer role before being selected to participate in the foundling Lean Six Sigma (continuous improvement) initiative where I worked with manufacturing and engineering groups improve the efficiency of their operations. The work that we did in this initiative caught the eye of senior management so that I’ve been asked to continue this work within the Personnel function.

My work with Schlumberger has taken me to 9 countries on 4 continents and has me currently based back where it all began…in France! I believe that my GTL experience helped me learn to break barriers for myself, get the ‘bug’ for discovering new countries and cultures, and to maintain a sense of curiosity. So, even if I’m now pretty far from my GTL mechanical engineering courses in terms of my day-to-day activities, the skills I’ve learned there continue to help advance my career. As a nice side-effect of my participation in GTL, I made permanent friends from different countries, had wonderful cultural adventures, and even found lifelong happiness: my husband Laurent was also a GTL participant. Our son Adrien is just another example of positive Franco-American collaboration!

Quoc Dan DANG
MSECE 2007
SUDRIA

Software Engineer
Ares
France

"I've always dreamt of traveling and living through studying or working in the US so my 1st choice was a US school.
GTL seemed to have had a partnership with my school so I chose it.
Also, Georgia Tech has a good reputation and high standards of quality in terms of education in the US so the choice was obvious.

It helped me broaden my vision of the world, especially experiencing a new style of education and a new culture. It was a unique and very enriching experience living with people from different cultures and from different origins.

It helped me know better what I wanted as a career and for my future professional life.
I am now working for SFR the 1st alternative Telecom Operator of France as a Marketing Manager. Georgia Tech helped me realize I liked Marketing better than Engineering through the Minor and Elective courses I took during my cursus."

Christophe DELETANG
MSECE 2002
ENSIETA

Johnson & Johnson
France

"When time came to enrich my engineer curriculum with international exposure, Tech stood out as a natural choice . Basically I thought Georgia Tech could give me the “bang for the buck” I was looking for. The quality of the faculty, the richness of diversity among students (different nationalities, different schools, ...), the uniqueness of the program with its dual platform in France and in the US, the learning environment: all these factors made GT a firsthand choice. Not to forget the fact the institution constantly ranks as a TOP university...

Our thoughts are limited by our knowledge and by our experience. Some sociologists would argue the world is a place we are looking through glasses, each person having its own paires. Meet different people, try to understand various cultures or learn from new experiences, and you will change your vision of the world. Georgia Tech enlarged my vision both from a scientific and a personal standpoint, and has allowed me so far to design a career that satisfies my natural curiosity.

I guess my experience at Tech played a great role in facilitating my job : as an engineer on complex problem-solving of system integration for the scientific part; as a representative at NATO for the communication part e.g.

I also consider Tech as a decisive and essential milestone on my way to obtain a MBA for a more business-oriented career."

Anne-LIse DIDIERJEAN
MS EE 1998
Supelec

Team Manager
EDF
France

"I had the opportunity to obtain a double degree from SUPELEC and GeoargiaTech, and also the opportunity to study abroad, in Atlanta. I applied and this was a great exeprience.
The GT degree helped me to be selected for a company mission in the US. The mission was reconducted and I 've worked 3 years in a research intitute in the Silicon valley.
"This 3-eyear period in the US is a solid experience. It helps me in all my work tasks as a research manager."

Amy FLOWERS
MSME 2008
Ensam

Engineer
The Shaw group
USA

"I chose GTL because I could get a Georgia Tech education while having the opportunity to live and study abroad.
It helped me get out of my box by becoming immersed in another culture. I became more outgoing, developed international friendships, and learned a lot about myself.

Employers are always interested in my international experience. People like to see a well-rounded person. It has also enhanced my interest in being abroad, and I am looking for professional opportunities which will allow me to live in different countries."