Student Spotlight - William (Po Chun) Chou
International student William (Po Chun) Chou came to the U.S. to pursue a higher education different from that he would receive in his home country of Taiwan. He chose Everett Community College for the beautiful campus and caring faculty. Having earned his Aerospace Composites Technician certificate from AMTEC, William decided to study aerospace engineering and is transferring to Arizona State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering with an emphasis on astronautics.
Tell me a little bit about yourself (name, where you’re from, what brought you to the U.S.)
I am William (Po Chun) Chou, I am from Taiwan. And I came to the U.S. because I want to get a good education that is different from Taiwan.
Why did you choose EvCC?
I chose EvCC because the campus is new and beautiful, and the faculty here truly cares about you and wants the best for you.
What are you studying at EvCC?
I first majored in Composite Technology, which is a technical major at the AMTEC campus. And when I got my Aerospace Composite Technician Certificate, I decided I want to major in aerospace engineering on the main campus to become an aerospace engineer.
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an international student?
I think the biggest challenge I ever faced was language and culture. I can communicate with others without a problem, however, because I am not born and raised here, I don’t understand the slang or jokes the native speakers make sometimes. Or sometimes in class, I don’t understand what some vocabulary the professor used means.
How have you overcome these challenges? Who has helped you?
I have overcome those challenges by watching more American shows and also asking the person who used those slang what it means. And when I don’t understand what the professor is saying, I will ask them or remember it and then look it up afterward. And I think everyone I met has helped me become a better English speaker and understand the language better than when I first came.
What do you plan to do next? (Job, transfer, etc.)
I am transferring to Arizona State University to pursue my bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering with an emphasis on astronautics. And my goal is to work at a space organization (NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin…etc.) as an aerospace engineer in the future when I graduated.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to work out, play basketball, watch videos about rockets and space, and also design and launch amateur rockets with the Rocket Club.
Are you involved with any clubs on campus?
Yes, I was in the STEM (Rocket) club and the PTK club when I was on campus. And I also worked at the International Education Center as a Student Engagement Program Coordinator when I was studying at EvCC.
Who has helped you succeed at EvCC?
I think a lot of people have helped me succeed at Eck. However, I think I would like to break it down into academic and work. I think on the academic side, Professor Julio Davis from my Engineering Statics class helped me a lot. He not only taught me knowledge about the class but also helped me gain more insights into what it is like to be an engineer in the workforce, with his 10+ years of working experience at Boeing.
And on the work side, I will say the Executive Director of our International Education Center, Ali Soltanshahi helped me grow a lot as a person and employee. I learned a lot of knowledge about the educational field and gain a lot of experience in recruitment and running student programs. I even got to go on a recruitment business trip with him in my home country Taiwan, which was amazing!
Describe the best experience you had at EvCC
There are so many best experiences to choose from. But I think I would like to break it down into the academic and work side again. I think the best experience I had on the academic side was whenever I go to the rocket launches with the rocket club. Because seeing what you designed and worked on for so long, launching into the sky, and coming back safely that satisfaction is something that money can’t buy.
And on the work side, I think it will be when my team and I ran the haunted house in 2022. Because seeing what we’ve been planning and preparing for a long time come alive is very satisficing. Not only that, but it was also the first-ever haunted house on campus, and we had about 220 people attend in 3 hours! We had a great time that night.
And also going on the recruitment business trip with our executive director in my home country Taiwan was an awesome experience too!
What advice do you have for new students, particularly those coming from other countries?
Do not be afraid of the unknowns. I know it is intimidating to come to study abroad alone and have to start from scratch again to make friends, build connections, get familiar with the area…etc. However, there is always help and support from the International Education team when you need it. And if you are struggling, please do reach out and ask for help! And it is okay to ask for help, as studying in a foreign country can be challenging. Most importantly, believe in yourself! You got this! You can do it!