Christy Yu at Mount Rainier National Park
My name is Christy Yu and I am a health sciences student in the child health specialization at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. During the autumn 2018 quarter, I had the opportunity to be an exchange student at the University of Washington by participating in the Killam Fellowship Program. Spending time in Seattle opened up many doors to academic and cultural experiences that fostered both personal and professional growth. From working with live animals for the first time in a research lab to observing a pediatric neurosurgery case, I developed valuable skills. Furthermore, my class received an invitation for a tour at PATH, which was quite fascinating. Of course, I could not leave Seattle, home of Amazon, without checking out the artificial intelligence at Amazon Go. Other highlights of my time in Seattle included attending TEDxSeattle: Tall Order and the Wong Fu Productions Yappie College Tour. Not only did I experience the culture of another country, but I was also proud to share with others what it means to be Canadian.
UW students enjoy poutine in Vancouver, BC
It was fun to join the FIUTS (Foundation for International Understanding Through Students) Pen Pal program and exchange letters with local elementary school students. With the international friends I made during orientation week, I explored the city and traveled to nearby places, including Mount Rainier National Park and Portland, Oregon. Although it may not seem exotic or enticing for Canadian and American students to go on exchange in the other country, I found it very rewarding, and I encourage anyone who is interested to apply!
The Killam Fellowship Program allows undergraduate students from Canada and the United States to participate in a program of binational residential exchange. This program, administered by Fulbright Canada, is supported by an endowment from the American Killam Trusts, Global Affairs Canada, and the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America (Fulbright Canada). It is an integral part of the Foundation’s multidimensional strategy to foster mutual understanding between Canada and the United States of America. The Canadian Studies Center is a partner institution with the Killam Foundation enabling up to two full academic year fellowships annually for UW students.