Tej Gumaste came to the University of Kansas in search of challenge, community, and hands-on learning. He found all three in KU’s Honors Program and the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows program.

When Tej began searching for universities in the United States, he hoped to find a place where he could push himself academically while exploring different fields of study. KU stood out immediately because of two programs designed for ambitious students who want to lead and innovate.

The Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program appealed to him because of its focus on technical leadership and entrepreneurial growth, and the KU Honors Program offered opportunities to explore broad ideas across disciplines. Combined, they gave him a pathway to strengthen both his engineering skills and his curiosity.

Supportive advisors, approachable professors, and on-campus work experiences have helped him build confidence both inside and outside the classroom. The friendly campus environment also helped him adjust to life far from home and find a sense of community.

Q: What made you choose KU?

Frankly, what drew me to KU were the programs, two in particular: the Self Program and the Honors Program. The Self Program stood out because it fosters entrepreneurial spirit while building technical skills, which was something I was really excited to get involved in. 

The Honors Program also appealed to me because it focuses on interdisciplinary learning, which I wanted to explore throughout my undergraduate career.

Q: What’s your major, and how has your academic experience been so far?

I’m a computer science major with a minor in mathematics. KU supports undergraduate students throughout their academic journey in a variety of ways. To begin with, you have an excellent suite of academic advisors you meet with at least once a semester. They’re very equipped to help you with your graduation plans, no matter how ambitious you want to get. 

I also find professors to be a really valuable resource. They’re approachable during office hours and open to conversations about everything from career goals to research.

Q: Tell us more about the KU Honors experience. How has the program helped you feel connected or supported during your transition to KU and to life in the U.S.? 

Honors has been one of the biggest sources of support throughout my undergraduate career. They were especially integral to my transition to the US as the Honors program was the first real community I found. I still remember when I met Harry Swartz from honors for the first time while still understanding bus routes and he was incredibly helpful. 

Honors program provides a first year seminar with other honors freshman, honors faculty member and seminar assistants. This class was quite helpful in the transition to the US as I found peers and mentors in the program in an easy manner. Moreover, I participated heavily in honors program events like Living in Color, Schedule Release Party throughout the semester which further helped establish a connection to honors.

Q: Is there an Honors class, seminar, or faculty mentor who made a big impact on you? What made that experience stand out?

I can talk endlessly about folks in honors who have drastically improved me as a person and as a student, but I really can't thank Professor James Blakemore enough. I met Professor James Blakemore through the University Scholars Program and he is a chemistry professor. 

Despite our disciplinary differences, Prof. Blakemore was extremely supportive and was willing create projects to accommodate my skills and interests. In fact, with our collaboration over the last two years, I am proud to announce that I am a first author, peer reviewed researcher and all of that is because of Professor James Blakemore’s support and mentorship

Q: How has being part of Honors influenced your academic confidence or shaped the way you approach challenging coursework? 

The honors program provides honors classes for all majors in all departments and they are an effective way of learning material with more detail and passion. Naturally, these courses are design to challenge you and require you to apply your skills intently and carefully. 

Fortunately, being part of the honors program granted me access to an unlikely resource that helped me through these classes: other honors students. Since the program is filled with students taking honors classes, I was always able to find someone who is more ambitious than me taking the same or even different honors classes.

Q: What opportunities have you taken advantage of through Honors that you might not have expected before coming to KU? 

Something I did not realize was a huge opportunity as KU was traveling. Whether it be for competitions, conferences or hackathons, KU clubs and organizations are active travelers across the country. Honors was a great help in making these trips possible through the Honors opportunity awards (HOA). HOAs are scholarship grants ranging from $250-1500, which are meant for students pursuing extracurricular activities. I used these funds extensively over four years to alleviate the financial pressures travelling over the country for competitions.

Q: What has been your most meaningful hands-on or leadership experience through SELF so far? 

My most meaningful experience through SELF has been the Economic of Innovation seminar. I always wondered what leads people to innovate and what are some factors and forces surrounding the process of development. Economics of Innovation offered through SELF discusses just that. It was a semester long experience that explored innovation in various industries through a series of in-class hands-on discussion activities and games which improved my understanding of the process of innovation.

Q: How has SELF shaped the way you think about engineering, innovation, or leadership? 

The SELF program has shifted the way I think about engineering, from a technical perspective to an impact-based perspective. I am a computer science major and I would measure my progress and success with the quality and quantity of my code. Through SELF, I realized that my code is only as important as the impact it makes and the problem it solves. The best piece of over-engineered code is irrelevant if it helps no one. Once I had this revelation, I started thinking about projects and ideas not in terms of technologies/languages to use, but instead I started thinking about the problem I was trying to solve and who I tried to help.

Q: What do you wish other international students from India knew about Honors, SELF, or KU before coming here? 

The biggest thing I'd want other international students from India to know is that program like SELF and Honors or anything else at KU is designed to help you succeed. There are lots of support sources all over campus, whether that be academic or personal. Additionally, all extracurricular activities at KU, but especially SELF and Honors, are almost a "well that keeps on giving". One's success in these program is directly proportional to the amount of time and effort that you put into them.

Q: How did you find housing at KU as an international student?

I found housing through the KU Housing website back when I was a freshman. They had virtual housing tools where I could see videos of the exact apartments or dorms. I chose Templin Hall because it fit my budget and is part of the Honors Living Learning Community.

Since I was already admitted to the Honors Program, I liked that I’d be living with students who were equally ambitious. After my freshman year, I moved off campus because I wanted a bit more freedom and to learn how to manage expenses and live independently.

Q: Is it possible to work on campus as an international student? What kinds of jobs are available?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible and I’d recommend it. KU has a great on-campus job system where you’re a student first and an employee second. Employers are required to accommodate your class schedule. 

Working on campus is a great way to build professionalism in a low-stress environment. I currently work as a student ambassador for the School of Engineering and as a student web developer.

Q: What is ISS like at KU? Do they really help with things like visas and housing?

Yes, they do. ISS stands for International Support Services, and they’re the main resource for anything related to international student life. They’re helpful with visa and employment authorization questions or anything related to immigration status. You can email them, set up an appointment, or even visit during walk-in hours to talk through any issues.

Q: What was the biggest culture shock for you at KU?

A lot of things surprised me. First, people are really friendly here. I love the Midwestern nice, where anyone you meet is happy to talk or say hi, whether it’s in an elevator, walking to class, or just around town. It makes for a friendly, collaborative environment. 

The other culture shock was that the plugs here don’t have switches. Back home in Dubai and India, outlets have switches you can turn off even when things are plugged in. Here, they don’t, so now I understand why people say, “unplug the TV.”
 

Q: Where do you go in Lawrence if you’re craving food from home?

First place, my apartment. I always keep Indian snacks around for when I’m studying or watching a movie. But outside of that, I love India Palace on Massachusetts Street and Pizza Palace next door. Pizza Palace is newer and serves Indian fusion-style food, which I really enjoy.

Q: What’s Lawrence like for international students?

I’d call Lawrence a medium-sized college town. It’s not too small where there’s nothing to do, but not so big that it feels overwhelming. There’s a lot of open space to explore, play sports, and hang out, plus plenty of activities on and off campus. There’s always something going on, without the pressure of a big city.

Q: How is life in Kansas different from where you’re from?

I was born in Mumbai and grew up in Dubai, so I’ve always lived in big, busy cities. Lawrence is much slower-paced, and honestly, I love it. It took me a bit to get used to the calm and quiet, but now I really appreciate it. 

I love being able to walk outside, enjoy the breeze, and just take in the peace. Also, suburban life here is awesome. Overland Park [a suburb of Kansas City] for example, has great homes and schools. I could definitely see myself living there someday.

Q: What makes you feel at home in Lawrence?

A few things. The biggest is my friends. I’ve built a great circle of people who make me feel supported. Indian food on my street and at cultural events also gives me that sense of home. And the engineering complex feels like my third home, since I spend so much time there for classes and club activities.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a future international student, what would it be?

I actually have two pieces of advice. First, try as many things as you can, especially in your first year. If there’s a club or activity you’re curious about, even if it’s something you haven’t done in years, just try it. You might end up loving it, and if not, you still gain the experience. 

Second, don’t suffer twice. It’s easy to worry about the future or dwell on mistakes, but it’s not worth your time. Learn from what went wrong, improve, and move forward.