Hi everyone, my name is Amber and I am participating in the program, Empathic Global Leadership for Social Change: South Africa. I am a junior Computer Engineering major.

This program in South Africa is made for engineers to experience the consequences their decisions can have on others. Students learn how to recognize possible consequences and make better engineering decisions for the public.

As soon as I heard about this program, I knew it could be a great way for me to grow both as an engineer and as a person. The ethics of engineering is something that can often get glossed over in the classroom, but even when it is taught, it is something that is very difficult to understand in that type of setting. Therefore, I believe this experience will be the first time I am really able to comprehend the importance of my professional actions. I expect that this will give me an entirely different perspective on the topics covered in my classes and the work I complete in my internship. No longer will it just be technical details and projects. I will be doing work that can affect others in the most unforeseen ways.

Although this is an engineering course, it is important for me to not gloss over the impacts this program can have for me personally. I expect that by meeting people from very different backgrounds than my own, I will be able to gain a new appreciation for my life at home. Because of this, I expect to not only gain new engineering lessons, but personal ones as well.

I look forward to continuing writing about my experiences on this program and the lessons I gain from them.