Engineer Explores Global Relations

Northampton Community College (NCC) is an excellent option for young people starting their careers. It is also an excellent choice for someone interested in exploring something new. 

Engineer and NCC student, Vinayak Yadav, is majoring in global studies with a concentration in political science. While he does not have a firm career plan yet, it is a subject that interests him; so, he is taking classes to see where it could lead. A husband and biopharmaceutical mechanical engineer working full-time, Yadav appreciates NCC’s flexibility. He chose NCC because it is affordable, close to his Easton home and had an extremely high rating. 

Yadav, who immigrated from India, recently attained his U.S. citizenship, which infused him with a sense of freedom to pursue anything he wanted.  

“I enjoy working with other people, but I do not get to do that in my current position. Political science is the exact opposite of an engineering program. It requires interpersonal skills, effective communication, abstract thinking, and pursuit of more than one answer.” 

Over the years, Yadav has become increasingly passionate about political science – specifically global studies and foreign affairs. The mechanisms of international politics and interactions fascinate him. 

“Although I’m satisfied with my career as a biopharmaceutical mechanical engineer, I think I can expand my horizons,” Yadav explained. “As I have grown fonder of international relations, I have seriously considered a transition to that field. For the past couple of years, I have been studying to qualify for a job at the U.S. State Department as a foreign service officer. However, it is an incredibly competitive field; so, I must keep studying.” 

The son of a police officer and university art lecturer, Yadav was born and raised in northwestern India in Jaipur, sometimes called the “pink city” because of its many sandstone buildings that cast a pink hue when the sun shines on them. He earned scholarships to the prestigious Jayshree Periwal International High School in India and subsequently to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where he majored in mechanical engineering. 

“In 2011, at age 17, my parents dropped me on the other side of the hemisphere,” Yadav said. “I did not know a single person. The culture shock and social isolation were difficult to overcome. The fact that I was working until midnight or 4 a.m. to support my education did not help.” 

Yadav had a student visa and planned to work briefly in the U.S. before returning to India. He got an engineering job offer shortly after graduation and moved to Maryland. His plans to return to India changed when he met a woman through an online dating app.  

Now, his wife of six years is considering a career change herself. She would like to go to medical school. Yadav has been encouraging her to take a physics course at NCC because of his positive experience. In many ways, Yadav has preferred his educational experience at NCC to his university education. 

He particularly enjoyed his international relations course with Professor Samuel Chen, who Yadav described as “amazing.” Chen explained many of the career opportunities available in the field.

“It’s been absolutely lovely,” Yadav said of his time at NCC thus far. “The communication between the students and professors is great at NCC. I’m right where I belong.”