Janet Lau ’13 looks forward to UEP’s intimate atmosphere

The following was written by incoming UEP student Janet Lau. Over the summer, we’ll be featuring several blog posts from incoming students describing a little about their background as well as what excites them about UEP.

One of the most appealing aspects of UEP that attracted me was the size and intimate atmosphere here. People can really get to know and work with one another. The faculty are accessible and the classes are small, normally between ten and twenty students. This is a huge change for me, coming from an undergraduate experience at NYU Stern, where I often didn’t know my classmates’ names and doubted whether the professor recognized my face. And yet, despite its intimacy, UEP has a well-recognized program and dedicated faculty. It also didn’t hurt my decision that I received a generous scholarship from Tufts.

This fall I’m looking forward to starting a new life in Boston, being back in school mode, discovering crazy things, and meeting awesome people. I’ve been drifting the last couple of years – a year in investment banking after graduating in finance and international business, a year in Amsterdam working at a nonprofit focused on agricultural sustainability, and a year in Madrid teaching English and learning Spanish. After 2 years abroad, I’m excited to be back in the States and take advantage of all that Boston and Tufts have to offer. In particular, I look forward to exploring the function and design of city spaces and their effects within communities in both the domestic and international domains. Let’s explore together, shall we?