Originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Anne Dutreuil (B.E., ’10) immediately found a new home at Stevens. Both Anne's older brother and older sister attended Stevens, so the family connection was strong. When Anne expressed an interest in transferring here, her siblings were personally invested in making it happen. After a campus tour and interview, Anne was sold, and soon after she began the second semester of her freshman year as an Engineering Management major at Stevens.
It didn’t take long for Anne to realize that she had made the correct decision, and that a Stevens education was far superior to her former institution. She says: “At Stevens the professors encourage a new way of thinking that fosters success. You learn to think creatively and to solve problems based on the information you have instead of focusing on what you don't have.”
One of the many things that Anne appreciates about Stevens is the sense of community. "The campus is like one big family that cultivates a supportive and caring environment, helping students reach their full potential. For this reason, my parents were very pleased to send me to Stevens. They felt that they were not only investing in a great education, but also in the overall Stevens community."
Due to the campus being relatively small in comparison to other schools, Anne feels that there has been a greater opportunity for her to get involved here. Currently, Anne is the president of the Black Student Union, a member of Black Student Engineers, the student choir, and Alpha Phi Omega (the national service fraternity). She is also a resident advisor (RA), a peer mentor, and an on-campus tutor. During her time at Stevens, Anne has also taken piano lessons.
If Anne could offer one piece of advice to incoming international students, she would suggest they get involved. She says: “There are a lot of opportunities and you just need to contact the right people. Stevens is a great place to be. Don't limit yourself to one group, because the possibilities are endless."
Anne knows, as an international student, that sharing knowledge and ideas fosters cultural awareness. Each student has a unique heritage and culture which means that each person offers a new perspective. By staying involved Anne has developed a varied group of friends. Getting involved and participating in different on-campus events allows students to meet others that have similar interests. These common interests bond students and promote communication, success and life-long friendships, not to mention further enhance the Stevens experience.
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