FOSSI: Could you share a few highlights about your first few semesters at Virginia State University? Has anything surprised you about college life so far?
My highlights at Virginia State University has to be the people; from the staff, to the professors and my coaches, it feels like a family. To me, it's like a little hidden gem.
What surprised me in college was how essential it is to manage my time. Playing football in addition to studying engineering has made it hard to live up to my typical grades in high school. However, I am where I am today because these challenges led me to work harder and learn responsibility.
FOSSI: How has the FOSSI Scholarship impacted your experience at Virginia State University?
The FOSSI scholarship has been a great tool. It has given me different internship opportunities and I look forward to the meet and greets we have occasionally.
FOSSI: How are your studies going – what are the biggest challenges and what do you like most?
My studies are going well now. I got a 3.0 in my classes last semester, which raised my GPA. However, the biggest challenge I had was organizing my work. It was frustrating to not have the papers I worked so hard on when the time came to turn them in. I had so much work from different classes on top of sports, which became overwhelming at times. Eventually, I learned how to successfully adapt to my environment.
FOSSI: What extra-curricular activities are you enjoying on campus?
An extracurricular activity I do is playing Football. I take great pride in the ability to play at the university level.
FOSSI: Tell us about your experience at your internship with a FOSSI sponsor company.
My experience at Exxon Mobil was an experience I needed. I wanted to see what works in a top 10 Fortune company like Exxon Mobil. I was glad to meet my mentor Dr. Richard Lee; he was everything a mentor should be. I wish nothing but the best for him. I was also able to visit Karen McKee. I told her I was thankful for the FOSSI program and that her sponsorship was not going to waste.
My experience at Exxon was like no other. It was my first time in Houston, Texas. It is a Beautiful city, and although it was scorching hot all the time, I still had a wonderful time. The Exxon building is gorgeous which I'm sure makes it very easy to come to work every day. They have so much there, it's as if you can almost live at work. It was like something from a movie.
The one thing about Exxon that stands out the most is the people. They are "out of this world" brilliant. I learned as much as possible and contributed to the best of my ability. I met a lot of new connections, and I followed them through LinkedIn. Connecting to people so high up in a company like Exxon is cool. I can't wait to see where I go next.
Learn more about George's internship.
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