Sarvik Chaudhary ’25 always knew going to college would be a part of his story, but after high school, he was unsure of what the future would hold.

 “My parents made sure my sister and I attended the best schools. It’s because of them that I grew up loving learning,” says the first-generation college student from Surat, India. “They stressed the importance of education, because they had their own struggles, having not gone to college.

“They were always behind us,” Chaudhary continues, “and encouraged us to study whatever we’re passionate about.”

 But Chaudhary says he was unsure of what his career interests were in 2019 when he was finishing his secondary education.

Instead of jumping into college right away, Chaudhary decided to take some time to decide his next steps.

 “The best part of taking those gap years was discovering myself,” says Chaudhary. “I had to figure out how I can get a good education and equip myself with the information, knowledge, and talents needed to do whatever I wanted.”
Chaudhary moved away from home, separated himself from his phone, spent hours reading books and newspapers, and worked as a fellow for The Dexterity Global Group.

The Dexterity Global Group is a national organization in India that provides educational opportunities and training to high school and undergraduate students. Programs are designed to prepare young citizens to become leaders across diverse career fields, from education and entrepreneurship to corporate and global management. 
Chaudhary says Sharad Sagar, founder and CEO of The Dexterity Global Group, was the one who encouraged him to take the leadership and entrepreneurship training he received through the organization and to pursue higher education in the United States.

“He was, and still is today, one of my greatest mentors,” Chaudhary explains. “He attended Tufts University, so that’s how I was inspired to pursue the liberal arts and see how that kind of education could help me figure out what I want to do.”

Chaudhary participated in Wabash’s Scarlet Honors 皇冠足球比分_澳门皇冠体育-在线|平台@ekend (via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and got a glimpse of college student life. He remembers being impressed by the virtual tour of campus, and the kindness shown by faculty, staff, and potential future classmates, but even more so by the structure of the classroom.

“All of the classes were discussion-based, which was different from classes in India where the teachers lecture,” says Chaudhary. “I never was a fan of lectures. I always felt like I had things to say, opinions or questions to raise, or like I wanted to hear more from different perspectives. I saw all that happening here.”
 
While he was eager and excited, Chaudhary also recalls feeling like “a fish out of water” during his first semester at Wabash.

“Since kindergarten, I attended boarding school so I was used to being away from home, just not this far,” says Chaudhary. &ld