Miss M.I.S.
Bipasna Shakya, a first-year graduate student from Nepal, has a dream — to make her parents proud and seize any opportunity that comes her way.
After deciding she wanted to pursue a Master’s in Management Information Systems in the United States, Shakya began looking at schools across the country, only to find they were expensive with few scholarships to contribute. Marywood University became her top pick due to the size of the campus and the affordable tuition.
When she first came to Scranton, many things surprised her. Some of the biggest culture shocks for her were the language and socialization. During her first year of graduate school, Shakya mainly focused on her classes and settling into her new life.
One of the challenges that comes with being an international student is the distance from the family – and it was no exception for Shakya. However, she says the staff and faculty made campus feel like home. The inclusion and the support Shakya received inspired her to help other international students become acclimated to campus.
“I never had so many people show me this much support,” said Shakya. “The faculty and staff are so amazing. They have made this experience so much better than I could have ever imagined.”
As a graduate assistant in the Center for Global Engagement, Shakya is dedicated to offering international students and scholars a full and rewarding experience as members of the Marywood community. She is also available to assist with integrating visitors to campus life at Marywood and to support students’ welfare and interests while attending the university.
Dr. David Kang, Associate Provost for Global Education, has witnessed Shakya’s emergence as a strong leader who embraces multicultural diversity.
“Bipasna is very reliable and responsible for what has been assigned to her,” said Dr. Kang. “She goes above and beyond for all the assignments and projects. In addition to helping me with administrative matters, Bipasna has been very instrumental and supportive of international students' academic and cultural adjustments. As a chaperone, she has led field trips and cultural excursions and has served as a peer mentor for Marywood’s international students.”
In addition to the Center for Global Engagement, Marywood offers an Intensive English Program (IEP), English Language Support, and study abroad programs. Each program varies in structure, from exchanges and individually arranged programs to faculty-led programs.
“Bipasna is one of the key players who make all global programs successful and productive,” said Dr. Kang.
Following graduation, Shakya plans to return to her home country of Nepal to work in the Nepalese banking sector, which employs over 50,000 people.
The Master of Science in Management Information Systems (MS-MIS) is information technology-focused. Students learn how to strategically use, control, and implement information systems. For business savvy professionals, Marywood also offers an MBA with a concentration in Management Information Systems, which focuses more on business and enterprise.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS AT MARYWOOD »