Irena Potochny's Spotlight
Irena Potochny
About Irena
Irena is a second-year Penn State University Park student majoring in Materials Science and Engineering, and minoring in Sustainability Leadership . During the summer of 2023, Irena studied abroad through our Tohoku University Summer STEM Program in Sendai, Japan.
Continue reading to learn more about how Irena chose a program, how her experience abroad changed her as a person, the highlights of her time in Sendai, Japan, and why everyone should study abroad in her own words!
Irena posing on a trail at Tohoku University
Photo taken by Irena on a field trip to a crater lake in Japan
Photo taken by Irena of a samurai statue at Shiroishi Castle in Japan
Photo taken by Irena of a crater lake on top of Mount Zao, which required two ski lifts and an hour hike to reach
Irena posing on the stairs to a retro basement restaurant during her education abroad experience
Irena with her friends at a Korean restaurant in Japan
Irena's Education Abroad Experience
"I chose this program because I have always wanted to go to Japan. I love the cuisine and bonsai. Additionally, it was only for engineering students, so the lecture content was already tailored to my interests.
Since it was my first time in Japan, everything fascinated me. It was so clean, every toilet had a bidet, and everyone dressed so nicely. I was also very impressed by the delicious food. The program focused on lectures and cultural experiences. As a Materials Science and Engineering major, I often get asked what my major means. In Japan, almost every lecture we had was related to my field, which made me excited to come back to Penn State and continue my studies. Before the trip I was not interested in focusing on metals, but after hearing about Japanese sword making and developing high entropy alloys, I became excited for future metallurgy classes. The cultural experiences were amazing. l was able to experience a Japanese Tea Ceremony, Ikebana (flower arrangement), aikido (martial arts), and Zen meditation with a Buddhist monk. At Tohoku University, I even met a student from Penn State who is studying for a year here, so it was great seeing him on campus this fall!
This experience has helped me gain a lot of self-confidence, as I learned to navigate around a country and meet new people. These experiences will help in my future career aspirations.
At first, I did not even think I would get accepted into the program. When I did, I knew I could not pass up the opportunity, but I was extremely nervous. I booked my flight to Japan without knowing any Japanese. I am proud of myself for reaching so far out of my comfort zone and learning from lifestyles across the world. Traveling is so important in understanding people and gaining perspectives. These skills will improve your respect and understanding for people who are different from you; I think that is really what our world needs right now. Please study abroad!"