Meet the M30s: Cole Nielson Goes Beyond Traditional Study Abroad

Describe yourself in three words.

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Observational - I believe the easiest way to adapt to a foreign culture is to watch what the locals do, and to an extent mimic them.

Adaptive - Being able to adapt to differences and issues is a skill that can't be overstated enough. Traveling internationally comes with all sorts of problems, like missed flights, delays, etc and being able to adapt makes all those situations so much easier.

Inquisitive - Asking questions is one of the best things someone can do. From learning to clearing misunderstandings and everything in between, questions are one of the best things you can do; even questions just towards yourself help you grow and confront yourself.

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When you began exploring colleges, what kind of academic challenge and real-world experience were you looking for, and what made Minerva stand out from more traditional U.S. universities?

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I've been traveling with my family nearly all my life and have enjoyed these trips extensively. However, one thing I've realized from these trips is that visiting and living in another country are starkly different experiences.

Because of this, I have been interested in a study abroad program since I started looking at colleges and was initially planning on just going to an in-state college as it offered a study abroad program, was relatively strong in my intended major, and overall was a well-rounded choice. 

However, I then discovered Minerva University, which offered something I had never seen before: a 4-year rotation program, which allowed me to fully immerse myself in a foreign country without the restrictions a normal study abroad would impose. 

This piqued my interest and was academically more interesting than anything other colleges had shown me so far. Along with just the prospect of being able to fully experience living in another country, the challenges and unique experiences created through Minerva's integration within these rotation cities, everything from applying learned skills in real-world experiences to unique opportunities tied to the culture of each country.

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‍Between co-leading your school’s cybersecurity club and exploring technology through internships, how have those experiences shaped what you hope to study and the kinds of real-world challenges you want to tackle at Minerva?

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My love for cybersecurity is mostly centered around the unique challenges and even more unique solutions to these challenges. My internships only furthered this love as I happened to start on an audit year and was forced to tackle challenges and confront people I had virtually no experience with. I was forced to apply my skills in a real-world setting and in an environment where failure affected real people, and a slowdown affected more than just me or a small group of friends.

I'm hoping Minerva will allow me to take this to the international scale, and play a similar role to what my teams have played, supporting me yet challenging and constantly pushing me forward. Ideally, this new international opportunity allows me to explore how other countries approach cybersecurity and computer science in general, and, adding onto that, gain more leadership experiences within tech.

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‍You have traveled extensively internationally. How have those experiences influenced the way you see the world, and how do you hope Minerva’s global rotation will challenge that perspective further?

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I like to think I have a very nuanced worldview due to traveling internationally extensively. However, I do recognize that as someone who was born in the U.S. and spent a majority of my time here, I'm still biased towards the U.S. in many different ways.

I'm hoping that through Minerva's 4-year rotations, these implicit biases are minimized, and by experiencing such a wide variety of cultures within a relatively short period of time, I learn to appreciate aspects of other cultures I may have downplayed/ignored before. 

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‍What would you say to another U.S. student who is excited by Minerva but hesitant to choose a college experience that looks different from the traditional path?

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One of my biggest fears when initially considering Minerva was the quality of the education; with an international campus, I was scared the quality of the classes would go down immensely. However, in talking to the readily available staff, I learned that in addition to many of the professors being from extremely reputable colleges, all the classes were formatted in such a way to maximize attention and learning.

If, however, the fearful part is the travel, then for U.S. Students interested in Minerva, they have a very unique opportunity no other students get: a year within a country they are comfortable in, no Visa troubles, no international flights, and overall a much easier transition.

Most of my remaining concerns with Minerva were squashed pretty quickly, as the staff is readily accessible and, at least for me, responding very quickly and very willing to set up events just to make sure I know what I'm signing up for!

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Inspired by Cole's story? Apply to join Minerva and discover a college experience designed to expand how you think, create, and engage with the world.