LIFE AND BREATH BYU students gain skills and perspective in Nepal. With each breath, brick workers in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley inhale dangerous particulates. From hazardous aerosols released in the brickmaking process to emissions from vehicles and factories, air pollution in the region is inescapable. Concerned about the effects of these exposures, an interdisciplinary team from Brigham Young University came together to conduct a research study in Nepal, aiming to measure brick workers’ exposure to pollutants and to assess their respiratory health. The eventual objective is to determine what strategies they can develop with the Nepali people to improve their well-being. “We all have a common goal, and our unique ways of learning are creating this big-picture effect,” says BYU nursing student Symbria Lewis. The BYU group drew from many areas of expertise. Faculty and students in nutrition, dietetics, and food sciences performed health assessments. The nursing team collected saliva and blood samples. The public health group fitted workers with air pollution monitors. Cell biologists analyzed blood serum for inflammatory responses to exposure. BYU engineers assessed community development challenges. Hands-on, collaborative learning experiences like the one in Nepal are extremely valuable for students—and for their future employers, says Jodi Chowen, managing director of Careers & Experiential Learning at BYU. “What employers are really looking for now is fit with their culture and experience with others in unique circumstances. These experiences provide that.” BYU is a private university in Utah sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Chowen says employers love BYU students because of their experience and maturity, often stemming from serving missions for the Church around the globe.“So often when employers engage with our students, they say, ‘Wow, we need more of them.’” BYU hosts the largest career fairs in the state of Utah, with hundreds of employers and thousands of students. Chowen says employers also find other ways to connect with and mentor BYU students. The Big Four accounting firms regularly recruit on campus, and BYU students have frequent engagement with organizations like Goldman Sachs, Northrop Grumman, Proctor & Gamble, Texas Instruments, Toyota, Walmart, and many of the US National Laboratories. Chowen invites employers to get to know BYU students, like those who have done work in Nepal or those who take veterans to Washington, DC, or those who help children with autism develop social skills. “Come and see,” Chowen says. “See the good, see the light that these students are bringing.” Info: Visit careers.byu.edu/employers or register on Handshake to connect with BYU career fairs and other opportunities for employers.
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