Passport to Success: Global Itinerary Leads CS Grad to Prestigious International Designation
When computer science (CS) major Amber Ephraim walks across the Commencement stage this month, her diploma will bear a distinction earned by only a few Georgia Tech graduates each year: the International Plan (IP) designation.
Ephraim is one of eight Georgia Tech students to receive the IP designation this semester. She is joined by CS major Andrew Wang, who is also graduating this month with the IP designation.
Georgia Tech’s IP designation demonstrates a student’s “strong, intentional commitment to global education,” according to Heidi Fiedler, Georgia Tech’s IP academic manager.
She added that employers and graduate programs see IP as evidence of adaptability, intercultural communication skills, and global perspectives. “It meaningfully differentiates a Georgia Tech degree and highlights a graduate’s readiness to thrive in a global environment," Fiedler said.
Ephraim said that her curiosity about the International Plan began during her second year. After switching to CS during her second year, she discovered the program while browsing Georgia Tech’s website. She liked the idea of a long-term global experience, so she decided to go for it.
The IP program requires students to complete three globally focused courses, be proficient in a non-English language, and spend at least 26 weeks abroad. Ephraim exceeded the requirement by completing three international experiences:
- A study-abroad semester at Georgia Tech-Europe in Metz, France
- A two-month internship in Bengaluru, India
- An exchange semester at the University of Sydney in Australia
Tara Berry is the IP academic coordinator for the College of Computing. She said Ephraim’s diverse experiences studying and working abroad are what set her apart from her peers.
“Amber is unique because she has international experience in studying abroad and interning abroad. This is enough time overseas to truly say she has more experience than the average student at navigating work relationships across international locations and different cultures,” Berry said.
Ephraim traveled to France during the summer of 2023 for her first study abroad experience. She immersed herself in French, which she chose for her IP language requirement. She practiced in everyday interactions and often helped classmates navigate conversations at shops or service counters.
“I became a regular at one Japanese restaurant close to my dorm and would always talk with the workers about my week,” she said in a speech delivered earlier this semester.
Her next experience, a two-month summer 2024 internship at Infosys India, proved more challenging and transformative.
Working in Bengaluru required adjusting to new cultural expectations around communication and workplace relationships. Ephraim said that she and her coworkers would occasionally misinterpret one another. The experience prompted her to develop strategies—such as sketching diagrams—to confirm understanding.
She also learned to adapt to a more community-oriented work culture, where colleagues openly discuss personal well-being and regularly socialize outside the office. The result, she said, was a stronger ability to navigate multicultural environments and ask precise follow-up questions to prevent miscommunication.
Ephraim arrived in Sydney in February 2025 for a semester-long study exchange. Building on her previous experiences abroad, she says she was prepared to approach the experience with more independence.
One of her goals in Sydney was to broaden her academic portfolio. So, Ephraim, who graduated from Villa Rica High School in 2021, enrolled in virtual reality (VR) design and cybersecurity courses. She also joined the university’s Sustainability Program, volunteered in a community garden, and participated in a series of talks and tours focused on environmental issues.
The semester, she said, helped her refine her interests in computing and gave her “new hobbies and skills that I never would have thought I would like.”
Across all three experiences, Ephraim developed stronger interpersonal skills and greater confidence speaking with new people. She attributes this personal growth to being pushed outside her comfort zone.
“I’ve never been super extroverted,” she said. “But I am more comfortable talking to people I haven’t met before. I can strike up a conversation and look people in the eye.”
These skills, along with the global awareness emphasized by the International Plan, will support her next steps.
After graduation, Ephraim plans to build a portfolio for a career in game development. She hopes to begin creating her first original game soon—an exploratory, short-format project that blends fantasy elements with themes of self-reflection.
“I want to get started on my own passion project as soon as I graduate,” she said.
Ephraim recommends starting early and approaching each experience intentionally for students considering the International Plan. For those who are unsure of their long-term goals, she believes IP is still a good option.
“Extended time abroad provides perspective that is difficult to gain otherwise. It opens you up to a lot of new opportunities,” she said. “It’s an excellent character-building experience.
“It shows a lot of time, effort, and dedication. I feel very proud to look back on it.”
GRADUATING CS MAJOR EARNS IP DESIGNATION
Andrew Wang is one of two graduating CS majors who have earned GT’s IP designation this semester.
Wang, a two-time Apple AI/ML intern, participated in the first-year semester abroad program at Georgia Tech Europe.
The co-founder of Gaimify – an AI-powered data insights company based in Atlanta – Wang starts a master’s degree in CS at Georgia Tech in January. Photo courtesy of Andrew Wang.