Since its inception in 2017, SRM University, AP has raced towards its vision of becoming a world-class university that is globally connected, nationally relevant and regionally transformative. The ambitious plan for the multi-stream research university was built on its state of the art infrastructure, new age curriculum, and a strong faculty team. At the heart of it all has been the sprawling, green campus designed by American architects, Perkins + Will.

But the campus of any learning institution is only its foundation. It needs to be harnessed and complemented by a holistic, dynamic learning experience that can give students the edge in their respective careers. Undoubtedly, it is hard for freshers walking onto the nascent campus to envision it for their future. “Not knowing what my journey was going to be like was the most challenging part for me,” confesses Alluri Harika, CSE, student of the first batch.

In three years’ time, she not only graduated with a specialization in Cyber Security but also got placed with Optum Global for a plum package of Rs. 11.59 LPA. “I wanted to experience diversity. I went through many stages of knowing about the faculty, university culture, curriculum, campus diversity. It showed their willingness to provide an efficient and global standard of teaching. I would say we grew together a lot in three years,” she adds.

Campus diversity of SRM University, AP is much talked about because it in itself is an enriching experience for students. Sri Harsha TR, who also specialized in Cyber Security vouches for the impact it had on his transformation as he says, “I had some amazing discussions and interactions with students from different streams on campus, in research labs. I also learned a lot while I was organizing festivals. It’s the diversity that I miss the most today.”

Today, he is realizing his professional dreams after converting his internship into placement with AbInBev for a handsome package of Rs. 12+ LPA. Students of the first batch of SRM University, AP unanimously agree that their initial scepticism faded quickly as the curriculum went from strength to strength. They also got the opportunities to explore a wide range of platforms to grow and showcase their talents.

Nilofer Sultana Mohammad, who specialized in Data Science and bagged a placement with Barclays Global Service Center reveals how campus activities groomed her personality and instilled a sense of independence in her. “Always being a part of organizing committees made me a multitasker, who could manage time efficiently. I also overcame my fear of public speaking and became more persistent,” she says brimming with confidence.

Her defining moment came when she attended a semester at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley. Nilofer admits that it changed her perspective about the world and her own life, and made her an independent woman. That seems to be the story for all students, who have been part of the young SRMAP campus. They have broadened their horizons, gained new perspectives, built a strong professional foundation, and transformed with their university.

It was a case of first impression being the lasting one for Vijayawada boy Hashmmath Shaik when he visited SRM University, AP campus. He left having made his decision to enroll for the B.Tech, CSE program. And though he hasn’t been able to return to the campus due to the pandemic last year, he believes his learning experience hasn’t been compromised. He journals his experiences of first year of college; from virtual orientation to Zoom classes and extracurricular activities.

“Choosing the graduation program and college is a big deal and I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Hence I wanted to check things out myself and was completely blown away by the infrastructure at SRM University, AP. Coming from Vijayawada, this was a whole new world to me, but I knew that this is what my dream college would look like.

Unfortunately due to the pandemic last year, we haven’t been able to go back to campus. But my B.Tech CSE program began with a virtual orientation program that put all of us at ease. It was a well-rounded program with quizzes and games and motivational sessions. There were talks about mental health in times of the pandemic, which was very thoughtful.

While I have not been able to attend offline classes, I don’t think the learning experience has been compromised in any way. Zoom is a brilliant platform for student engagement. Teaching practices where students are asked to solve questions are also very helpful. We have had our exams in lab classes, which was good practical exposure for all of us.

I am very impressed by our faculty members, not only because they too had to adapt to online teaching but they have also done it brilliantly while focusing on students’ needs. We are given assignments on a regular basis to understand if we have grasped the topics. They are always accessible and pay special attention to topics so that we have complete clarity about them.

Besides academic learning, I am thrilled to see the preparations for cultural activities that are held online. As a first year student, I have missed those experiences that are crucial to college life. I can’t wait to get back to campus and participate in Basketball games, play guitar – these are my main interests. I also want to be a part of the theatre group and perform on stage.

I think hostel life is one of the coolest aspects of college years. I can’t wait to experience it with my batch mates who come from everywhere in India – UP, Odisha, and also African countries, Bangladesh. I haven’t seen all of them though we are connected on social media. I am confident that when we meet it will be like we have been friends forever. I am really looking forward to it.”

Testimonial

“Zoom is a brilliant platform for student engagement. Teaching practices where students are asked to solve questions are also very helpful. We have had our exams in lab classes, which was good practical exposure for all of us. I am very impressed by our faculty members, not only because they too had to adapt to online teaching but they have also done it brilliantly while focusing on students’ needs.” – Hashmmath Shaik, B.Tech CSE, Batch 2020-24.

Covid-19 pandemic put a dampener on the spirits of many college freshers who missed out on the campus experience. N Lakshmi Nagendra talks about it with a tinge of sadness but he knows that his college experience hasn’t been compromised. As he grows in both personal and professional walks of his life, he tells us why he feels he might have struggled with the transition at any place other than SRM University, AP.

“When I first visited SRM University, AP campus I had travelled a few hours from my hometown in Khammam, Telangana but it felt like I was transported to a completely new place. I was amazed by the state of the art infrastructure on the campus. I am glad I took the decision to enroll with the university because I have come a long way only in one year of the program.

Since I am very interested in the field, I opted for B. Tech Computer Science with Cyber Security. But as I was looking forward to being on the campus and starting this new chapter in my life, the Covid-19 pandemic had hit. It was definitely disappointing but we had to seek solace in the fact that we could be in the comforts of our homes.

I think at any other place we would have struggled with the transition, but SRM University, AP had left no stone unturned to ensure that we moved to online learning smoothly. We could see the efforts being made right from the virtual orientation program, which was filled with exciting activities. Unique events like Chess and other games made it a lot of fun for all of us.

The campus diversity is one of the reasons I chose the University, and so far I have come across students from many different states. Although we have met virtually, I have become friends with some of them. A friend from Pune knows more about coding than we do, so I learn from him. These interactions are truly enriching.

I can say that the classroom learning experience is of very high quality. I have learned so much from my faculty members, not only about the subjects but dealing with everyone in such a calm and composed manner. We are also connected through Whatsapp, and whenever we have any queries we know that we can reach out to them without any hesitation.

Some of the highlights for me are the group discussions where we learn from each other’s diverse perspective. I also love playing games and doing experiments in the lab. There are many fun events being conducted online, which keep us going. Of course, we wish that we could be back on campus, but we have time. And right now we are making the most of it.”

From the virtual tour of the campus to online learning and events, Sruti Poolla, student of Class of 2023 at SRM University, AP has been wowed by the experiences she has had. Bonding with her batch mates from around the country and participating in diverse discussions, she has learned the importance of looking at global problems from different perspectives. As she eagerly waits to explore the campus, Sruti offers her own perspective on her first year in college.

“Can you believe it; I have been doing my B.Sc. (Hons.) Economics from SRM University, AP for a year but haven’t visited the campus once! But we are playing with the cards we have been dealt with and it’s been a lot of fun.

We had a virtual tour of the campus again on the orientation day, and it just blew my mind. I saw the library and the hostel rooms and was completely bowled over. I cannot wait to get on the campus and visit the library, as well as the basketball court. Besides that, I want to sing on stage.

It has been a joyride right from the virtual orientation where we had all our queries about the University and department answered. The online Freshers event was a lot of fun, and I have also participated in carnivals.

As far as learning goes, I really didn’t think it was possible online. But our faculty members have gone to great lengths to make it engaging and exciting for us. We have our classes on Zoom and we have breakout rooms, polls, which encourage us to participate in the learning process.

It has also offered us the platform to interact with our peers and batch mates. We are connected on Whatsapp groups and have bonded quite well. Interacting with students from different states, backgrounds, and cultures is an enriching experience in itself.

I’d say that my friends are quite opinionated, which is great because you are always learning something new. In fact, that has been my biggest learning experience so far – knowing that there are many perspectives to any global problem.

I am really looking forward to being on campus so that I can explore my college years to the fullest. We have all the platforms to take on new challenges and grow into well rounded individuals and professionals. I am definitely ready for it.”

It is the second time lucky for Rasheed Amina Karim Firdous who found exactly what he was looking for at SRM University, AP. After pursuing a semester in Computer Science Engineering, the young man from Vijayawada dropped out only to find his true calling. The B. Sc (Hons.) Economics, Class of 2023 student looks back on his first year at the university and tells us why he feels he is in the right place at the right time.

“Unlike most of my batch mates, my college journey began differently. I pursued a semester in Computer Science Engineering but realized that it wasn’t for me. Around that time, my father was seriously ill so I dropped out for a semester. The gap and space I had made me realize what I really wanted, and this time I found exactly that at SRM University, AP.

I enrolled for B. Sc (Hons.) Economics program and to my surprise my story resonated with that of our faculty Ms. Shrabani Mukherjee. When she shared her story with the class I felt instantly connected and knew that I was in the right place. Her encouragement has motivated me and made me more disciplined towards academics, especially at a time when I was feeling unsure and unsteady.

Everything at the university has been a pleasant surprise from day 1. Let’s start with the virtual campus tour, which had me mesmerized. It is wonderful to see that the campus has been built while keeping the balance between aesthetics and the environment. It has all the modern amenities that are designed keeping students’ needs in mind.

The virtual orientation was planned with activities on mental health, yoga, budget as well as some fun tournaments. It was particularly thoughtful to focus on mental health in the last year of uncertainties. I am grateful to be able to pursue my studies on a brilliant platform with caring faculty members to guide us along the journey.

We have a Google classroom where we can access all the notes, presentations shared by our faculty members. We have Zoom calls for meetings with breakout rooms that invariably lead to amazing discussions. We can connect with our batch mates on Zoom, whatsapp or regular calls. We discuss ideas, play games and have built camaraderie.

It’s one of the main reasons I want to get on the campus as soon as possible. We have students from various states, who bring their own cultures, traditions, view points to the campus. Everyone has their own talents; one is a singer, someone else is into cricket. It is such a stimulating environment and I can’t wait to participate in those thought provoking discussions in person.”