Brandon Vanlandingham

Hello! My name is Brandon Vanlandingham and I’m a senior at Mississippi State University studying aerospace engineering. I received my Gilman in the spring of 2020 to study abroad at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, and am currently serving as a Gilman Alumni Ambassador for the 2021-2022 term. 

I still remember what it felt like when I stepped off the plane on day 0 of my study abroad experience. The air was luscious and fresh, and despite my body’s physical exhaustion from the 36 hour journey, my mind raced with possibility as I made my way from the airport to my accommodation for the next 6 months. I had spent the last semester setting intentions surrounding my professional and personal development while researching the culture of my host country, but the ensuing experience was more than I ever could’ve bargained for. Through the opportunities provided by the Gilman program, I was able to experience profound growth both internally and externally as the resultant expanded worldview has provided me with invaluable skills to unlock a whole new world of potential career opportunities.

Before I studied abroad, it was easy to fall into the one track mindset dominating so many of my peers within the engineering curriculum. Go to college, get an internship, attain your degree, transition immediately into an engineering firm upon graduation. It’s a very cut and dry process, and, frankly, wouldn’t have left me much room for making a real difference in the world. When I went abroad though, I was exposed to what it might mean to be a global engineer. I learned the ways that my engineering degree could be applied to a variety of international humanitarian issues within foreign service agencies. I was provided with further opportunities provided by the Department of State that might be utilized as a stepping stone towards engaging in those international projects. Above all, though, I found myself surrounded by like-minded individuals inspired by their abroad experience to share their story and help up the next generation of Gilman scholars. 

Through my continued participation and engagement with the Gilman program, I have and continue to utilize the opportunities arising from my position as an alumni ambassador to increase engagement and awareness of the program. Whether it be through mentoring students within the current application process, conducting presentations on Gilman and study abroad with regional universities, or simply increasing awareness of study abroad opportunities on my campus, the tools made readily available to me through the Gilman program have exponentially increased my impact. My experience continues to be connective and inspiring with the boundless support of the Gilman community that has contributed to my development beyond anything a typical scholarship could ever offer.

My name is Brandon Vanlandingham, and I’m a Gilman Alumni Ambassador from Mississippi State University. In the spring of 2020, I was awarded the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Canterbury (UC) in Christchurch, New Zealand where I subsequently rode out the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic through the late summer. The lockdown forced its own set of challenges that compounded the stresses of spending six months 8,000 miles away from home. Classes transitioned to online formats, local attractions closed their doors, and the unmatched natural beauty offered by my host country became inaccessible as the government launched communities into Level 4 lockdowns nationwide. I felt as if COVID was a middle school bully stealing my lunch money as every motive I had for traveling to New Zealand was being stolen from me – well… almost. The one diamond in the rough that remained to retain my sanity proved to be the people that surrounded me throughout the experience. The most notable and lasting relationship I made while abroad, though, has to be my favorite Aussie – Tommi Siitonen.

Tommi is from Perth in Western Australia and came to UC as an international student studying product design. I met him at a get-together hosted by one of my flat-mates in which Tommi and I were the only two not a part of Frontiers Abroad, a program designed for geology and environmental science students. From our first interaction, we immediately bonded over our shared love for cooking, similar music tastes, and unruly sarcasm that comprised the majority of our conversation. Throughout my time in New Zealand, Tommi and I shared an innumerable amount of memories ranging from road-trips in our forest green ’99 Outback named Sadie, to long nights of Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. on the Switch. If I had to define our relationship in one memory, though, it would be our weekly tradition of trekking out to Karaoke night at our local Irish bar, The Craic. Many late nights were spent belting the lyrics to “I Wanna Be” by The Proclaimers while surrounded by the rest of our study abroad crew singing along with us, and in those moments, a lifelong friendship was created. As I have sat and reflected on the memories we shared during my time abroad, the lessons Tommi brought to me have become apparent as common themes that came to largely define much of my time abroad.

Some things that Tommi taught me, or tried to teach me in most cases, were beyond trivial, like the “correct” way to slice a tomato. Other things like how to drive a manual transmission vehicle proved to be incredibly practical. But above all, Tommi’s sensible attitude and respect for order are the aspects of his personality that continue to impact me over a year since my return to the United States. Although the pandemic we endured together proved trying at times, my friendship with Tommi was crucial in navigating New Zealand’s lockdown protocols. As someone who was much more familiar with the country’s regulations, Tommi acted as a voice of reason providing clarity and context while maintaining an edgy sense of humor that would cut through my shell like butter. Eventually, as reality began to set in, my attitude transformed into one of understanding and appreciation of New Zealand’s governance, but also one that extended into becoming more well-rounded in my appreciation for other individuals’ methodologies and mindsets.

Tommi and I’s bond is one that I cherish most from my time abroad, and he will undoubtedly be the first person I contact the next time I visit that wacky world down under. Somehow throughout countless snarky remarks and two months of lockdown living, he became one of my closest friends and someone I still keep in regular contact with. When my mind zooms out, I can’t help but be completely baffled by the fact that I made a best friend on the other side of the globe. It’s an experience that I will forever be grateful for and especially appreciative to the Gilman Program for their role in materializing it.