Sashlin MIT Fundraiser

Hi guys, for those of you who do not know me, my name is Sashlin Jagdessi. I am a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Pretoria, entering 3 rd year in 2023. I have always strived for academic excellence and I aim to push my boundaries in both my education and career. I have been on the dean's merit list for both my first and second years of studies and have received distinctions in 90% of my modules.

Engineering has always been a passion of mine and for as long as I can remember, my primary goal has been to make impactful change in the world, to drive sustainability and technological developments. I have always dreamed of pursuing my studies at international major league universities such as Oxford and MIT, and I am happy to share with you that I have been presented with an opportunity to do so. I am 1 of 4 students chosen through the Mechanical Engineering program at UP to complete my 3 rd year of study on exchange at MIT in the US in 2023. I am also the only student of colour that has been chosen for the 2023 exchange program.

MIT is undoubtedly the best engineering institution in the world, and I have always wanted to learn amongst some of the world’s greatest engineering minds and marvels. I have always been passionate about cars and robotics, a goal of mine being to enter the automotive industry and possibly branch into F1. I am confident that through this MIT exchange, there is a great opportunity for me to widen my skill set and network to reach all my goals as an engineer. Through this opportunity, I aim to better my academic capabilities if not maintain them and to push beyond the boundaries set before me.

I look forward to learning from some of MIT’s best innovative minds and leaders. I also look forward to meeting and building new academic relationships. Despite the academic fees being partially subsidised, we are responsible to cover the remaining costs including accommodation, compulsory medical insurance, meals for the year, return flights to the US, student visa applications, immunisations, blood tests, and other subsistence costs. These expenses are expected to exceed some R500 000. With the Rand being so weak and the high standard of living in the US, it has been quite financially tight to meet my living cost requirements. I am exploring all avenues of ensuring that I may still follow this path to my future.

In support of this, I have decided to create this motivation to share with you all, just how strong my passion is for engineering and ask you to be a part of my dream. This is an opportunity that I cannot turn down. Thus, I am reaching out to you, my friends and my family, to aid us in raising funds to support my dream to study at the world’s best engineering institution and my goals as an engineer to create a better world.

Thank you all for the time taken to read, I would like to inform you that this is purely voluntary and should you choose to donate, any amount will go a long way. Please note that it would be best for donations to be in by end of Feb 2023 latest.

Keep well,

Sashlin