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Jake Bakkedahl MSc Energy and Sustainability (Energy, Environment and Buildings)

Jake Bakkedahl's Photo

Meet Jake Bakkedahl – a MSc Energy and Sustainability (Energy, Environment and Buildings) student from America on a Southampton US Naval Academy Scholarship.

I’ve never lived in a very populated city before, so that has been a neat experience. I really enjoy how compact and well connected the entire city is, which made biking to and from school enjoyable. Getting to enjoy the city’s history through visiting some of the older pubs and walking along the “Old Wall” has been my favourite part of living here. My wife would say that her favourite thing about Southampton is the shopping at Primark and the excellent food at Mango Thai and Thai Thai Express.

Why did you choose to study at the University of Southampton?

I chose to study at the University of Southampton for two reasons. The first being that my university in the US offered a fully-funded scholarship here for an entire year of studies. The second reason was because of the great reputation surrounding the University’s Energy and Sustainability course and its professors.

What do you enjoy the most about living in Southampton?

I’ve never lived in a very populated city before, so that has been a neat experience. I really enjoy how compact and well connected the entire city is, which made biking to and from school enjoyable.  Getting to enjoy the city’s history through visiting some of the older pubs and walking along the “Old Wall” has been my favourite part of living here. My wife would say that her favourite thing about Southampton is the shopping at Primark and the excellent food at Mango Thai and Thai Thai Express.

What is the name of the scholarship you have received?

I received the “Southampton US Naval Academy Scholarship” for the 2019-2020 academic year.

How do you feel this scholarship has benefitted you and your studies?

This scholarship has allowed me to pursue a top-notch MSc degree through various courses that employ a very hands-on and engaging approach. Equally as beneficial as the degree, is the diversity of the other students that I share this course with. This scholarship has allowed me to work in groups with people that come from very different backgrounds, which has allowed me to grow considerably in terms of cultural awareness and learning how to work well in such groups. I certainly would not have had this experience elsewhere.

What has been your proudest accomplishment while you were in Southampton?

My proudest accomplishment while at the University of Southampton has been successfully living in a completely different country with my wife and getting to travel around Europe and experience the culture and history of so many different countries.

What will you do with your degree after you have finished your studies?

Upon completion of my studies, I will head back to the US and continue my career in the United States Navy. I hope to use my degree to show the effectiveness of and necessity for adopting renewable energy technologies in the future and bringing an awareness to the importance of reducing our carbon footprint.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my time spent at the University of Southampton. I would certainly recommend this experience to anyone who is interested in pursuing a graduate degree and wants to see more of what the world has to offer.

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