Coming to America

When Hiren Bhinde, MS ’05, arrived in the United States in 2002 from India, over 8,000 miles away, he expected to receive an excellent education at an affordable cost. He got that — and a whole lot more — at Binghamton University.

Bhinde, who earned his master’s degree in computer science from the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science, says his first impression of American culture was the warm welcome he experienced at Binghamton.

“Whether I was at work in the Hinman Dining Hall, in class with my professors or hanging out with friends, people at Binghamton were welcoming and curious about my life in India. They wanted to know about the food, the culture and many other things. Remember, this was back in 2002 when Indian culture was not so well known in smaller places like Binghamton,” Bhinde says.

But even Binghamton’s hospitality couldn’t prevent the sense of loneliness that being half a world away from home in a foreign land evokes.

“I remember thinking about how I was going to be here for a year and a half without seeing my parents, and I felt pretty horrendous,” he recalls. “There wasn’t even Skype back then.

“There was also this eerie silence because there wasn’t a constant honking of cars like I was used to in India. It was depressing at first.”

Feelings of isolation soon dissipated when Bhinde became part of an American family through the University’s Friendship Family Program, which pairs new international students with community members. Host families help students acclimate to the culture by inviting them to their home to celebrate American holidays, taking them to visit local places or even just letting them know where to shop for clothes and find entertainment.

“When I met the Asher family, it was a match made in heaven. They were the friendliest, most loving people. With this family I immediately found a sense of warmth and security. It’s extremely important for someone coming from a foreign country with no family here to have that.

“I even got my first paycheck in my life thanks to Denise Asher because she worked in the Biology Department and hired me to work on its website,” he says. “We still keep in touch regularly.”

Working part time as a web assistant was one of two ways Bhinde supported his education.

“I’ll never forget working in the Hinman Dining Hall for $5.15 an hour for 20 hours a week — and walking out in the snow at two in the morning on Friday and Saturday nights — just so I could pay my rent. But it made me understand that this was something that this country made possible. If you work hard, it helps you. That’s why they call it the land of opportunity,” he says.

Bhinde worked hard in the classroom, too, and attributes his professional success to the preparation he received from his professors.

“Watson had amazing professors. They were challenging, extremely passionate and knew how to teach. The things I learned really stayed with me.”

Bhinde currently lives in San Diego, where he works at Qualcomm. He helped launch the first Android device in 2008, he’s managed Google as an account and now works in augmented reality.

“If you work hard and acclimatize yourself, you can become part of the system where you’re doing well for yourself. And that doesn’t just mean financially. It means building a good social circle. America gives back to you.”

Bhinde says he’d be remiss if he didn’t mention the best gift he received from Binghamton: He met his future wife, Priya Ahire, MS ’05, who was also a computer science student. The couple has two children.

Bhinde says he’s concerned about the effect the current political and immigration climate is having on international students seeking to study in the United States.

“When I came to the U.S., I was nervous only from the perspective of the global economic markets since it was post Sept. 11. I knew I just had to find myself a job and prove myself. I was never worried about the welcoming nature of this country. I’m not generalizing all people, but the political atmosphere has a certain underlying tension, and it does make young students uncomfortable.”

Despite that, Bhinde is confident that communities like the one he found at Binghamton are what will continue to define America.