Watson College graduate student guides others on their Binghamton journeys

From websites to apps, Pallabi Mitra, MS ’27, always has been interested in understanding how systems work — a deep-rooted fascination that has motivated her to pursue her master’s degree in computer science at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science.

An international student from Kolkata, India, Mitra spent four years as a full-time systems engineer before coming to Binghamton University with the goal of diving deeper into machine learning and artificial intelligence. With no prior connections in the U.S., she discovered Binghamton online through her own research — and she felt encouraged to apply because of its highly ranked computer science programs and the alignment between her research interests with areas of faculty expertise.

But what really sets the University apart is the support she’s received every step of the way. Mitra explains that applying to Binghamton was “extremely streamlined,” and she found assistance from the Watson Office of Graduate Recruitment through one-on-one virtual calls and constant communication. She also received the selective Gajwani Fellowship to fund her graduate studies, a full-tuition scholarship established in 1998 to promote cross-cultural educational exchanges between Binghamton University and the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

“As an international student, there were difficulties navigating, but Binghamton University has been really helpful with that,” said Mitra, who is grateful for all the resources Binghamton has extended to her. “The Office of Graduate Recruitment has always followed up with emails to check with me on my application status. I have also received an application fee waiver, so overall the experience has been really welcoming and warm for me.”

Inspired to pay it forward and offer the same kind of help she once received, Mitra joined the Watson Graduate Recruitment team as a graduate student assistant. Her responsibilities involve reaching out to prospective students and addressing any questions they may have about the application process — a position that has encouraged the development of professional skills like communication and collaboration, as well as a sense of personal fulfillment.

“Students have a lot of questions regarding which course to take, how to apply, how to send documents, and I streamline that process by helping them out,” Mitra said. “This is the exact team that I had gotten a lot of help from back in India when I was applying, and that’s why I relate to it so much. The team that I work with — Johanna [Brozinsky], Suhailah [Abdur-Rahim] and James [Lethbridge] — they are amazing, and they are very approachable. This is my on-campus job that I do as a student, along with my courses, and they are so warm and so flexible. I’m having an amazing time over here.”

“Being able to help people is something that is really close to me, because I have received a lot of help before, and I understand what international people go through,” she added. “We have very little information, and there is no one exactly to reach out to, so I am so glad that I could be a part of this team to help people out.”

Abdur-Rahim, one of the graduate recruiters at Watson College, describes Pallabi as always eager to help and an exceptional addition to the team.

“Pallabi is a standout GSA, whose impact on the office has been immediate and profound,” Abdur-Rahim said. “A fast learner and natural leader, Pallabi has excelled in running virtual information sessions for prospective international students and proactively mentoring our newest GSA members.”

“She has exceptional problem-solving skills, a great work ethic and a constant willingness to pitch in wherever needed,” she added. “Beyond her professional contributions, her positive energy makes her a delightful addition to our team. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication and the high standard of excellence she brings to the office every day!”

Outside of work, Mitra has found unobstructed access to explore the environment through nearby parks and trails around upstate New York. Coming from one of the largest metropolitan areas in India, she says that Binghamton has offered her proximity to some of the “best nature” she’s seen so far.

“I have been to some state parks, and the hiking trails over here — the nature is just amazing,” she said. “The weather is amazing. It’s really beautiful. I have also been to Ithaca, and to Niagara Falls. I went to Pennsylvania for a hike! I feel that Binghamton’s location is so strategic, so going to all of these spaces is really easy, and I have traveled to all of these. It’s beautiful to take a hike or just be in nature.”

Mitra also speaks highly of the student-friendly community she’s come to find at Binghamton, where everyone is eager to help, from the peers in her courses to local residents who have welcomed her with generosity — something that has made her experience adjusting to an unfamiliar country all the more positive.

“I don’t have anyone here. I don’t have any family or anyone that I know of,” she said. “I came here all by myself, and I thought it was going to be very difficult to navigate, but I found people to be so hospitable, so warm. Everyone helped me above and beyond.”