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As a master’s student in construction management, Saurav Ayyagari is no stranger to building things. On the verge of earning both his B.S. in Public Policy and a Master of Engineering in Construction Management in just five years, he has made a point of applying his passion around the globe to build his network.

“Your net worth is your network,” says Saurav. “Now, mine is worldwide.”

In his five years as an Illinois Tech student, Saurav has studied how urban flux transportation transformed urban environments such as Berlin; Copenhagen, Denmark; Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Hamburg, Germany. He has also analyzed architectural and environmental solutions for modular buoyant assemblies in Nigeria, investigated how eco-tourism developments have impacted coastal erosion in Bali, and presented his research at an international conference.

“I even had the opportunity to join post-graduate seminars and lecture about the state of public administration at the University of Indonesia and the University of the Philippines,” says Saurav. “As an interdisciplinary student—from architecture to sustainable construction management and now public policy—with an internationally distinguished network, I am spoiled for opportunities to pursue.”

As a student in the global metropolis of �鶹APP, Saurav has also made his impact felt in his own community. Before Saurav coordinated an IPRO blue energy startup to revitalize Great Lakes infrastructure, he served on the executive committee and as treasurer of the Illinois Tech chapter of the American Institute for Architecture Students. There, he spearheaded multiple committees and led a fundraiser that raised funds to help 25 students assist in the construction homes for Habitat for Humanity.

He also landed a role as a contracting project management intern at Trane Technologies, where he commissioned HVAC installations for educational facilities and evaluated an automated programming tool.

Through his involvement with the community within his degree programs—both locally and beyond—Saurav has found a way to consistently make the most of the opportunities in front of him. Though his post-graduation plans aren’t set in stone yet, he’s confident his Illinois Tech education has prepared him for whatever path his future has in store for him.

“Opportunities can come at you like a fire hose, so it takes humility to know how and when to take them on,” says Saurav. “The versatile nature of the B.S. in Public Policy afforded me the opportunity to transform my passion and facilitate profound developments for communities.”