From CGS Student to Published Author

By Gabrielle Drillis When Marcus Wachira (‘22, ENG ‘24) started his gap semester as a first-year CGS student, he couldn’t have predicted that just three years later he’d be a published author. Wachira is a senior studying mechanical engineering with a passion for creative writing. During his time at BU, he has earned the title […]

“I’m better at knowing what I need”

By Sarah Knotts Rachell Paz (CGS’ 23) used her gap semester to work at a Brazilian law firm. An aspiring lawyer from the Boston area, Paz plans to study political science or business management. We spoke with her about her #My100Days highlights, why she chose CGS, and how she plans to hold onto her Brazilian […]

#My100Days as a Ballroom Dancer

By Jennifer Small For Fiona Brymer (CGS ‘23), the gap semester provided valuable time to pursue the hobbies she is most passionate about. Brymer, an aspiring lawyer from Massachusetts, used her gap semester to practice ballroom dancing, choreograph a musical at her high school, and win a national dance competition. We spoke with Brymer about […]

#My100Days Supporting Afghan Refugees

By Meghan Bohannon When Nathan Duong (CGS ‘23) first chose the CGS Boston-London program, he planned to work on a political campaign during his gap semester before embarking on an International Relations major. But the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan in August changed the course of his gap semester. Duong, whose family is from Vietnam, felt […]

#My100Days developing my art portfolio

Julia Brown (CGS ‘23), a student from England who plans to study Biomedical Engineering, used her gap semester to develop an online art presence, hone her digital art skills, and curate a portfolio through her Instagram account @juliartsdigital. We caught up with Julia to discuss how she grew as an artist throughout her #My100Days experience. […]

Savoring the CGS Experience

By Meghan Bohannon Since the first day of his college experience, Diran Shahrik (‘21 QST’23) has embarked on a journey to pursue two very different interests. As he began his first semester at BU, Shahrik launched a startup with the Build Lab and produced a short film when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. For both projects, […]

Working Toward a Zero Waste Future

By Meghan Bohannon  What if businesses partnered together to turn their waste into reusable resources, rather than letting that waste go to landfills? With the help of the First Year Innovation Fellowship at Innovate@BU, Rachel Koh (CGS ’22, Questrom ‘24) is working on turning this idea, her brain child, into a fully operating project. The […]

Ask An Advisor: #My100Days Edition

Taking on a gap semester can be a lot to manage in a normal year. But with the challenges 2021 has brought, you may be wondering where to even start in planning your #My100Days experience. Luckily, your advisors are here to help. We asked the CGS Academic Advising Team for their top pieces of advice […]

Ten Unique Ways to Spend Your Gap Semester

Your gap semester is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something that’s important to you – whether that’s an internship in the field you want to pursue, a trip you’ve always wanted to take, or a life-changing volunteer opportunity. But sometimes it can be hard to figure out how to spend it. We asked our academic […]

Find the Gap: CGS Gap Semester Resources

Your gap semester is a time of limitless opportunity. Whether you choose to focus on you, focus on learning, focus on experience, or any combination of the above, we are here to help you make the most of your gap semester. This article contains tips, resources, and helpful links to get you started on your […]