Meet Tulpar Janbolat: The “Mongolian dynamite”

By JC Church

For Tulpar Janbolat, coming to Rider from Mongolia has meant embracing new opportunities, adjusting to a different culture and staying connected to his passion for volleyball. 

Janbolat, a junior computer science major, has gained research and internship experience, while also playing for Rider’s men’s volleyball club and practicing with the Division I women’s volleyball program as a student manager and practice player.

Janbolat grew up in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, which he describes as a modern city with a rich history and growing technology industry. He said people often misunderstand his home country.

“A lot of people here in America imagine that Mongolia is just the countryside, horses and traditional nomadic life,” Janbolat said. “But Ulaanbaatar is actually a major urban center with universities, businesses and a growing technology sector.”

Although he initially considered studying in South Korea or China, Janbolat chose the United States for its opportunities. Rider’s smaller campus, computer science program and location near Philadelphia made it especially appealing.

“I could experience American college life while also having opportunities outside [of] campus,” he said.

Rider provided Janbolat with professional experience early in his college career. During his first year, he earned a MacMillan scientific research fellowship, working with a professor on a research project. He later completed multiple internships, including one with Sphere Global, a software logistics company specializing in computer vision, and another with the Trenton Downtown Association.

His interest in computer science grew from his strengths in mathematics, logic and problem solving. Today, he hopes to combine his technical skills with his love for athletics.

“Computer science seemed like a natural choice because it combines the logic of thinking, creativity and technology,” Janbolat said.

Volleyball has remained an important part of his life since when he played the sport in Mongolia. At Rider, he competes with the men’s club volleyball team, where he has earned various nicknames, including the Mongolian dynamite, silent assassin and humble beast. He has also joined the women’s Division I program as a student manager and practice player this year.

Janbolat has coached younger players and developed computer science projects involving artificial intelligence, including volleyball tracking and scoring. He hopes to continue exploring how technology can improve sports.

Adjusting to life in New Jersey brought some unexpected cultural differences. Janbolat said he was surprised by how friendly people were when he first arrived.

“When I first met with people here, they were too welcoming,” he said.

During his first year, he sometimes struggled to approach people and worried about making mistakes while speaking English. Over time, he became more comfortable communicating and networking. He credits Rider’s supportive professors with helping him succeed, academically.

“The computer science faculty is very supportive,” Janbolat said.

Nearly three years have passed since Janbolat last visited his family in Mongolia. He is the oldest of three children and has two younger sisters. Between research and internships, he has remained busy, but hopes to return home next summer. He especially misses traditional Mongolian steamed dumplings.

If he could bring something from Mongolia to Rider, Janbolat said it would be his culture’s emphasis on hospitality, community and respect.

“Welcoming people, sharing food and respecting others are really important parts of our culture,” he said.

For international students that are considering studying abroad, Janbolat offers advice shaped by his own experience with overcoming shyness.

“Be brave and don’t be shy,” he said. “You just gotta chill and speak about yourself, connect and network.”

Truden Delgado, a sophomore accounting and finance major who met Janbolat through club volleyball, said the sport has helped him connect with others who share his passion.

“To people he doesn’t really know, he’s kind of like just a quiet, polite guy,” Delgado said. “But once you get to know him, he’s really funny, actually.”

Through his academic pursuits, volleyball involvement and cultural experiences, Janbolat continues building a home away from home at Rider.

This article is part of the Home Away From Home series by The Rider News to highlight international students from the S.N.O.