Hi everyone! My name is Anika Shah and I am a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh. I am majoring in Architectural Studies with a minor in Studio Arts and Sociology. I cannot believe this trip is approaching so soon (less than 48 hours I will be on the plane). Though this semester has flown by and my international summer is about to begin, I am beyond excited to begin this journey.

I will be interning at an Architectural firm in Berlin called Ellis Williams Architects (EWA). I should brush-up on my usage of the metric system, but no matter the challenge I am ready to transition into an active member of the EWA team.

Out of all the IIP Programs Pitt offers, Berlin seems to be the perfect fit for me. Architecturally, it will be great to learn how the city has redeveloped to how it is today from the past destruction it has gone through. I am interested to see the combinations of past and present architectural styles that create the city we know of today.

I am eager to take in as much as I can from both my internship and my travels this summer. I know I will utilize the knowledge gained through my future endeavors.