Hey! My name Sydney Lewis and I am a junior at the University of Pittsburgh. I am majoring in Human Resources and Global Management with a minor in French. I have always enjoyed people and learning about different cultures which drove me to my majors. I have also been speaking and learning french since I was 13 years old.

I am completing the Global Business Institute program in London this semester. I have chosen to study abroad in London because it a global hub for business and my dad grew up here. It’s nice, and also surreal, being able to not only study abroad but see where my dad grew up for the first time. While here, I will also be interning for London Marriott Hotel Kensington. For the Marriott, I will be interning for their Human Resources Department.

Through this program I hope to learn a lot about myself personally and professionally. It is my goal to make as many connections as I can so I make sure that this experience has a lasting impact on my career and also enjoy my time exploring a new country.

So, some more about me. I grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey and am the oldest of three. I also have a puppy named Max who is the light of my life. Growing up, I always had a passion for adventure and new cultures. Being raised in a family where half of us were from other countries had a strong influence on me.

I chose to begin taking french in middle school because France was number one my list of places to visit. I was in awe of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and vowed I would one day see them both and when I went, I would be able to speak the language. I’ve been studying french since then and have fallen more in love with it. To this day, it is still one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Another one of the best decisions Ive ever made was choosing to go abroad in high school. The summer after my junior year, I was invited by an organization called People to People, to travel to Spain, France and Italy for 3 weeks. I was ecstatic. I paid my dues, hopped on a plane and had the most amazing experience that, to this day, still has an effect on me.

During this time abroad, myself and thirty other students from the New Jersey area, traveled from Rome to Florence to Nice to Montpellier to Barcelona. We even spent a day in Monaco! In Assisi, Italy we had a chance to volunteer with children with mental and physical disabilities and Madrid we were able to help a local farm milk cows!

This time abroad, though short, made me realize that I wanted to not only study abroad in college but someday work and live abroad as well. I learned so much about the Europe and its culture and was so eager to know more. This experience that I will have while studying abroad in London, i know, will have a lasting impact on my life and I’m eager to begin this new journey.