In terms of professional development, maybe it was a company or organization that you enjoyed seeing and might want to work with again or perhaps one of the contacts you met on the various visits.  What is your professional development takeaway from your time spent in the Pittsburgh part of the course?

In terms of personal/social development, maybe it was activities on campus or the people you have met – what is your personal development takeway from the Pittsburgh part of the course?

During the Pittsburgh portion of this trip, we visited an array of interesting companies in various facets of business. Thread international was one that stood out to me due to the triple bottom line business model. It was really interesting to learn about how a firm can make a profit off trash and have an impact on third world communities as well. Also, the very first visit we did to the University Stores put into perspective the business opportunities that are available right here on campus. In the fall, I will be working with the University Stores to refine their website and e-commerce presence. As an overall takeaway, I learned the importance of networking and making connections; “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know

Personally, I’ve developed significantly in only the past two weeks. The sense of independence gained from being able to complete my first midterm in a new environment far from home reveals that great strides have been made in my transition to Pitt. This will allow me to be more comfortable when I actually move in for the fall term. It has increased my confidence and I’ve got a good background of the public transport system. Overall, the time spent in Pittsburgh has had a tremendous positive impact on my personal and professional development.