Hi everyone! My name is Gabi Albensi, and I am thrilled to bring you along my journey through the land down under! I am a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, studying Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Business Information Systems. Growing up just 30 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, my family has always been a huge Pitt Family. My sister graduated from Pitt during the Spring of 2017 and I started my college experience in Fall of 2017.

I did not choose Pitt because it was close to home, but after my visit to the Business School, I fell in love with the program. I was inspired from the moment I stepped into Sennott Square, to aim for my highest protentional and then reach beyond. I knew I wanted to study business but with the countless options, I did not know where to start. After settling into Oakland and speaking with my amazing advisors in the Tafel Center, I was able to choose an academic path that allowed me to combine my love for numbers with my creativity.

At Pitt, I am always finding new opportunities that help me grow personally and professionally. I have joined business clubs that have introduced me to my future employer – American Eagle Outfitters. I applied to be a part of the Pitt Dance Marathon and met so many life changing friends and mentors. Most importantly, I have been incredibly lucky to have some of the best professors teach me lessons that go far beyond the scope of the classroom.

Even before I chose Pitt, I knew I wanted to find a school that had an exceptional study abroad program. With the tagline, “From the classroom, to the city, to the world,” I knew that Pitt was it. I ended up choosing the Global Business Institute in Sydney, Australia. From the beginning of college, I knew I wanted to study abroad for a whole semester. I liked the idea of a program that would allow me to meet students from other universities in the U.S. while also having Australian professors teach my classes. (And for someone who hates winter, choosing to study in a city that has opposite seasons as Pittsburgh, was the best choice ever.)

After being in Sydney for about two weeks, I am just now getting a grip on life and how things work down here. Throughout these next three months, I want to learn more about the rich culture that has shaped Sydney into a dynamic global hub. I want to live more like a local, enhance my international knowledge in Marketing and Supply Chain, see what this side of the world has to offer, and of course, visit as many beaches as possible. When I return back to Pitt in the fall, I know that I will have a new set of skills to use in both the classroom and my professional life.