Hello everyone! My name is Claudia Mairone. I am currently a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Marketing, while also pursuing a Certificate in Leadership and Ethics. I chose to attend the University of Pittsburgh because I loved the proximity the campus has to the city. Also, I was extremely impressed with the business school from the first time I visited. Pitt’s Business School is highly ranked and has given me different opportunities and support to help find what I am passionate about. Outside of the classroom, I am a member of Women in Business, the American Marketing Association, as well as a sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma, where I am on the Philanthropy Committee. Being a part of these organizations has not only helped me grow academically but personally and professionally as well.
I was born and raised in Linwood, New Jersey, a town that is ten minutes away from Ocean City, and twenty minutes away from Atlantic City if anyone is familiar with the area. I have an older brother who is currently a senior at Villanova University, where he is studying Economics and Data Analytics. I also have two Goldendoodles, Harper and Nash, who are both energetic and very playful. When I am not studying, I love to watch basketball, go to the beach, and hangout with my friends. I also have a passion for traveling which has been put on hold due to the COVID 19 Pandemic.
Throughout the years, I worked at basketball camps, where I was a camp counselor to children ages five to ten. This experience taught me patience and leadership. The children looked up to me to provide them assistance and advice on how to become a better basketball player. I was also an employee at Yoasis Beach Bowls. Yoasis is a “full-service cafe” on the Ocean City Boardwalk that consists of smoothies, acai bowls, frozen yogurt and coffee. When working with the general public, it is critical to understand the importance of customer service. This job has taught me teamwork, and how to communicate effectively. When working at Yoasis, I gained a better understanding of what it takes to run a business.
One thing I was so excited to do when I got to Pitt was study abroad because of the many opportunities offered. At the end of freshman year, I was selected to be a part of Plus 3 Argentina, where I would be studying Healthcare Management. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, this opportunity was canceled. Even though we are living through a pandemic, Pitt has shown much resiliency and is still providing students with many virtual opportunities to help them continue to grow.
Last semester as part of CPLE, my class had to participate in a Pitch Competition. The class was divided into six groups. Each group had to come up with a pitch for ways to continue study abroad while in the midst of a pandemic. We also had to come up with ways to continue to benefit the organizations Pitt has a ten-year commitment to. CEOLI, which is based out of Cochabamba, Bolivia, is a nonprofit organization for disabled children and young adults. The students there create amazing artwork and cards. My group ultimately came up with the pitch of creating an art show, to display the students’ talents, right here in Pittsburgh. We thought it would be a safe and practical way to benefit this organization. All of the profits generated from the art show would go directly to the organization. Ultimately our group won the Pitch Competition! When we found out this information, we did not know the next steps, until we received an email from the Pitt Study Abroad Office, saying that they would be using our idea from the Pitch Competition for this International Consulting project, and would love for us to participate and bring our idea to life. So now here I am!
I am very excited to work with Jean Carla Costas, who is a citizen of Bolivia, and our main contact for this project. Just this past week, Jean Carla Costas met with our group and showed us pictures and videos of their amazing country, and taught us more about the CEOLI Cards we will be putting on display as part of our project! I am very excited to get started and learn more about the organization.
Since the pandemic has started, it seems that we are cut off from the rest of the world. Having this opportunity helped me realize that even if we cannot travel, we can still benefit an organization and have an impact from afar. The modern technology now available is what has made all of this possible. I hope to gain friendships and connections that will last throughout college and beyond through this opportunity. I also hope to improve on my global and cultural competencies. While traveling is not an option right now, I hope to one day visit Bolivia and the city of Cochabamba where CEOLI is located. This opportunity will also give me a better picture of what it would be like to work in the consulting field. Before CPLE, I had never heard of anyone talk about consulting. It was never something that caught my eye. But, when I read the description of the program, which consisted of group projects and having the opportunity of working with real-world clients, I was immediately sold. CPLE is the reason I have become so engaged in consulting. It was one of the first things I had come across in school that I was genuinely interested in.
Through this international consulting opportunity, I hope to be able to gain a better understanding of what consulting entails, and be able to decide through this experience if I see myself doing consulting work in the future. I hope to improve my team working skills, as well as my communication and presenting skills. This opportunity will also provide me with real-world experiences at a young age, which will be valuable throughout my academic and professional endeavors. I am grateful that Pitt is still offering so many opportunities through these unprecedented times. I am really excited to get the opportunity to help this organization while learning more about myself in the process.