Hello everyone! My name is Katie Zuchlewski and I just finished my sophomore year at Pitt. I am from Buffalo, New York, go Bills! At Pitt I am majoring in Finance along with a minor in economics. On campus I am a member of Women in Business and am a Co VP of Content & Communication! I also am a part of Phi Beta Lambda which is a professional business organization.

I am currently studying abroad through GBI Florence for the 6 week summer program. I chose this program for a multitude of reasons. I have always wanted to study abroad and truly believe it is such a formative experience that I am so grateful to be able to take part in. Italy has always been a place that interests me, and being here now, I can most definitely say that I am so glad I chose this program! Along with being a beautiful place with endless possibilities to explore, I also think for me the 6 week summer program was the perfect amount of time. This way I was able to take two classes that I needed and really interested me! I am enrolled in Analyzing and Exploring the Global City: Florence, and beginner composition drawing. In both of these classes I get the chance to go out into the city and either learn the history and meaning behind the beauty of the sights or get to immerse myself in my surroundings and see the architecture from a different point of view. Both of these classes also allow me to learn more about the city I am in and gain a greater respect for my surroundings.

Although I have only been here for around two weeks, I have very high hopes for what I will learn and gain from my experiences in this program. I hope to learn and understand the Florentine culture and what it means to be a true Florentine while I am here. Along with this, I hope to learn more in depth about Italian history and the reasons the culture has shaped into the way it is now. Understanding other cultures and being able to be adaptive is very important in any environment whether academic or professionally and builds a well rounded character. I feel so grateful and lucky to be here and I am very excited and ready to soak up all of my experiences during my stay in Florence!