Introductions
Hi! My name is Hannah Kovic and I’m a rising senior Environmental Science major pursuing a Geology minor. I am happiest when I’m outside and connecting with the world around me, so naturally, I love hiking, camping, bouldering, and all sorts of outdoor activities. My love for our earth, the outdoors and enthusiasm about natural sciences (especially geology) has led me down this awesome academic path. I would love to continue my academic endeavors after obtaining my BS through a research-based graduate program. I have not chosen a focus yet, as my current passions span from ecosystem ecology to orogenic geology, but I will be pursuing these passions as far as they will take me. Post academia, I would love to work in mountain conservation or continue with field work and research.
Experiential Education Abroad
This summer, my passion for mountain ecosystems is taking me to the Indian Himalayas with Pitt’s Leadership in the Himalayas Program. We will be studying at the Hanifl Centre, an environmental education campus located in Mussoorie, India. I have always known that I wanted to study abroad, but I never really clicked with a program. It wasn’t until I heard about Leadership in the Himalayas that I became ecstatic knowing that this opportunity would provide me with the most valuable knowledge and life skills in a place that holds great significance to me, personally and professionally. This experiential education program will further prepare me for my professional goals by sharpening my outdoor leadership skills, enriching my wilderness medicine and expedition knowledge, practicing environmental ethics, and pushing for growth in physically and mentally challenging situations.
It will also be extremely beneficial for me to start creating interpersonal connections across different cultures. The Leadership in the Himalayas program will allow me to expand my worldview by launching my academic endeavors abroad and putting them in a cross-cultural context. I am eager to explore how different people experience and relate to their surrounding environments and what that means for them scientifically, culturally, or otherwise.
More personally, this program is not just an academic or professional stepping stone, but an opportunity to grow as a person and solidify my identity, drive, and persistence in challenging situations. Trekking the Himalayas will allow me to push the limits of my mental and physical strength and lead me on a journey of self-transformation. As I’m getting ready to embark on my adventure in a couple of days, I continue to reflect on what has led me to this point and can’t shake the inescapable feelings of anticipation and excitement.