Hey guys, my name is Mitchel Kling. Yes, with one L instead of two. Anyways, I am from York, Pennsylvania which is close to the center of the state. To give you some references it is about 30 minutes away from Hershey Park and Lancaster. I am the youngest of five at nineteen years old, and ill be turning twenty during the program.

I have recently transferred into the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh this past year, and it could not have been a better decision. I have completed my sophomore year, recently declared my major of Business Information Systems, and have not been more excited about my future. I have grown up playing just about every sport, ranging from snowboarding to volleyball. This influenced my strong desire of weightlifting and working out. Now four to five years later I am a founding member of the Bodybuilding Club at Pitt. Along with my wide variety of sports, I have worked many different jobs. These range from a cashier at a family run pizza spot to a project manager on a construction site. Fortunately, I was able to get an internship this summer, where I will be part of the Business Technology Department of United State Liability Insurance Company (USLI). I am very excited to have a position that relates to my career.

I heard about this program through an in-class presentation by Rick Molsen, who is an International Program Manager at the University of Pittsburgh. He gave a brief overview of the program, and I knew I had to be part of it. The Program I am a part of is the Leadership in the Himalayas Panther Program. I have always been very interested in the outdoors, but I have never had a backpacking trip. When I began to read through all the details of the program I instantly applied. I knew that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I could not pass on. As I count down the days until I depart for India, I can not wait for all the experiences in a beautiful place with amazing people. One of the most exciting things to me is being able to see the stars on the trek since there is minimal light pollution. Also, getting to experience an entirely different culture and environment.

Overall, I am beyond excited for what the future holds for me with academics and physical and mental wellbeing while enduring this amazing program. I am so grateful for all the opportunities yet to come, and to take you all along on my journey.