Hi! My name is Morgan Merriman and I have completed four years at the University of Pittsburgh, but I am taking an extra semester (so I’m sort of a second-year senior) and graduating in December because I am doing a double degree program, majoring in Neuroscience and Global Management and minoring in Chemistry. I’m from outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a town called Phoenixville where my parents and our three dogs live. In my free time, I like to do yoga, go shopping, watch TV, spend time with my friends and boyfriend, try new restaurants, and take my one-year-old puppy for walks near my apartment in Shadyside. In my past professional experiences, I have worked as a Business Operations Intern for Blanket & Board which is a local Pittsburgh, woman-owned small business and I was a Vendor Analyst Intern at enGen (formerly Highmark Health Solutions).
Currently, I am participating in Pitt’s Summer Global Business Institute (GBI) study abroad program in London where I am studying and interning for 6 weeks. I chose this program because I am required to intern abroad as a Global Management major, but I specifically chose GBI in London because it also includes a class and I’ve always wanted to come to Europe and London. The class I am taking is called Child Development in the British Context which has allowed me to take a psychology course that I otherwise would not have had room for in my schedule if I hadn’t done this program. I am working as an International Funding Advisory Intern at Winnovart which is a small boutique consulting firm specializing in grant funding advising. My goals for this program mainly revolve around my internship, I would like to develop a stronger ability to work with people from other cultures and learn any other skills that will contribute to my career post-graduation.
My program started a little over two weeks ago on May 18th. As is common with studying abroad, I have had mixed emotions of homesickness and happiness. It is difficult for me to be in another city away from my puppy and boyfriend especially because I am used to spending so much time with them and it makes me sad to not be sharing this experience with people that I love and instead to be sharing it with a bunch of people that I just met. Although, I also appreciate that I am growing and learning how to do more things on my own and to appreciate the sites that I am able to see.
