Hello! My name is Adriana, and I am currently a sophomore at Pitt. After an exciting first year exploring the city, trying new restaurants, and connecting with professionals through the American Marketing Association, I knew that I wanted to further explore the university’s offerings. This has led to me joining AMA’s event planning committee and the Spanish, Just Dance, Animal Lovers, and BYO Bollywood clubs.

A long-term goal of mine has been to become multilingual. I studied Spanish throughout all four years of high school so I could learn how to communicate with older members of my extended family. After possessing a good grasp of Spanish, I decided to pursue a Hindi minor last fall, and it is one of the best decisions that I have made. From writing out the characters to learning Bollywood dances, I have had fun at every step. While classrooms are valuable for establishing the fundamentals of a language, I believe that the best practice is an immersive environment. Fortunately, I had the chance to experience that last summer. 

This past May, I left the United States for the first time to participate in Plus3 Argentina. During those two weeks abroad, I worked with business and nursing students to explore the public, private, and social security sectors of the Argentinian healthcare system. Although the Argentinian government promises free healthcare to its citizens, there are large disparities in the type of services available. Some facilities operated inside a small home, while others had rooms that could rival hotels. While I appreciated all that I had learned, I wished that I could have had a more tangible impact on the communities that we visited.

When I first read the description of the Global Service Learning: Puerto Rico, I knew that this program had exactly what I was looking for. I would be able to join a group of students and work directly with a nonprofit organization, both online during the semester and in-person over the spring break. The chance for hands-on consulting would also align well with my marketing major, Certificate Program in Leadership and Ethics, and Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In addition, traveling to Puerto Rico would not only give me the chance to practice the Spanish language, but also provide a way to connect with my history. My grandparents were born and raised in Puerto Rico, but I have never had the chance to visit. I am excited to explore some of the traditions and cuisine that have been lost in my family since coming to the mainland. 

The organization we are working with is Caras con Causa, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the local community and the environment for a “just and sustainable Puerto Rico.” In addition to their reforestation projects, Caras provides tutoring and emotional health programs to children in need. Our approach centers around the idea of service learning, which goes beyond the idea of community service by having us account for the history surrounding the area, assess potential steps to improve the company, and reflect on our work. Many university abroad programs have a positive intent but fail to account for a project’s future success. For example, imagine that a water well is being built for a community. Even if the well is completed, that is not the end of the story. Does the community have the necessary tools to repair the well if a component is broken? Were they taught how to go through the process of repair? These questions and many others need to be considered to ensure that there is lasting change. 

Originally, the university had a ten year plan in place for the GSL projects. Each year, a cohort of students would take one step toward an overarching goal, using the research and advice of past cohorts to help guide them through the process. In Puerto Rico, we are helping Caras con Causa promote LabCom, an environmental laboratory space, to university students across the United States. This would give students an opportunity to take a service learning approach by studying the wetlands and engaging with the local community while staying at Caras. Unfortunately, the pandemic majorly disrupted this plan. This will be the first year since 2019 that GSL students will be traveling to Puerto Rico. We are working to reassess past materials and redefine the trajectory of future cohorts. We hope to promote the idea of service learning and allow Caras to generate a consistent stream of revenue through this program.

By working with Caras, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of my goals post-graduation. This program incorporates international travel, consulting, and nonprofit work, all of which are areas that I am interested in. I have been working as a virtual administrative assistant for a nonprofit music academy for over two years. I admire the drive that my supervisor has, working hard to secure grants and ensure that recitals run smoothly. Knowing that my work has an impact is very valuable to me. I want to develop the skills to help nonprofits pave the way for change. Someday, I also hope to open a business of my own. 

I am only in my second year at the University of Pittsburgh, and I am thankful for the wealth of knowledge and experiences that I have already gained. I have traveled abroad, become certified in First Aid and CPR, and had the chance to hear from dozens of alumni. I want to continue nurturing my interests through different clubs and events to see where my personal and professional life will take me. Eventually, I hope to have the chance to experience another culture for an extended period through either a semester or a summer internship abroad. Time is flying by, and I cannot wait to find out what is in store for my next two years at Pitt. In the meantime, I will dedicate myself to making sure everything is set for our departure in mid-March. Speaking with the people at Caras con Causa will be a fantastic learning opportunity and add another layer of depth to our final deliverables. I am excited to see where this project takes us.