Hello there! My name is Kat Listwak and I just finished up my sophomore year here at The University of Pittsburgh. I am in their College of Business Administrations studying Finance, Accounting, and Data Analytics. I am currently involved in the universities consulting club called Pittsburgh Management Consulting club, or PMC for short. On top of that, I am a part-time barista at Divvy Coffee and Buns and plan to work at Raymond James this summer in Capital Markets.
I am beyond excited to travel to India this May through the Leadership in the Himalayas abroad program Pitt offers. I must admit, it was not something I intended on doing until I went to an information meeting. After learning more about the program, I knew I had to do it; It is the “once in a lifetime” type of trip. Not to mention you get to explore a new country/culture, gain college credit, and get to meet new friends! If someone told me in the beginning of this year that I was studying abroad in India and backpacking in the Himalayas, I would laugh.
On a professional level, traveling to India will allow me to collaborate with the other future professionals of the world, learn about my strengths, and how to become a better leader. Although I am super eager to go, I am definitely nervous as this is not the standard abroad trip. I really believe this experience will teach me communication skills, conflict management, and simply be life changing. On top of that, I will also get to meet and work with diverse individuals from different backgrounds, culture, and degrees. As a future businesswoman, I strive to gain as much professional experience as possible but also learn from people who are different from me; this experience will give me just that.
I feel so blessed to have been chosen for this program and I cannot wait to experience the wonderful country of India!
Kat