Hi everyone!

I am Kate Friedemann from an hour outside of Philadelphia! I am a senior at Pitt studying Marketing with a minor in Chinese and a certificate in Leadership and Ethics. Other than academically, I am the Business Manager and active member of FRESA, the Fresh Entertainment by Student Artists club here at Pitt, and I enjoy walking, dancing, writing, and really any physical activity. I also work at Saxbys both part time with HQ as their Student VP of Marketing as well as a Team Lead at the Cathedral of Learning location along with another part time job elsewhere where I am able to work with and serve the Pitt community through different events as well as aid with their daily pick me ups! Through these roles I am able to hold fundraisers, connect with influencers, and work with campus contacts to find the best way to connect with students. I also previously engaged in the SCEO co-op with Saxbys in my sophomore year in 2023 (at the Cathedral of Learning) which taught me a great deal about leadership and running a team as I ran the cafe of over 30 students! 

Through this semester I am thrilled to be working with Nature Seekers and travelling to Trinidad this Spring Break for our on-site experience.

I chose to participate in this program academically to fulfil credits for my certificate as well as enhance my knowledge on consulting and client relations, especially in the international space. Along with that, I previously studied abroad on the Plus3 trip to Cyprus my Freshman year, which grew my interest and love for learning about business globally. I am grateful for the opportunity to study abroad once more, while developing my consulting skills. 

I also chose this program professionally due to my interest in service learning and desire to work with clients to make a real world change and difference. This academic and professional desire is apparent in my other studies as well due to my enrollment in other client or project based classes such as Projects in Marketing where we also work with a real client, gathering real world and unique experiences. 

I personally have a great interest in sustainability and the preservation of the environment that this program and specifically Nature Seekers focuses and engages with, so it truly is a great match that I plan to absorb from. I hope to be able to learn more about Trinidadian culture and really throw myself in during our time to understand the nuances and experience everything that I can. 

With a strong team, I am looking forward to what we discover and learn through our discussions with Nature Seekers and on-site experiences. We are working to enhance Nature Seekers’ online website integrated booking system for an easier process for both customers and staff which will further drive sales, customer engagement, and efficiency! Due to this, it is vital that we know the best way to connect with Nature Seekers and those seeking their services. I am excited for what’s to come!