Hi everyone! My name is Colin FitzGerald, and I am from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I am a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration studying Accounting and Business Information Systems, with a Certificate in Leadership and Ethics. Additionally, I am a student of the Frederick C. Honors College and intend to graduate early at the end of the Spring 2026 semester.
This past summer I was honored to be a part of the Plus3: The Netherlands Program where I and other University of Pittsburgh students were able to immerse ourselves in the culture and business of The Netherlands. Throughout that experience, I was able to truly take in all of the rich and historic culture of The Netherlands and it gave me a much more passionate love for studying abroad. In that experience, I had to submit myself to different changes in lifestyle, especially when it came to food, but also in how I interact with others. Of course, we all expect a change in currency, timezone, etc. when we travel abroad, but it is also important to ensure that you only bring acceptable customs with you to your location.
Professionally, I have worked as a Teaching Assistant and Grader for Programming Essentials for Business Analytics, a required freshman programming course here at Pitt that gives students a taste for Excel and Python basics. I also am an active member of Phi Beta Lambda, a co-educational professional business organization where I was recently elected to serve as Vice President of Service. Throughout this semester, I have and will continue to ‘shadow’ the current Vice President of Service, getting a hold on the position and its responsibilities so I can execute the position properly in the next academic year. This Global Service Learning experience only adds to the numerous qualifications I have for this position, and I look forward to seeing how I can bring what I learn from this experience with me into that role.
Over the past several years, I’ve tried to envelop myself in service and service-related activities that give back to my local community. When I first heard about Global Service Learning, I knew I wanted to be a part of it, and Trinidad seemed to be the place where I would have the most lasting impact on the community. Consulting, separate from the service part of this experience, is also a great passion of mine. As an aspiring CPA, I value any experience where I can advise companies on how to best cater their product or service to the public both in a financial and visual way.
As I continue through this journey, I am excited to be sharing my experiences with you. It is not only a great honor to personally experience a country with such a rich culture, and dedicated nonprofits to doing good, but another thing entirely to be able to share this experience in this virtual way. As we continue building a relationship with Nature Seekers, I look forward to relaying our progress to you and learning even more about this great organization, and Trinidad as a whole.