My name is Arianna Scibek, I am a rising junior with a major in Finance, a certificate in International Business, and a minor in Spanish. I am on the fundraising committee for Pitt’s Women in Business (WiB) and a member of Smart Women Security and Foundation for the International Medical Relief of Children. I enjoy going to the gym, travelling, and trying new foods. Professionally, my internship this summer for the IIP program will be my first professional work experience. I am very excited to work with the company I have been paired with, Jimmy Lion!
I have chosen the Madrid IIP because it is an incredibly unique opportunity that will satisfy many of my academic and professional goals. Having a spanish minor, I have taken many years of learning Spanish, but have not had a real opportunity to practice it in real time. Immersing myself in the Spanish culture, with language being on the forefront, is the best way for me to practice and become more confident in my Spanish abilities. I hope to become more fluent so in my future professional career I can use my bilingual skills to communicate with others around the world.
In the future, my goal is to work in international finance. Being in a job where I can travel to different countries and experience different cultures is incredibly important to me. I also think global competency is an increasingly important skill to have in the corporate world, and it is a skill that is lacking. In a company that deals with different countries on a professional standing, I would like to contribute by offering the perspective of someone who has an understanding of what different cultures are like. Spending so much time in Spain, especially in a work environment, is an amazing opportunity where I can combine my personal and professional interests. I can experience a work culture different to the US, and I believe experiencing and working in Spain will build necessary skills for any future job, even those in America. Skills with communication are important for me to build, and being able to improve my communication in a different language can translate and teach me the best ways to communicate in the States.
Personally, I am incredibly excited to experience travelling on my own! Going abroad has not always been something I was interested in until I took my first trips internationally with my family. The differences between America and Europe are so interesting, and that is something I have observed even on vacation. Being fully immersed and living in Spain for eight weeks will teach me so much about the culture. Learning and experiencing what life in Spain is like is an aspect of the program I am really looking forward to. Trying Spanish food and getting all sorts of European clothes are the things I am personally excited for!
As a first internship, going abroad is a bit of a jump. However, I feel the foundational skills I will learn during my internship are developed no matter where you go. The challenge of an internship abroad presents layers of complex situations I will be faced with, which will prompt me to develop those same skills at a higher level, in a manner unique to this experience. With my special interest in international business, this is an opportunity completely within my interests. Jimmy Lion is a company I am thrilled to work for, and having the opportunity to see a firm that operates in multiple countries across Europe will give me a fantastic idea of what an international company does. This will hopefully further my interest and propel me to commit to a future career in international business.
The IIP program is an incredibly rare and unique opportunity I am thrilled to be a part of. Going abroad, immersing yourself in a vastly different culture, and working in a firm developing my professional interests and experiences is why the Madrid IIP is perfect for me. I am looking forward to learning about myself, the Spanish language and culture, and the operations of a professional environment. I aim to keep an open mind, to make the most of my experience. For eight weeks I hope to come out of this experience with an expanded view on the world, a competency of how business works in other countries, and a tolerance for working with people who do things differently than I do. International business takes willingness and openness to understand people from around the world, and this experience is my first step in making my way to my dream career.
