My name is Nadiya Cintron, and I am a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Environmental Studies. My academic journey started at Reading Area Community College, where I received my associate’s degree in science. I have loved my transition to Pitt and have learned so much about sustainability and community in the past year. I’ve had the opportunity to join various organizations and take classes that have strengthened my understanding of environmentalism. I’ve always loved being outside and taking care of the planet, but a class I took at my community college really enlightened me to the environmental issues we face today and how change can and needs to be made in all fields. This inspired me to take an environmentally conscious approach to my academic and professional journey. Since then, I have learned so much about environmental justice and the importance of stewardship. Sustainable change requires knowledge and community, which I am grateful to have gained by coming to Pitt. My environmental passions include promoting sustainable consumption and circular business models. I am very interested in fashion and exploring one’s personal style, but I have realized the negative impact this industry has on the planet. From the extraction of resources to dumping waste, the clothing and textile industry is the third-largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. This issue is prevalent due to the consumption-based culture that is promoted worldwide. After graduating, I would like to pursue a job in fashion and work to make the field more sustainable. I enjoy thrifting and upcycling clothes to give them a new life, which is something I would love to see more of in the fashion world. I am interested in understanding this wasteful phenomenon and promoting change in this behavior that impacts our planet.

The Stockholm International Program felt like the obvious choice for me due to the strong environmental culture in Sweden. Sweden is one of the world leaders in sustainability and green energy usage, so it made the most sense for me to learn from a country with environmentalism ingrained in their everyday life. I am also very interested in learning about the sustainability culture in the area, especially in an urban area, because I am curious about the beliefs and values they have towards the natural world. Caring for the environment isn’t as common or strong in the US, so I would love to get a different perspective on this. I really want to see what works and apply it to future positions I may hold. I think it’s important that we learn from one another as a society, and I’m excited to get the opportunity to do so. I not only thought the knowledge gained from this experience would be useful in a future job, but I also knew being immersed in another culture and environment would provide the full range of understanding that I’m looking for in life. The company I am interning for this summer is a sustainable marketplace called Green Little Heart. They sell ethically sourced and produced goods ranging from beauty products to clothing. I have a strong interest in both clothing and beauty products, plus I enjoy finding sustainable options for both. I feel like this position was a perfect match for me since it’s in a field I want to work in, and I will gain further understanding of what ethically conscious consumption looks like in the business world. I am excited to learn more about their business model and how they research the companies they work with. I am also curious to learn more about their customer demographic and who is interested in shopping sustainably. I have experience doing collaborative and individual work as well as project development academically, in group projects and presentations, but most of my professional work is from part-time jobs. I am looking forward to applying these skills in a professional setting and am curious about the specific tasks and projects I will be working on this summer.

I am very excited for this trip as it will be my first time traveling outside of the country and by myself. I have always had a love for travel and experiencing new places, even if it has only been in my own country so far. My biggest goal in life is to travel as much as possible and learn more about the world outside of myself. This program is a great opportunity that will act as my first of many trips. This is a completely new experience for me, and I am interested to see how I will navigate living and working on my own in another country. I’m sure there will be some mistakes made and redirection needed, but I think this’ll be a transformative experience for me overall.