After two days in Pittsburgh at Pitt, I can already tell that this place will feel like home for the next few years. I’ve had the privilege to meet an amazing cohort of fellow Haller students, professors, and locals here; as well as some sneaky pictures of the beautiful scenery here.

My first impressions of Pittsburgh were how genuinely breathtaking the buildings here were, including but not limited to: the William Pitt Union, Heinz Chapel; and of course, the Cathedral of Learning a.k.a. Cathy.

I’m not just excited about the people or the scenery though, as after reading our schedule and syllabus for this program, I can already tell just how unique and sophisticated this opportunity is. The itinerary includes lunches with influential individuals such as Joe Pietropola, excursion days to various different neighborhoods, corporate visits with executives in Ireland, and so much more.

We were introduced to a project to consult businesses and executives in Carrigart, North Ireland. The group project that I chose was called “Digital Disruption and Innovation,” and I’m interested in this because it reveals the future of businesses and economic development with the usage of digital platforms and AI. I’m keen to engaging in this area specifically, as most of my coursework in my fall semester will be based on the ins-and-outs of businesses, rather than the future outlook on businesses that utilize digital platforms.