Summer

Alex's Abroad Experience: Pitt Day of Giving

Hi, everyone! My name is Alex and I studied abroad with the Pitt in London program in the summer of 2022. Pitt in London is one of our university’s Panther Programs, which are programs designed by the Global Experiences staff along with faculty, that are comprised primarily of Pitt students. As an English Literature and Writing double major, I found that the Pitt in London program was a straightforward way to take the classes I was interested in and earn Pitt credit for them!

Abroad is What You Make It

My biggest piece of advice when studying abroad with DIS is to take courses that spark your interest, not just courses that are relevant to your future career or plan of study at Pitt. I am a major proponent of exploring new areas while abroad. You are immersing yourself in an entirely different culture, so you might as well immerse yourself in an entirely new field if it interests you! DIS is unique in the sense that they let you mix-and-match each course you take, and each course does not have to be part of a certain “major” like many other programs require.

Professional Development in LA

Today is my last day on the Pitt in LA program, and what an adventure it has been! The Pitt in LA program has truly been a transformative experience for me, both personally and professionally. 
 
Through this program, I’ve had the opportunity to visit the offices of Lionsgate and Warner Music Group to hear insight from industry professionals. We’ve also had a variety of guest speakers that are Pitt Alumni, ranging from Anomaly Pictures’ Adam Fasullo to Warner Records’ Mike Claricurzio and so many more. 
 

Americans through Outsider's Lense

Being an American abroad has indeed been an interesting experience for me. One of the most distinct things that I have noticed is that being removed from my own culture has made me aware of the many cultural elements that I take for granted. While it is a popular joke that Americans ‘have no culture,’ being in France has made me realize that we do. It is in the differences between French and American life that I have begun to identify elements of my home culture. For example, while Americans often smile while passing one another on the street, the French never do.

Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian - 4 weeks

This unique program offers students the opportunity to learn Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian at Pitt’s renowned Summer Language Institute in Montenegro. Students will go for a 4-week abroad program at the University of Donja Gorica in Podgorica, the capital city of Montenegro. In Podgorica, students will continue their intensive language classes and engage in an unforgettable excursion program with such enchanting destinations such as Cetinje, Lovcen, Petrovac, the ancient Roman settlement of Duklja, and Dubrovnik.

Lakota Perspectives Testimony: Jake Vasilias

On our trip to Pine Ridge, the overarching lesson I learned was that land gives and sustains life. While in South Dakota, I saw that the Lakota have a relationship to land that acknowledges this.
Growing up, I did not have that experience or relationship to land; land was pretty—mountains, lakes, oceans— but I didn’t understand the feeling that Lakota people have historically had about the land or that we should understand land as a source of sustenance.  The trip really opened my eyes to this.