Panther programs are designed by our Global Experiences Office staff along with faculty, composed primarily of Pitt students, and are typically led by someone from Pitt.
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Growth Outside of the Classroom
Hailey Latona, Pitt in Florence, Fall 2025 While I studied abroad in Italy, some of the biggest learning moments I experienced were outside the classroom. One of the biggest lessons I learned was time management. I balanced an internship working 20 hours a week with a full course load while maintaining a social life, visiting…
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Sharing Food Culture with Local Florentines
Hailey Latona, Pitt in Florence, Fall 2025 Between working an internship with a local Florence company and my outgoing personality, I had many interactions with local Florentines. Although I have the look of an Italian with dark hair, dark eyes, and an olive complexion, while attending a business lunch with my boss, I outed myself…
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Facing and Overcoming Challenges in Florence
Hailey Latona, Pitt in Florence, Fall 2025 This past semester, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. While Italy is known for its fantastic food and high-quality ingredients–and it absolutely is–the differences between the American food culture and Italian food culture was a difficult adjustment for me. Prior to studying abroad, I had lived in an…
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Career Advancements: What Plus3 Had to Offer
George Abbato, Plus3 Engineering Summer 2025 Personally, study abroad made a huge impact in my career’s direction and goals. In Bilbao, we had the opportunity to see a lot of research first hand, which contributed to a lot of my newfound goals. On a short term basis, I realized that I need to take advantage…
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How Food Shaped My Experience
George Abbato, Plus3 Engineering Summer 2025 In general, I love trying new restaurants and new types of food at home. I grew up with my family working and owning a restaurant, so this was a huge part of my upbringing. Naturally, food was something I was very excited to experience in another country, and I…
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Surprises in Spain: Plus3 in Bilbao
George Abbato, Plus3 Engineering Summer 2025 My name is George Abbato, and I am a first-year electrical engineering student in Frederick Honors College. I recently was with the Plus3 Program in Bilbao, Spain with engineering and nursing students. Throughout my time in Bilbao, there were a number of things that were unexpected for me: public…
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The Influence of Food: Food Studies In Sicily
Bella Lirette, Food Studies In Sicily Summer 2025 I participated in the Food Studies in Sicily Summer Abroad program in June 2025, and everything about it was life-changing. It was unlike any other abroad program where the only class requirements are lectures. We had lectures some days, but the curriculum included many field trips that…
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English Food for the Soul
Ayza Sayany, Pitt in London Summer 2025 Food has always been my way of understanding the people around me. I remember the first time I tried a knish at a Jewish deli and immediately connected it to my mother’s samosas. I noticed that roti and tortillas serve similar functions in Pakistani and Mexican cuisine, and…
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Advice for Future Travelers
Anna Lao, Plus3 Argentina Summer 2025 Studying abroad is one of those experiences you can try to prepare for, but nothing really sinks in until you’re there. The best advice I can offer is to go into it with an open mind, a sense of curiosity, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected. First and…
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My Food Adventures: Plus3 Argentina
Anna Lao, Plus3 Argentina Summer 2025 When I think back on my time in Argentina, the first memories that surface aren’t of landmarks or museums, they’re of food. Meals shaped my experience more than anything else, offering both comfort and discovery. In Argentina, food is more than what’s on the plate. It’s a reflection of…