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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Connecting with Malaga and Spanish Culture
Lillie Heise, Global Health in Spain Summer 2025 What stood out most about my program in Málaga was how deeply I was able to connect with the city. I did not feel like a tourist, but more of a learner and participant of the culture. Málaga is a coastal city with an amazing blend…
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Viewing Health with a Global Lens
Lillie Heise, Global Health in Spain Summer 2025 Studying abroad in the Global health in Spain program had a major impact on my goals and future. It allowed me to step outside of the U.S. healthcare system and see health through a more global lens. In Spain and Morocco, it showed me how the cultures,…
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Enjoying the Moment in Spain and Morocco
Lillie Heise, Global Health in Spain Summer 2025 Food played a major role in shaping my experience during the Global Health in Spain program. In Málaga and Barcelona I found food to be more than just nourishment, but a window into the culture and lifestyle of Spain. I loved trying new dishes like tapas, paella,…
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Connecting with German Students
Leo Dean, Plus3 Germany Summer 2025 Germans tend to carry a specific stereotype, at least from an American perspective: serious, direct, detail-oriented, and focused on efficiency. Before we departed, we had the chance to ask a panel of previous participants about their experiences with the locals. I raised my hand. “Are Germans as literal and…
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Make Your Own Memories
Alyson Ferrari, Engineering Perspectives of the Renaissance and Sustainability: Florence Summer 2025 Everyone has their own reason for choosing to study abroad. My reason was to be immersed in the culture, which meant I wanted to go to areas that weren’t as well traveled. I challenged myself to speak to locals in their native tongue,…
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A Little Bit Goes a Long Way
Alyson Ferrari, Engineering Perspectives of the Renaissance and Sustainability: Florence Summer 2025 As an engineering student who is pursuing an Italian minor, my motivation for this trip spanned beyond simply visiting Italy. I wanted to truly live there and learn how to interact with locals, learn Italian phrases that were most useful to everyday life…
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A New Meaning to Experiential Learning
Alyson Ferrari, Engineering Perspectives of the Renaissance and Sustainability: Florence Summer 2025 Ever since coming to Pitt, I have found that my favorite educational and professional experiences have been paired with tangible, hands-on learning components. However, none of my prior experiences can hold a candle to the experiential learning that came from the site tours…
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72 Miles of Sweat and Survival: My Canoe Ride Deep Into the Amazon
Carter Slocum, Plus3 Ecuador Summer 2025 On Sunday (Day 9), we woke up bright and early as we had a very long travel day ahead of us. We were about to take an electric canoe 72 miles into the Amazon Rainforest to stay next to the Waorani Nation, an indigenous community still not integrated into…
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A Taste of the Amazon: Chocolate, Ceramics, Cold Showers, and Water Hike
Carter Slocum, Plus3 Ecuador Summer 2025 On Friday (Day 7), I started the day early once again with breakfast at 8am. At this point, you should know what I had for breakfast – scrambled eggs and rolls! Ecuadorians must really enjoy this meal for breakfast LOL. I slept pretty well, and I was excited to…
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Chocolate Tasting and Flower Fields: Sweet Adventures in Ecuador
Carter Slocum, Plus3 Ecuador Summer 2025 Hey everyone! Even though it has only been two days since my last blog post, it feels like so much has happened. After getting over 8 hours of sleep, I woke up Monday and felt ready to take on our next adventures. We started the morning with the same…