Last weekend, I joined my cohort on a site visit to Fayette County, PA as part of our project with the Appalachian Collegiate Research Imitative (ACRI) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). As Fayette County is the key focus of our research, this visit provided us with insights into the state of the community, economic…
Finding Growth in the Unexpected
Looking back on my time in Costa Rica, I can honestly say that the experience was different from what I expected, but in ways that helped me grow. I went into the program excited to learn Spanish and experience another culture, and while those were both important parts of my time abroad, I also had…
Learning to Find Home Away from Home
Going into my experience in Costa Rica, I expected the language barrier to be difficult, but I don’t think I understood just how much it would affect my everyday life. I had studied abroad before, so I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. However, this experience was entirely different from…
Learning to Communicate in Costa Rica
One of my first “aha” moments in Costa Rica was realizing just how intense the language barrier would be. I had a very basic understanding of Spanish, and my host parents did not speak any English. I knew going into the program that communication would be a challenge, but I don’t think I fully understood…
Who Am I Before Costa Rica?
Hi! My name is Alyssa Kocon, and I am currently a senior at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing a degree in communication as well as a certificate in human rights and social justice. This is my fourth semester at Pitt, spending two of those semesters at Pitt Greensburg, and previously transferring from Community College of…
Making Connections in Fayette County
Our Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI) cohort had the pleasure of doing a site visit to Fayette County over the first weekend of October. We stayed at Touchstone Center for Crafts, a crafting center as well as a campground. We were able to visit a number of interesting places, such as the Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass…
ACRI: A Visit Home In a New Way
Going on the site visit to Fayette County was surreal for me because, being from there and coming for the weekend with my college class of people who had never been there showed me how different everyone perceives a place and helped show me new ways to look at my community. When exploring the community,…
Fayette County is Dreaming Big
Reflecting on my three-day class trip to Fayette County as part of the ACRI program, one thing became clear: meaningful service-learning requires immersing yourself in a community and listening to the real stories of its members. Coming into the weekend, my goal was to maintain an open-minded approach while eagerly experiencing the places we had…
People-Centered Reflections from Fayette County
On our three day visit to Fayette County, my first ever to this Pennsylvania county, I was extremely delighted to explore and delve into the people, communities, and places of the county. We explored much of Connellsville and parts of Uniontown on our visit, talking with people along the way. Our class stayed at Touchstone…
Fayette Visit One: What I Learned
It is no secret that rural settings are often considered an escape from the hustle-bustle of corporate-ladder centric urban centers. This inherently characterizes rural areas as lacking in economy, ingenuity, and drive. Upon arriving at Fayette County’s premier Summit Inn at exactly sunset over the Pennsylvanian foothills, it was transparent to me that this assumption…