Hey everyone! My name is Vanessa Kern and I am an incoming sophomore in the College of Business. I am currently pursuing a major in Marketing and a certificate in leadership and ethics. I am also hoping to pursue a second major in Global Management and a second certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation. In the future, I hope to work for a charitable startup company that conducts work internationally. I aspire to work at the head of marketing for a small company that has a mission that I am passionate about. 

I am from New Jersey, and I live about thirty minutes from the shore. I love going to the beach in the summer and I also enjoy playing soccer and volleyball. Last semester at Pitt, I played on an intramural volleyball team and often played mud soccer on the Pete on rainy days. Next semester, I hope to join an intramural soccer team at Pitt. I also look forward to exploring the city once more places open up. I love spending time outdoors and I am hoping there are some nice days next semester so that I can spend more time at Schenley Park playing frisbee and reading by the lake. My favorite thing about being a Pitt student so far is the people I have met: my friends, my advisors, and my professors. The friends I have met at Pitt made the experience amazing, even when most of campus was shut down because of the pandemic. I was able to make memories with them within the dorms, decorating the halls, having picnics on the Pete, going to the Strip District, and more.  Additionally, my advisors and professors have been valuable to developing my professional and learning experience. For the last year, I have been working on a project and the advisors I have spoken to for help have been a huge help and have been fully invested in the process answering any questions I have. My career and academic advisor have helped me figure out my path in the business world and have been a huge help in finding opportunities that best suit my aspirations.

 I chose to participate in Leadership in a Global Context because I heard about the program through the Haller Fellowship I participated in last summer. I have been interested in the program ever since and even though the program is virtual this year, I think it will be great preparation for the in-person program which I hope to do next year. I look forward to learning about the experience through simulations now and experiencing them in-person next year. Additionally, I look forward to learning about leadership and developing my leadership skills which has always been something I looked to develop. In everything I do, I always strive to be a good leader and I hope to continue to learn how to do so. My personal definition of leadership is being able to effectively and efficiently guide followers in a way that accomplishes tasks while developing an environment that everyone can thrive under. I look forward to participating in this program and meeting the other participants!