Hi, welcome to my Pitt Honors blog! I am so excited to keep a ‘ To The World’ blog again- last summer, I was a student in the Haller Global Honors Fellowship. It was virtual, but I still had a blast. This year’s blog may be a little more exciting because I am finally going abroad… to Ecuador! Now this trip is not all about roses, we are taking a dive into the supply chain of Ecuador’s chocolate and rose industry. (We refer to this trip as the Valentines tour.) I am just going to keep an eye out for the perfect Ecuadorian rose!
Now, a little bit about myself. I am currently finishing up my first year at Pitt (it’s crazy that I am almost a sophomore!) My majors are Supply Chain and Global Management with certificates in Sustainable Development and Leadership & Ethics. With all of that, I hope to make an environmental and ethical difference in the supply chain. On campus, most of my free time goes toward my professional business organization, Phi Beta Lambda, as I am the upcoming VP of Professional Development. In addition, I am an active member of Women in Business and attend events put on by the Student Office of Sustainability.
Enough about that, I cannot wait to talk about my Plus3 trip to Ecuador! Did you know that 1 in every 3 roses in the United States are grown in Ecuador?! As I mentioned, I am extremely interested in sustainable supply chains, and that of agriculture is especially peaks my interest. For that reason, selecting Ecuador as my Plus3 location was an easy choice.
Academically, I hope to learn through experience. As a visual learner, seeing the process from farm to processing, will really put the intricate systems into perspective. Personally, I want to take in everything Ecuador has to offer. From what I have seen of our itinerary, immersion is a top priority. Another little goal of mine is to practice my Spanish. I have been learning the language for about 6 years, so it’s about time that I put it to use. Finally, I hope to grow as a globally aware professional. It’s important to me that I gain as many experiences as I can in order to make well-informed decisions in my career going forward.
The next time you hear from me, I will have landed in Quito! I hope you’re excited!
Brooke Eyler
Current Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Rose update: none