Hello! My name is Caitlin Jarrell, and I am a rising junior in the College of Business Administration. My majors are Finance and Global Management with minors in French and Political Science. Outside of the classroom, I am Senior Vice President of Phi Chi Theta, which I helped to reactivate on Pitt’s campus! I am also a member of Smart Women Securities, a female investing club. Joining business organizations was a great way for me to improve my professional skills and build lasting connections!
Aside from organizations, I spend my free time exploring the city with my friends via food and shopping. I enjoy learning about new places, whether it be restaurants and shops in Pittsburgh or an entire summer in Berlin! Since a young age, I have wanted to travel and experience other cultures, mostly because my grandparents traveled across Europe and brought me souvenirs from every location. I chose the International Internship Program (IIP): Berlin because German culture is intriguing to me. I unfortunately do not speak German, but I am hoping to pick some up this summer. As a political science minor, I love learning about history and visiting major historical sites. Berlin provides many opportunities to learn, and I am looking forward to seeing the city’s landmarks. Of course, I am excited to try all the food that I can, as well!
My main goal for personal growth on this trip is to become a more open person. Instead of saying “no” to things, I want to say “yes” and expand my horizons while in Berlin. My hope is that this will continue in Pittsburgh, and I will find myself welcoming changes and experiences with open arms and an open mind. Along with this, I would like to become immersed in German culture and develop an ability to adapt to different cultures.
It has been a long-time goal of mine to work in international finance after graduation, so the IIP is the perfect program to prepare me for this goal. Since I just completed my sophomore year, I do not have much finance knowledge yet, but working as a finance intern this summer will give me the opportunity to implement what I have learned and expand my knowledge. I will be able to learn about finance in a completely different culture, which will give me a unique ability to understand the global management classes planned for my next four semesters. I feel as though global experience is necessary for business students, because globalization is prominent and the business world is ever-expanding. This program will also provide me with an edge when it comes to future internships and landing an international finance job after graduation, because I will have international work experience already.
While I am extremely nervous for cultural differences and settling into a new city, I am confident that this experience will teach me so much about myself, finance, and international business. I am excited to share my weekly blog posts with you this summer!