Introduction
Ciao! My name is Audrey Ferdinand, and I am a Freshman here at the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt, I am a student of the David C. Frederick Honors College and an Economics-Statistics major with a Studio Arts minor. I also hope to add the Business minor and the Public and Professional Writing certificate to my curriculum. My involvement on campus includes membership in the Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity, the League of Emerging Analytic Professionals (LEAP), and Pitt’s Residence Life as an incoming Resident Assistant. In my free time, I enjoy working out, painting my nails, playing the piano, and occasionally drawing and reading!
My Program: Exploring Art in Florence
In mid-May, I will embark on my study abroad journey in Florence, Italy. My program is titled Exploring Art in Florence, and I will do just that! I chose this program for a few reasons. First, I love art! Art is fuel for my soul, and I especially like to observe Renaissance period pieces. Italy is known for art during this time, and I cannot wait to see everything for myself! One piece I hope I get the chance to see is The David by Michelangelo. Secondly, while I do not plan to pursue a career in art, I think it’s important for me to let my creativity flow, and, since I have a rather busy schedule during the school year, I lack the time to sit down and “art”. By incorporating art into my curriculum in such a unique way, I can work towards a minor in a subject I am passionate about and improve my artistic abilities by learning in a place that houses some of the best. Finally, Pitt offers a plethora of amazing opportunities to study abroad and see the world, and I want to take full advantage of that. I will not have many chances to do this at any other point in my life, so I might as well do it now! In addition, taking any opportunity thrown my way is an important life skill and can open up many doors for personal, professional, and academic growth. Exploring Art in Florence is this perfect program to check all of these boxes!