Hi! My name is Amelia Choi and I just finished my freshman year at Pitt. I am a member of the College of Business Administration and the Frederick Honors College, and am currently thinking of majoring in Finance or Accounting, along with an Economics minor. I am also planning on pursuing a certificate in Leadership and Ethics and/or Sports Management. In addition to my studies, I am also a member of the Pitt Women’s Club Soccer Team and Sports Business Association. I love to stay active in my free time and play intramural sports with my friends for fun. Soccer has been a big part of my life and has taught me many important life lessons along the way including teamwork, communication, and organization. 

This summer I will be traveling to Costa Rica through the Plus3 Program with other Business and Engineering students. The program is centered around Costa Rica’s impressive sustainability practices and how they implement these strategies into their agricultural and supply chain operations. I selected this program because I have always wanted to study abroad, and hope to do a semester abroad in the future, so Plus3’s timeline of two weeks will be a good preview of what studying abroad is like. In terms of choosing a location, I wanted to experience something completely new and different. This will be my first time traveling to Central America, and I am excited to practice my Spanish skills in a Spanish-speaking country. Having taken classes in middle and high school, I have been eager to finally try out what I have learned in an interactive and hands-on experience such as traveling to a native Spanish-speaking country.

Overall, I am looking forward to experiencing Costa Rica’s culture and lifestyle as well as exploring the natural landmarks such as the Cloud Forest in Monteverde and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Additionally, a big part of this trip is the various local site visits for the banana, pineapple, strawberry, chocolate, and coffee tours. I am excited to try everything ripe and fresh in comparison to the products we get here in the US after they are sent from these farms, and to see how these products are grown with Costa Rica’s sustainability practices in mind. Gaining a new perspective about supply chain management, especially from a global leader in sustainability like Costa Rica, will be a useful tool to have as I continue my preparation and studies for the real business world. I am also looking forward to getting to know my fellow students on the trip and to experience this incredible opportunity with them!