Hey guys, my name is Chase and I am currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Finance with an economics minor and aspirations to attend law school after undergrad. Long term, I would like to be a criminal prosecutor for 5-6 years then enter into a political career hoping to one day be president. For now, however, I am just a student who loves politics, doing magic tricks, and trying new things. I’m an army kid that has lived all over the US and seen a lot of different point of views on political issues. Because of this, I love talking about politics and learning what others think about political issues while discussing possible solutions to political problems that I could work to help solve should I get elected in the future. Having moved around a lot my life was constantly starting over with a new house, new school, and having to make new friends. My favorite way of meeting new people is through doing magic tricks. I’ve been doing magic for as long as I can remember, learning from my dad who was a clown when I was young and creating a few of my own tricks. I love experimenting with a deck of cards to see all the possibilities. This love for new possibilities and ideas doesn’t stop with just magic. I am always up to try something new or go somewhere I’ve never gone before, which is why I cannot wait to go to China this May.

This will be my first trip outside of the Americas and I look forward to seeing a completely different culture, trying new foods, and making new memories that will last a lifetime. I’m excited to get to know the others going on the trip better and make friendships that will last far beyond our two weeks abroad. Personally, this is what I hope to gain from this experience; memories, friendships, and stories to share upon my return. Academically, I hope that this trip will give me new insight and teach me what engineering and business look like on an international scale. Having only seen the way business is conducted in the US I feel as though I have a limited view of business as a whole. Most companies at least trade or have business relations abroad, and I believe that this is an important experience that will allow me to fully appreciate the strength of these business connections, given the cultural differences. Professionally, I hope to gain a new perspective that will allow me to tackle problems in the work field by viewing a problem in a different way than most. When I return having seen a completely different culture, I will have also experienced a completely new way of thinking. This experience will propel me in whatever career I choose. In business, this trip will give me the cultural insight to form better business relations quicker with companies based in China. In Law, this experience will give me a new perspective, a new way of looking at a problem that could lead to better solutions. In Politics it is vital to have strong connections with your constituents, and this experience will give me insight and understanding of how Chineese imigrants view the wordd. This will in turn allow me to represent all of my constituents in the best way possible.