Hello! My name is Stephanie Ott and I am a Freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. I am currently studying Finance and Marketing with a Minor in Spanish and a certificate in International Business. I am from Bucks County Pennsylvania, about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I’m from a rural town called Doylestown. I graduated from CB East, a large high school. In high school I was involved in my school’s Dance Marathon that raised money for pediatric cancer and I also played lacrosse. Some of my other hobbies and interests include traveling (especially to the beach during the summer), listening to music, hanging out with my dog, and most importantly spending time with my family. I come from a very close knit family (so they aren’t ready to send me away for two weeks). I have two younger brothers who are both in high school, and two amazing parents! While I love Pitt, the hardest part is being so far from my family. Here on campus I am a part of Pitt Dance Marathon, Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity, and Chi Omega social sorority. All this involvement has made Freshman year so unforgettable and amazing! While this year has been so great and impactful, I cannot wait for this semester to end to start my new journey to Augsburg.
One week after the end of this semester I will be traveling to Augsburg, Germany. I was thrilled to hear I had been accepted to the Plus 3 Program, and even more when I realized I had been selected to go to Germany. I have not traveled much, and this opportunity will not only allow me to experience a complete new culture, but also explore outside of my current boundaries. Just from learning basic information and facts about Germany and Augsburg from our introductory classes here on campus, I can already tell Germany is filled with rich and unique culture that I can’t wait to experience. Growing up my grandparents would always be telling me about their friends and amazing trips to Germany. Not only that, but my Grandfather also is very involved with the automobile industry. He owned three car dealerships and used to race cars himself. All these things combined is making this trip even more meaningful to me.
From this program I know there is so much to learn. I am so thankful that Pitt is providing me with such an amazing opportunity so early on in my college experience. During my two weeks in Augsburg I will fully immerse myself in all opportunities offered to me and the culture I will be surrounded by. As a business student I am excited to work with engineering students and gain some new insight from their point of view. Visiting the various companies each day will show me the other side of the automobile industry that I have never been able to see. Not only this but the cultural and “touristy” days will also be so new and exciting.
In a few short weeks I will be landing in Augsburg and I could not be more excited. I am counting down the days until these amazing two weeks. My next post will be the first of many in Germany! Let the fun begin!