Hey everyone! My name is Loren Fernandes, and I’m currently a freshman here at the University of Pittsburgh. I’m from Frederick, Maryland, which is about an hour outside of Washington D.C. For the first 10 years of my life, I lived in Orlando, Florida, so I consider myself a Floridian at heart. I’m a student in the College of Business Administration with intended majors of accounting and supply chain management, along with a certificate in sustainability from the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. Here at Pitt, I am heavily involved in a professional development organization Phi Beta Lambda. I am also an active member of the University of Pittsburgh Accounting Association.
In my spare time, I enjoy running; I am hoping to run a half marathon by the end of the year! I also like exploring Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. I love being in the city to see such a mix of people and places, and I’m excited to explore Buenos Aires!
In terms of past abroad experience, I have only been abroad once before. During the summer before my senior year of high school, I was granted the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland with the University of Notre Dame. Through this experience, I was able to learn more about Irish culture and literature. This trip sparked my interest in studying abroad, and led me to choose a college that would allow me to do so again in the future. Pitt offered that for me, and it was a huge reason I decided to become a panther!
For two weeks, I will be staying in Buenos Aires, Argentina learning more about the healthcare systems there. I chose Plus3 Argentina because I wanted early exposure to study abroad programs here at Pitt. Plus3’s moderate length gives me a taste of what a semester abroad would look like. I wanted to go to Argentina to step further outside of my comfort zone. Having only traveled to Ireland, going to South America will be a very eye opening experience. Additionally, the focus of healthcare combined with business was very attractive to me when choosing a program. In the business school, healthcare is often overlooked during class instruction. By enrolling in Plus3 Argentina, I already have a better understanding of how healthcare functions as a business. Because this is the inaugural year of the program, I am excited to set the precedent for future students to come. Being that this is the first year, I am eager to try new things and go in without any concrete expectations about the trip. Part of the fun of being abroad is not knowing what to expect, and going on this trip will allow me to experience this to the fullest. I am so excited to embark on this trip, which is now in only three short weeks! I am so thankful to the PittBusiness Study Abroad office for the scholarship I received to make this opportunity possible for me. I can’t wait to get started on this trip!
