Hi everyone! My name is Tilman Cooper, and I want to welcome you to my blog. I’ll be posting about my study abroad trip to South Korea. First things first, how about a quick introduction?
I’m a student at the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration pursuing a triple major in Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management alongside minors in Economics and Philosophy and a certificate in Sports Management. Beyond that, I’m looking to go to law school, so I can chase the dream of becoming a sports agent. More likely though, I hope to end up a lawyer.
It’s been a busy first year here at the university as I’ve joined the undergraduate Mock Trial team and sports department of 92.1 FM WPTS Pittsburgh, your home for all things Pitt sports!
Though I was born and raised just 25 minutes away in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, my family is originally from the western parts of Germany. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit my grandparents at their home in the farmlands outside Dusseldorf every summer since I was five years old. My trips to Europe gave me the itch to travel globally and experience the vastly different cultures of the world.
The allure of studying abroad is actually one of the main reasons I applied to Pitt. With opportunities every season of every year, the options seemed limitless. The first opportunity that really stuck out to me was the Plus 3 program. The two weeks in May, just after semester’s end, felt like the perfect chance to get my feet wet, meet new people, and see what this thing’s all about.
I was lucky enough to get my first pick when I was selected for the Plus 3 program’s first excursion to South Korea. This summer, our emphasis in on smart system integration in the country’s capital of Seoul. Between the groundbreaking citywide network and cutting-edge public transportation circuit, there are some fascinating technologies to study.
I can’t wait to study the culture too! With planned visits to two South Korean universities, it’ll be a great time seeing the educational environment for students halfway around the world. A few visits to famous Korean businesses like Hyundai and Samsung will surely provided insights on work life and the daily grind.
Maybe most exciting of all is our planned excursion the heavily guarded boarder between the North and South. Split along the 38th parallel is perhaps the most infamous divide in the world, the Demilitarized Zone. When I heard we might have the chance to see the DMZ in person, I knew I had to sign up for the Plus 3 program. Few people ever have the opportunity to say they crossed the line, and thanks to special meeting room along the boarder, we may do just that. If and when we get the shot, I’ll be sure to post a picture right here on the blog!
There’s a lot to discover throughout Seoul and the whole of South Korea, so stay tuned for daily updates on my adventures!