Hello everyone, thank you for checking out my vlog!! My name is Shawn Gibbons, I am from North Wales, Pennsylvania (40 minutes outside of Philly). I am a freshman here at the University of Pittsburgh studying finance and supply chain management. At home I work as a waiter, and I also work for a moving company. Outside of the classroom and work, I love all things outdoors and sports. I have always been a huge fan of hiking, fishing, and camping. I’ve played basketball my whole life, I am a huge Philly sports fan. If you can’t find me doing any of these things, then you will most likely find me on a golf course.

I’ve always been devoted to learning and excelling in the classroom and that stuck with me at Pitt. As a freshman, I am still taking mostly Gen-Ed classes to finish up requirements. But, through my freshman year I found a big interest in economics. Because of this, I plan to minor in economics. This early in my career I have not had much work-related professional experience, but I have at Pitt. I am a member of Panther Equity here at Pitt and each semester the seven sectors of the club must pitch a potential stock that the club can add to their portfolio. This offers valuable business knowledge and experience through learning DCF’s, balance sheets, and the Bloomberg terminal.

This coming May, the international program that I will be participating in is Pitt Plus3 Ecuador. The story behind how I got the opportunity to attend this program is different from most of my peers. I initially overlooked the excitement and opportunity that this program offered during the application process. I was admitted into the Plus3 Germany program and had complications with my passport renewal. I unfortunately had to drop the program and after some strings of luck I was presented with the opportunity of studying abroad in Ecuador. After doing research of the program and talking with Mr. Moslen, I knew this was the program meant for me and I couldn’t be more excited and grateful.

In terms of what I hope to gain personally, I want to simply gain the experience of living in a new country where their main language is not English. These circumstances force you to step out of your comfort zone and gain skills that others can’t get. Academically, I hope to gain a new sense of foreign academics and learning hands on. Rather than in a classroom everyday taking notes, the benefits of the Plus3 program are going straight into the fire to see how every variable works to a particular global system. Professionally, I want to gain a global business experience and strengthen my network. Studying abroad early in your academic career establishes a diverse set of experiences to shape who you become. I am highly interested in supply chain and being able to see its process firsthand is a huge advantage.