Hi, it’s nice to meet you! Welcome to my Plus3 blogI am so excited to keep a ‘Pitt to the World’ blog again. Last summer, I was a student in the Haller Global Honors Fellowship. It was virtual, but I still had a blast. This year’s blog may be a little more exciting because I am finally going abroad… to Ecuador!
Now, a little bit about myself. I am currently finishing up my first year at Pitt (it’s crazy that I am almost a sophomore!) My majors are Supply Chain and Global Management with certificates in Sustainable Development and Leadership & Ethics. With all of that, I hope to make an environmental and ethical difference in the supply chain. On campus, most of my free time goes toward my professional business organization, Phi Beta Lambda, as I am the upcoming VP of Professional Development. In addition, I am an active member of Women in Business and attend events put on by the Student Office of Sustainability.
Enough about that, I cannot wait to talk about my Plus3 trip to Ecuador! For two weeks, we will be learning about the supply chain of chocolate and roses. (We refer to this trip as the Valentines tour.) Did you know that 1 in every 3 roses in the United States are grown in Ecuador?! As I mentioned, I am extremely interested in sustainable supply chains, and that of agriculture is especially peaks my interest. For that reason, selecting Ecuador as my Plus3 location was an easy choice.
Academically, I hope to learn through experience. As a visual learner, seeing the process from farm to processing, will really put the intricate systems into perspective. Personally, I want to take in everything Ecuador has to offer. From what I have seen of our itinerary, immersion is a top priority. Another little goal of mine is to practice my Spanish. I have been learning the language for about 6 years, so it’s about time that I put it to use. Finally, I hope to grow as a globally aware professional. It’s important to me that I gain as many experiences as I can in order to make well-informed decisions in my career going forward.
The next time you hear from me, I will have landed in Quito! Get excited!
Brooke Eyler
Current Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA