Hi everyone! My name is Erica and I am a first year in the Swanson School of Engineering. I am planning on majoring in Civil Engineering and I also hope to specialize in Environmental Engineering/ get a Sustainability Certificate. For most of my life I grew up 20 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, and one of the main reasons I am attending the University of Pittsburgh is so I would be able to travel abroad. I am part of the engineering LLC at Forbes Hall, and I also participate in Pitt Dance Ensemble.

At home I have three sisters, I am the second oldest, and I also have a dog named Zeus. I love the outdoors and enjoy doing outside activities with my family and friends. I enjoy learning instruments, doing musical theater, drawing/painting, skiing, and playing softball. While I didn’t get to do many of these this year, I hope that I can continue with some of these activities next year. During the summer leading up to college I always babysat, usually from 9-5 on weekdays, and really enjoyed working with the kids.

I have always loved traveling with close friends and family, and I can not wait to travel to Cyprus. I am excited to get to know new people on this trip and also gain knowledge about Cyprus’s cities and all of its culture and customs. I am most excited to see the different forms of architecture in the locations that we travel to. There are so many different cultures in Cyprus and I can not wait to see how each one laid their foundations in the buildings, food, and traditions (I can not wait to try all the new foods!). Since I was little, I have been interested in understanding how each country on utilizes their specific resources and geography to further their ways of life and increase economic growth. I look forward to learning about the day to day operations in Cyprus and how its economy is impacted by engineering practices and by the major industries and businesses, some of which we will be visiting! Through the multiple business meetings and lectures, I believe I will gain an understanding of how different business are run and learn how to present myself professionally in a work/learning environment.