Hello everyone!

My name is Danielle McDonald. I am a first-year student at the Swanson School of Engineering at Pitt. I am majoring in bioengineering on a pre-med track and plan on getting a minor in chemistry as well. I enjoy doing research and working in a lab the most. This summer, I will be working with a small company called Boundless Science in NC as an intern in their lab.

Some of my favorite things to do are skiing and listening to music. I listen to music all the time. If you see me walking around campus by myself, I will always have my earbuds in. I also listen to a lot of different artists, anything from BTS to the Beatles to Nine Inch Nails (a few of my favorites). Another one of my favorite pastimes is skiing. During winter, I go to a local resort called Seven Springs almost every weekend to ski with my friends and family. I enjoy the sport a lot, and I anticipate splurging an unnecessary amount of money to ski at lots of amazing places in the (near) future.

To be honest, I am not very excited about the “traveling” aspect of the trip to Cyprus. I dread long flights, and the trip to Cyprus will be the longest and most exhausting one I’ve done yet. However, I am thrilled that I will learn more about the culture and businesses in Cyprus. I love learning about different cultures, trying new foods, visiting landmarks/historical sites, and exploring new places.

In the future, I hope to continue traveling to different countries. In particular, I would like to study abroad during one of my semesters with Pitt. I hope that this trip will get me accustomed to traveling abroad by myself, and give me a great introduction to what I can do with my time overseas.