Hello Blog! My name is Marissa Schaefer and I am currently a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. I am majoring in Nursing and hope to pursue a certificate in Global Health as well. I am from Oakland, New Jersey, which is about 40 minutes from New York City. At Pitt, I am a member of the Nursing Student Association club and the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority. In my free time I love to spend time with friends and venture out to new places. I also love the outdoors, and during the summer I will take any opportunity to be outside, from going to the beach to walking with my dogs or going on a bike ride. 

In May, I will be participating in the Plus3 Argentina study abroad program. My love for travel is what inspired me to not only want to study abroad, but to also pursue a Global Health certificate. I am so excited to be studying abroad in Buenos Aires, as it will provide me with a lot of opportunities to learn more about the culture and the healthcare system in a different country than the United States.

Going on this trip with business majors will help me learn to work with and learn from others who do not have the same career path as me. I have always been interested in the medical field, but I am eager to learn about the financial part of the healthcare system, since that is something I don’t know a lot about. Additionally, I have studied Spanish throughout high school, and this trip will personally provide me with an opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge and learn from any mistakes. This experience will also help me make connections with others, formally present my knowledge, and talk to people professionally. I am very excited for this once in a lifetime experience, and looking forward to learning more about the healthcare system and culture in Argentina.