Hello Everyone! I’m Trent Olson, and I’m a freshman accounting and finance major at the University of Pittsburgh. I’m extremely excited for our trip to Cyprus and am looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the island!

In my personal life, I’m from Columbia, Maryland, which is in-between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. I’m an avid backpacker, runner, and horseback rider. I enjoy the quiet serenity of being in nature and working with animals. Moving to Pittsburgh was my first time living in a city, and I’ve enjoyed it immensely.

In my professional life, I work as a horseback riding instructor and as a barn hand. I very much enjoy teaching people, and being able to combine that with my passion for animals has been a wonderful experience. At Pitt, I’m a very involved student, as I’m a member of 4 clubs! I’m a brother of the business fraternity AKPSI, the VP of financial management for Pi Lambda Phi, a member of the equestrian club, and finally the co-portfolio manager of Panther Equity. Being involved with this many organizations has definitely been challenging; however, the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met have made it worth it!

Cyprus was always the place that I hoped to go in the Plus 3 program. The reason for this is that the focus of the trip, international supply chain management and international finance, are very relevant to me. In Panther Equity, I manage the Industrials and Materials sector, and what’s common throughout all of our holdings is that they have international supply chains. International supply chains are difficult for me to fully understand and grasp, so I hope that this trip will assist in my gaining a deeper understanding of my holdings. Furthermore, with globalization, it will be increasingly relevant for everyone to fully understand how international supply chains operate.

Personally, I’m also looking forward to immersing myself in a foreign culture. This will be the longest I’ve ever spent outside the US, and I’m hoping to gain a deeper understanding of Cypriot culture. Of particular interest to me is the business culture of Cyprus. I’ve learned very little about how other countries business cultures differ, so it will be fascinating to see a foreign business culture first hand.

I’m very excited for this experience, and can’t wait to arrive in Cyprus!