Hello! My name is Claire Gendron, and I am a senior in Environmental Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, also pursuing a sustainability certificate. I did a Co-op at Tetra Tech where I learned the intricacies of various civil engineering projects. I will start an internship at Wade Trim this summer upon my return from Europe. I am the Bolivia lead for Engineers Without Borders, where I lead a sanitation project in a remote community near La Paz. I will be travelling there to close out our project at the end of August and then running for president in December. I am also on the Pitt Dance Team; I plan to run for captain in the fall and to continue choreographing for my team!

The Czech Republic is the “crossroads of Europe,” a country with a rich past of cultural and political developments that sculpted the climate of the country today. Similarly, creating solutions for engineering concerns is at the crossroads of engineering, art, society, and sustainability. I hope to gain a better understanding of how this country developed from an engineering perspective, cultural perspective, and business perspective, and to learn how this knowledge of the past can influence the politics and decisions that shape our futures. Learning about successful industries and businesses will allow me to grow as a professional, pulling ideas from real-world, international experiences to enhance the quality of my work.

I hope to study abroad as a way to acquire global skills and to access personal and professional opportunities. Living abroad will increase my adaptability, empathy, and resourcefulness as an individual, which are beneficial skills that I can utilize for the rest of my career. I know that my curiosity and desire for knowledge will take the lead; I will squeeze every last drop out of what this experience has to offer.