Hello, I am James Pottieger. I am currently a junior pursuing a major in Industrial Engineering and a minor in Economics. My hometown is Wyomissing, PA, which is about an hour northwest of Philadelphia. Here at Pitt, I am a member of the Club Tennis Team and hold the role of logistics manager. This past summer I did I co-op with Robinson Fans which extended through the fall semester. While I was there I worked with the IT team as the company transitioned to a new ERP system and worked with the testing lab to standardize work instructions and safety documents. I am currently searching for a position to gain more professional experience upon returning from Europe. After the program comes to a close, I will be making a few stops around Europe for the remainder of May. The first half is going to be solo travel and my parents are meeting me for the last few days.

I will be taking part in the Plus 3: Czech Republic Program this coming May. We will be in country for close to two weeks. During this time, we will sit on academic and cultural lectures. Additionally, we will get to participate in some company visits around the area and take trips to a few cultural sites including Kutna Hora and Cesky Krumlov. I have always had an interest in studying abroad, but it is challenging to coordinate with the classes required for my major. That pretty much ruled out the full semester option, but I am beyond excited that the Plus 3 schedule will be able to work for me. Upon reading some of the program options everything seems right about this one for me. I liked how the program catered to each student’s interests and the location intrigued me. Czech Republic is not a country I was familiar with at all before we started classes and the opportunity to explore this country’s culture and history excited me. Located in the center of Europe, this country has a complex history and many beautiful sites. I hope to absorb as much of the culture as I can during our short stay. I believe there will be much for me to learn from the company visits regarding how operations are run and different manufacturing processes. Meeting with and sharing our experience with some Pitt alumni during the trip will be a great way to network and gain professional connections.