Hi everyone! My name is Cole Milardo and I am currently a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. I am studying marketing and supply chain management in the College of Business Administration. I am from Avon, Connecticut and have lived in Connecticut my whole life. I have an older brother Anthony, who is a junior in college and majoring in accounting, and a dog named spice. When I’m home I enjoy spending time with my friends, whether that’s fishing, playing pickup basketball or driving around town. More often than not though, we’ll be fishing or playing video games. I enjoy backpacking with my family and exploring the outdoors as well. At the University of Pittsburgh, I am a member of the ski club and I’ve played intramural basketball and flag football. I am also a member of the Army ROTC program at Pitt and have a 4-year national scholarship from the Army. After college and time in the military, I hope to get my MBA and enter management consulting.

Plus 3 Netherlands:

I’m excited to start my summer, however, before that I’m even more excited to travel abroad to the Netherlands! I have travelled abroad before, but only to Mexico and Canada. I am very glad to have the opportunity to travel to Europe and learn about a new culture. I chose the Netherlands because the program is centered around concept to consumer which is a very interesting topic to me. I’m very interested in Dutch culture and excited because of the lack of a language barrier. Plus 3 is a great experience, because it allows a brief but thorough introduction to international business and foreign cultures.

In the Netherlands, I am looking forward to trying new foods and seeing new places. The more we discuss about the Netherlands in pre-departure meetings, the more excited I get. There are some great and historic places I can’t wait to see, such as the Anne Frank house and, although I’m not an engineer, I’m eager to see the storm surge barrier. Professionally, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to network with business professionals and learn about different industries. My perspective as a student and future leader in business will be shaped with the help of this experience.

I am extremely lucky to have been given this opportunity to both travel and develop professionally. I can’t wait to further update you all on my days in the Netherlands as well.