Hi, I’m Jacob Franks, a first-year engineering student with Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. A lifelong resident of suburban western Pennsylvania, I’m eager to explore the world and experience life outside of my small town, be it in the Steel City or across the world in South Korea!
With roots in a small school, I’ve always been an active member in many communities, ranging from the arts and athletics to academia and relevant honor societies. Some of these experiences include my extensive background in the performing arts as an instrumentalist, dancer, vocalist, and actor who has attended many special events and award shows, even receiving a Mancini Award in 2026 for a supporting role as Thénardier in a 2026 production of Les Misérables. Concerning my history in instrumental performance, I have also had the fortune of being selected as a performer in the Alle-Kiski Honors Band all three years I had the opportunity to audition, and at Pitt, I am proud to continue my musical journey as a member of the Pitt Varsity Marching Band. Finally, having studied dance for many years at a studio in my hometown, I have a deep appreciation for dance both as a viewer and performer. K-Pop choreography, in particular, has always been immensely impressive to me as the sharp, synchronized movements characteristic of the style are extremely impressive, especially with the skill that idols demonstrate in their ability to both sing and perform so wholly in-sync. Honestly, I can’t wait to go to South Korea and experience the country that’s home to one of my favorite styles of dance.
Despite what my previous emphasis may imply, I’m not just a performer. I actually have an even longer history with soccer, playing recreationally, playing competitively, and acting as a 4-year high school varsity letterman. As such, the popularity of soccer in South Korea is wholly fascinating to me as, despite my love of the sport, that enthusiasm is much less common in my hometown. Having the opportunity to travel to a country that, at large, shares my love for the sport and is home to the most successful soccer team in Asia is honestly exhilarating, and I would love to catch a game live during my time in Korea.
On the topic of travel, my upcoming time in South Korea with the Swanson School of Engineering’s Plus 3 program won’t be my first time overseas. Having studied the French language for the past 4 years, I ended my junior year of high school with a trip to France. During this time, I visited countless historical landmarks in Paris, saw the staging grounds for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games firsthand, and was left awestruck by finally getting the chance to experience the culture I had studied for 3 years come to life in front of my eyes. It was during that trip that I discovered my love not for sightseeing, but for living in and experiencing cultures separate from the cordoned off small town I grew up in. I’ve always loved learning about countries separate from America, but actually visiting those countries is endlessly fascinating because, while the differences between cultures is interesting, the truly enrapturing experiences come from realizing the similarities between countries and persons on opposite sides of the globe.
As the semester draws to a close and the trip to South Korea with Plus 3 gets nearer, I can’t help but count down the days. I’m beyond excited for all the new experiences I’ll get overseas and for the opportunity to share them with my peers, and as an aspiring engineer (and inner-techie), I’m honestly thrilled to see how Seoul, a pioneer in the weaving of technology into daily life, manages to do it so seamlessly and maybe even bring some of that design ethos home with me.