Hi, my name is Mariel Keares, and I am from Lancaster, Pennsylvania! I am studying Finance, Global Management, and Modern Greek, aspiring to become a business lawyer. On campus, I am an active member of Delta Zeta Sorority and Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity. I also serve as the Vice President of the Hellenic Student Association and the Fundraising Chair for the Pitt Club Pickleball team. This summer, I will be returning as a 4th-year lifeguard, where I will also be teaching swim lessons for the first time. I love all things active: running, skiing, playing pickleball, and over the past year, I have tried getting into golf again, however my clubs and I don’t seem to be getting along currently. I also love to cook, shop (even though I have way too many clothes), and most importantly, TRAVEL!!!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to travel to Morocco through the Plus3 Program at Pitt! With this specific location’s focus on entrepreneurship and technology, I will gain insight into how entrepreneurial businesses operate in the emerging country of Morocco, as well as the ongoing influence of technology. Growing up with both parents who are entrepreneurs, I have always been fascinated by how they run their companies and have even adopted a lot of their techniques. When I was 10 years old, I ran a slime shop out of my basement and made a couple hundred dollars. Now, I resell clothes to both clean out my closet (make room for new clothes) and make some extra money!

As we travel to Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakesh, I am beyond excited to immerse myself in the unique cultures and broaden my academic and professional knowledge by engaging with the companies we will be visiting. As a world traveler, I believe it is of utmost importance to visit a variety of countries. Having visited many developing countries, I’m especially interested in experiencing an emerging economy like Morocco, where businesses are actively working to grow, modernize, and “emerge” on a global scale. Since Morocco is an emerging nation, I am especially curious to see how individual businesses are making strategic efforts to develop themselves, adopt new technologies, and position themselves for long-term growth. Academically, I want to analyze how entrepreneurship and technology intersect in an emerging market, especially in ways that differ from what I have learned in the classroom. Professionally, as an aspiring business lawyer, I am particularly interested in observing how businesses scale, form partnerships, and navigate challenges, as these experiences will help me better understand the legal and strategic decisions that shape growing companies.