Hello! My name is Chaya Thomas, I am from Souderton, Pennsylvania, and I am a rising sophomore in the School of Business. I am planning to major in finance and global management and minor in Hispanic language and culture, with hopes to enter the financial planning field serving the Hispanic and English-language-learning community. At Pitt, I am involved with Incline Consulting Group and Smart Woman Securities, organizations in which I have gained experience working on group projects and being a leader. I also play trumpet in the Pitt Jazz Ensemble.
Through traveling, participation in cultural events, and interactions with international community members, I have developed a passion for exploring new cultures and connecting with people from different backgrounds. I fuel this passion by learning and using Spanish whenever I can, helping people practice English, and being curious about other cultures. Outside of academics and clubs, I enjoy volunteering, fitness, salsa dancing, trying new cuisines, and traveling. I also have a homemade ice cream business, The Sweet Freeze.
This May, I am excited to be traveling to Morocco with Plus3. Plus3 Morocco stood out to me because of its focus on technology and entrepreneurship, especially related to small businesses. Being a small business owner myself, I look forward to learning about the entrepreneurship process in Morocco, challenges entrepreneurs face, and how they are adapting to changes in the technological landscape. I am also excited to visit organizations and schools that support entrepreneurs and see how they are adapting to changes in Morocco. Specifically related to my career aspiration, I am curious to know how Moroccan entrepreneurs navigate personal finance and financial planning for their futures.
Professionally, I would like to continue developing my intercultural communication skills during this program. Whether or not I end up interning or working abroad, I will most likely work with people from countries and cultures other than my own. I want to be a positive example in my workplace of how to navigate cross-cultural communication and cultural differences. Plus3 Morocco will allow me to not only put my existing skills into practice, but to strengthen them.
Personally, I am excited to connect with my host family through conversation and cultural exchange. I want to understand what matters to them and immerse myself as much as possible in their ways of life. I also hope to uncover the why behind acting or doing things a certain way, which will help me develop cultural flexibility in both personal and business settings.
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Chaya Thomas
