Hi everyone, my name is Wayne Fontaine, and I just finished my freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in marketing and supply chain. I’m from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, where I’ve lived since moving back from China after spending two years there. I’ve always enjoyed trying new things and putting myself in different environments. Growing up, I started school in kindergarten in China and had the opportunity to visit lots of cool places like The Great Wall of China, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and other places in Europe.

Outside of the classroom, I like to stay active and do things that keep me moving, like running, hiking, biking, or really anything outdoors. I’m also part of the club track here at Pitt, which I really enjoy since I ran throughout high school and like staying involved in the sport. I also like to hang out with my friends and family, along with watching sports. Over the summers, I have lifeguarded at my local pool and have worked at my town’s running store as a salesperson.

I chose to go to Ecuador because I want to learn more about global business and how companies operate outside of the United States. While in Ecuador, we will be focusing on the supply chain of chocolate, and I am interested in supply chain, so it felt like a good fit for me. Since business today is global, I think it’s important to experience how things work in another country instead of just learning about it in a classroom. I also wanted to use this program as a starting point since I’m interested in studying abroad again in the future.

While I’m in Ecuador, I hope to learn how business is different in Ecuador compared to the U.S. and see how companies succeed in a different environment. I’m also looking forward to experiencing a new culture and getting out of my comfort zone. Overall, I want to come back from this trip with a better understanding of global business and a new perspective I can use going forward.