Hello, my name is Katie Sterr, and I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  I am a senior at the University of South Carolina studying International Business and Finance with a minor in Spanish.  In the spring of 2015, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain.  During the semester, I fell in love with Madrid and the Spanish culture and also visited eleven other countries.

Studying abroad had been a dream for me for many years.  I have been taking Spanish since high school and have continued throughout college by studying Spanish as my minor.  I really wanted to immerse myself in the Spanish culture and improve my conversational Spanish skills.  I found a school that focused on finance, my major, in the heart of Madrid, Spain.  My semester in Spain exposed me to different perspectives and taught me how to successfully adapt to a foreign culture, while stepping out of my comfort zone.  I believe that I now have a broader and more nuanced view of the world that has helped grow both personally and professionally.

The past two summers I have had internships.  The first internship was a Sales position at AT&T where I primarily established and maintained strong customer relations.  This past summer, I had a Finance internship at Genworth Financial where I served as an analyst in the Financial Planning & Analysis department.  My leadership positions on campus include being a University 101 Peer Leader, and I served as a committee head in a political organization.  I am also actively involved in Relay for Life and Carolina Finance and Investment Association. 

In my career, I want to hold a position that allows me to travel frequently or someday work abroad.  I want to work for a multinational company that shares the same values and passions as myself, and ultimately, works to serve the customers and makes a positive impact in the world.  One day, I would love to start my own business or non-profit organization to better serve my community.

This e-Portfolio showcases my Graduation with Leadership Distinction in Global Learning.  Throughout the site, I will share my insights from my experiences abroad and my time at the University of South Carolina.