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Isabella Catanese

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Foreign Languages
  • Travel And Tourism
  • Gaming
  • Reading
  • German
  • Business And Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • English
  • Politics and Political Science
  • Writing
  • Walking
  • Animals
  • Kayaking
  • Volleyball
  • Archery
  • Music
  • Fishing
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Volunteering
  • Italian
  • Anime
  • History
  • Cosplay
  • Board Games And Puzzles
  • Chess
  • Dungeons And Dragons
  • International Relations
  • Japanese
  • Spanish
  • Learning
  • Manga
  • Minecraft

Reading

  • History
  • Classics
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Cultural
  • Politics
  • Travel
  • Economics
  • Historical
  • Literary Fiction
  • Mystery
  • Realistic Fiction
  • Adult Fiction
  • Business
  • Fantasy
  • Gothic
  • Horror
  • Magical Realism
  • Literature
  • Novels
  • Young Adult
  • True Story
  • Biography
  • Science Fiction

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

As a current Junior at the University of Pittsburgh, I strive to incorporate my international experience, which includes studying abroad at Vienna University of Economics and Business for a semester and completing on-site research of the German Automobile industry, with my future career path in the financial and analytical fields. Analytics are the future; new experiences and connections will be essential to develop this young field further. With my expertise in the German language and culture, I will serve as a link to connect these fields to ensure that analytics can be as holistic and efficient as possible, including essential sectors, such as finance. With this perspective in mind, I will combine my sectors of interest (analytics and finance) with my long-held passion for German. My other work reflects this passion: I serve as a tour guide for the Nationality and Heritage Rooms, a historic program celebrating Pittsburgh's unique diaspora. In this role, I connect the program's history to the present day and elaborate on relevant nuances present within each represented diaspora. Another vital aspect of my role is to connect with my guests and highlight these differences, encouraging them to reevaluate their own experiences and appreciate the nuances expressed in each room. Leading tours and educating the guests is a source of joy and pride for me, so much so that I am the Business Manager in the related club for other student tour guides, Quo Vadis. I also participate in an investment portfolio, called Smart Womens Securities (SWS).

Education

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Bachelor's degree program

2022 – 2026

Majors:
  • Data Analytics
  • Finance and Financial Management Services
Minors:
  • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General

North Penn High School

High School

2019 – 2022

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General, Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other, Marketing, Finance and Financial Management Services, Business/Managerial Economics
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Nationality Room Tour Guide

    Consumer Services · University of Pittsburgh

    Jan 2023 – Present

  • Registeer/Barista

    Restaurants · Everything Bagel Cafe

    Jan 2019 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
International Trade and Development
Dream career goals:
Foreign Representative
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Bold.org x Forever 21 Scholarship + Giveaway
@ircat.idek
I Can Do Anything Scholarship
When reflecting upon my current and past self, my future self will contentedly say, "Thank you, all of your work and sacrifice was worth it."
Bold Bucket List Scholarship
When I first opened my National Geographic Atlas, my eyes were immediately captivated by the majestic spires of the St. Petersburg Cathedral. The bright colors blended perfectly together, the foreign architecture style, the surrounding landscape scenery, everything about it captivated me. I turned the page. Taj Mahal, Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Versailles, all of them (and more) entranced me. Since I opened that Atlas in 2nd grade, my passion for travel ignited. In 8th grade, I began studying German. With the help of my teacher, German and language as a whole became another passion of mine. With language, you would understand the culture, which lets you better immerse yourself when traveling. Since eighth grade, these two passions formed my college, career, and life goals. Unsurprisingly, my bucket list is dominated by languages and travel, as these two passions go hand-in-hand. At the top? Visit the Vienna Opera House. The iconic, gorgeous golden roof is the city's pride. Second, become fluent in German. It took five years of non-stop studying and practice, and I have finally become fluent this year. All of my dedication has been for something. Check. Then, visit Salzgitter, Germany. I was supposed to study abroad here for my Junior year, but due to COVID-19, I never got to. I have to go to experience a part of what I missed. After that, learn Italian. Both sides of my family have Italian origins. It seemed natural to learn Italian next. Although I began studying earlier this year with a tutor, I've already made notable progress. Check. Visit Sicily, where my dad's family came from generations ago. My family has talked about it. Despite being a mere snapshot of my bucket list, the trend is clear. There is one notable outlier: Graduate college with minimal student debt.
Bold Investing Scholarship
Despite being one of the most basic tips, I've found that starting small investments is beneficial not only to me financially but also personally, as it teaches me that I cannot simply expect overnight results. From a practical, financial perspective, starting with small investments can show you many things, such as the stability of the investment, the profit return over time, and even knowledge for the future. These factors allow me to determine whether or not to continue with the investment (and other similar investment methods), along with granting me investment experience. Currently, I invest in a hedge fund, making an initial deposit of $500. Within a month, I made back the money I had deposited, so I knew this was an investment to continue. Despite inflation, my investment's value has risen at a consistent rate, showing me that not only is the investment stable and growing, but it can yield a relatively fast profit. Doing small investments also prevents me from suffering the all-too-common disastrous losses that come with larger investments. Furthermore, this advice has helped my personal growth. For starters, I now consider my financial status in the long run, in addition to the short run, allowing me to weigh my options, a skill not just applicable in the fiscal world. Furthermore, due to the conservative nature of my investments, the profit returns are subtler and, in order to see considerable profit, I must build my patience. I now understand not to expect overnight profit, but profit over time, another skill applicable to life. This simple "start small" tip has allowed me to view my financial and my personal world differently for the better.
Bold Growth Mindset Scholarship
Ever since I began school, I wanted to be the best. It didn't matter what, all that mattered was that I was the best. I would spend hours upon hours studying, all to get the best grades, or practicing my soccer skills for gym class. I developed a perfectionist complex that caused me to obsess over everything that I did. Twelve years later, even though I do not possess the same overly-competitive drive which I had during my youth, I still possess that drive to constantly improve, albeit I express it more healthily. Naturally, I always put forth my best effort, while subduing that perfectionist nature. Instead of focusing on everything that I need to improve when critiquing my work, I hone in on one specific aspect. Not only is this method more efficient, but it also ensures that I fully understand what I am trying to improve and how best to do it. I have had more success with this method of critique than with my perfectionist nature of old. This method is healthier for my mental health as well, as I am no longer overwhelming myself with everything that needs to be improved, rather I am improving one step at a time towards better results. Upon seeing my improvement, there is no greater feeling of satisfaction than knowing that my work is better than the week, or even, the day before. The results may mean that I'm no longer the fastest or the best in the class, but for me, the steady, constant improvement makes everything worth it.
Bold Patience Matters Scholarship
One's patience is often a hallmark of one's maturity. The more patient someone is, the more understanding and rational they are. All of these traits are simply part of my everyday life, a part of me. Due to my upbringing with an Autistic younger sister, I had to become her role model and display the skills that she would hopefully learn to imitate. Patience was a skill that she sorely lacked, so I had to exude constant patience. Because I had patience ingrained in me so young, naturally, I began to exude those other traits. Upon exuding these traits, I began to treat more people with respect, and, in turn, more of my peers and my sisters looked up to me. It was then that I realized that being patient is the best way to show respect to others, as it demonstrates that you are willing to understand their struggles. Even years later, my sister has improved and exhibited patience on many occasions, enabling her to better connect with her peers and herself. While she still struggles, she now knows that not rushing into situations or assumptions is the healthier, empathetic option. Ultimately, patience is essential to personal growth and maturity, along with being the best way to learn more empathy, ultimately leading to a more understanding world for everyone.
Isabella Catanese Student Profile | Bold.org