My name is Luis Villarreal Pitty, and I am currently doing my major in chemical engineering at the University of Arkansas. I am from Panama, a country located in south central America. Panama is well known for the Panama Canal which represents the great privilege we have for serving the world by connecting it. Panama also possesses a beautiful Caribbean coast full of beaches, warm tropical climate, a rich diverse culture, and a wide range of ecosystems filled with incredible species.
When I first came to the University of Arkansas, I was 19 years old and it was my first time abroad. I was a boy who did not know the place I was going or its people; I came as a sponsored student because the university offered my sponsors a wonderful academic program. In all, it has been a fantastic adventure and I can say that I am proud to be HOG and to call the University of Arkansas home.
I am majoring in a very complex career; chemical engineering is a very demanding major, but one that fulfills my goal to make incredible things that can contribute to the rapid growth the world is experiencing. Chemical engineers use chemistry as a tool, but a tool we use a lot, because that is the platform we need to design processes. Moreover, it is important to have in mind that here at the UofA help and assistance have always been given to me, and it is very accessible, which is one of the many things I like about the university community.
The university has hundreds of student organizations. There are so many that getting involved is not the problem, except to choose what you want participate in. The choices go from professional/academic organizations to international/cultural, Greek life, and even religious organizations. In addition, Fayetteville, Arkansas is a very alive town full of community activities, and many places to visit and to find interesting things to do. Among the things I like to do a lot are running on the many trails around Fayetteville, reading a book in Wilson park, having breakfast on Dickson street and then browsing books in the Dickson bookshop, going to the farmers’ market, walking around downtown Fayetteville, going to the mall and movie theater, and many other things. All in all, the university of Arkansas is a part of my life that I will never forget and I will always miss once I graduate.
-Luis, ’17
