University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Life Skills Takes Student-Athletes on First Career Exploration Trip to Philadelphia
8/14/2026 1:55:00 PM | General, Life Skills
For three days in July, 13 Pitt student-athletes traded practice fields and film rooms for boardrooms and executive panels, as Pitt's Cathy and John Pelusi Family Life Skills program hosted its first-ever multi-day Career Exploration Trip outside of Pittsburgh.
The July 16-18 trip to Philadelphia gave a competitively selected group of Panthers an immersive look at life after athletics, long before their playing days are done.
The student-athletes toured a cross-section of industries during their time in the city, stopping at Comcast, Blank Rome LLP, Deloitte, Hershey's Chocolate World and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
At each stop, facility tours gave way to executive panels and candid conversations, with Pitt alumni among those sharing how they built their careers. The access gave the group a firsthand look at government, law, healthcare, technology and nonprofit work, sectors many had never previously considered.
Cross country and track athlete Camryn McGeehan said the structure of a typical day left the biggest impression.
"As athletes, our schedules change often due to travel, competitions, and workouts," McGeehan said. "No week looks exactly the same, so we are forced to adapt and manage our time. Seeing the more consistent 9-5 was different but refreshing, and I see the value in being able to fully focus on your work during the day."
The trip's daily rhythm mixed structure with variety. Mornings began with breakfast before the group headed to their first site visit around 10 a.m., where tours and panel discussions gave student-athletes a chance to ask about everything from daily schedules to career advice. By the end of most days, McGeehan said, the group was worn out but grateful for the experience.
Wrestler Matthew Marlow said the professionals he met reinforced a lesson that extended well beyond any single industry.
"Just how important networking and building connections are," Marlow said. "Relationships can often be just as valuable as experience, and sometimes even more valuable. You can always gain something by talking to people who are further along in their careers and learning from their experiences."
Beyond the office visits, the trip built in intentional moments of connection and service. The group volunteered with Cradles to Crayons, helping prepare essential items for children experiencing clothing insecurity. They also attended a Pitt Alumni Networking reception that let student-athletes and graduates swap career insights side by side.
McGeehan said the volunteer work tied the trip's themes together in a way that hit differently than a tour or panel could.
"It gave us a hands-on way to see the impact a nonprofit has on the community, and there are job opportunities in nonprofit organizations as well," she said. "It connected back to bigger themes of the trip, and gave us a chance to contribute instead of just learning about the work from an outside perspective."
The group also found time to bond away from the professional agenda, including a trip to Hershey's Chocolate World and a night out at a Philadelphia Phillies game against the New York Mets.
For Marlow, the trip reframed how he thinks about the jump from athletics to a traditional career. Choosing where to live and work, and building relationships with new coworkers, can feel overwhelming, he said, but student-athletes already have practice adapting to new teams, coaches and environments.
As the first trip of its kind for Pitt Life Skills, the Philadelphia experience set a new bar for what career development can look like for Pitt student-athletes, combining industry exposure, alumni connection and community service into one immersive week away from campus.
