Pitt student flies for free to Costa Rica

Leslie Baich had to restrain herself when she got the call.

“I was at work,” she said. “I… Leslie Baich had to restrain herself when she got the call.

“I was at work,” she said. “I completely wanted to freak out.”

Noah Cohen, chief sales officer for Skexza Incorporated, a direct advertising firm that owns and operates the Web site lifeatcollege.com, was on the other line.

“I kept getting her machine,” he said. “I wanted to tell her myself.”

In late January, Baich was announced as the winner of an all-expense-paid trip for two to Costa Rica during spring break. Valued at approximately $2,000, the trip covers six nights at the Jaco Beach Resort and includes drinks, meals, excursions and roundtrip first-class airfare.

The hardest choice for Baich was deciding which friend to take.

“I’m going with my best friend Zac,” she said. “He doesn’t get to travel very often.”

More than 150,000 students from across the country entered the competition through the Web site, which required that entrants disclose e-mail addresses of friends and relatives.

Cohen noted that an especially heavy concentration of entries came from Eastern colleges, like Pitt and West Virginia University.

With the pressure of work, classes and midterms weighing on her, Baich said she will welcome the opportunity to relax, and that she is not making any plans ahead of schedule.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing the rain forest,” she said. “And I love gambling. But, really, I’m just looking forward to doing nothing.”

Cohen described lifeatcollege.com as the nation’s premiere local college home page and said the Web site will continue to give away cash, coupons and tickets throughout the year, as well as another trip next spring. The company is currently working with more than 20 universities to sponsor on-campus events and provide internships for students.

Baich shook her head in disbelief as Cohen repeated the contents of the package.

“I don’t think I have enough luggage,” she said with a laugh. “I still have to pack.”