The short-term trip to Puerto Rico sparked the interest of Joshua Kotani ’20, a biochemistry major, who wanted to help the island ravaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Journeying through Puerto Rico, the Whittier group witnessed the hard toll of Maria, which even after all this time, “looks as if the hurricane happened a few months ago,” Kotani wrote in a blog post. Together, they volunteered in recovery efforts, learned about Puerto Rican history and culture, and collected stories from survivors rebuilding their home.
“It offered an opportunity to help others in a direct manner, face to face. I gained so much knowledge about Puerto Rico and its people,” Kotani said. Read more about the local stories recorded by students.
On the other side of the world, a class traveled through Japan with business administration professor Gary Gold to gain deeper perspective on the global marketplace. In the glimmering port city of Osaka, students learned the similarities and differences between business ethics in Japan and the United States. Taking full advantage of the time abroad, the class also traveled to Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Kyoto, immersing themselves in local culture and history—including how to make delicious mochi.
Meanwhile, a third class joined senior lecturer and writing program director Charlie Eastman for a film-junkie’s tour of Rome. When students weren’t watching a decades-spanning survey of Italian movies featuring the storied capital, the class adventured through the city to try out their new Italian vocabulary and experience Rome first hand, from the historic Coliseum to magical Trevi Fountain. They also enjoyed excursions to landmarks in Italian cinema, like Cinecittà Studios, as well as must-sees like the ancient ruins of Ostio Antica and Vatican City, where they spotted Pope Francis.
The Global Poet Scholarship (GPS) makes foreign travel more affordable for every student. GPS awards all Whittier College students $2,000 to study abroad through the Office of International Programs.
