Reopening the World: Global Travel Programs Return Post-Pandemic

What better way to see world history, art, or languages in action? As the world reopens following the COVID-19 pandemic, students are once again exploring the globe.

“Getting outside your comfort zone, whether that be outside of your town, state, or country, the benefits of travel are transformational,” said Dean of Academics Martha Griswold. “Kids always come back with their eyes wider and just breathless at experiences that they’ve had.”

Spring Break Trips
This school year marks the first spring trip since the 2019 excursion to South Africa, which included a meal with Nelson Mandela’s prison guard. Chief Advancement Officer Christine Knight P’19, who chaperoned a similar trip, said, “we’re helping them shape their experiences now that will have a lasting footprint throughout their life.”

Spring Break trips have been on hiatus, but in spring 2024, they will resume as a group of Chatham Hall students and faculty visit Kenya and volunteer at the Sasyeni Primary School.

“For many kids, this is their first international experience,” Griswold said, adding that they try to choose destinations that are a little harder to visit for a truly unique and memorable experience. Visiting a country with unfamiliar customs and perhaps a new language helps students build their resilience. Often, students who may not know each other will create new connections during the trip.

“When we develop these tight bonds that happen on a trip, we’re also strengthening those relationships that contribute to a healthy student,” Knight said. “They return home with a wider network of support on campus.”

Australian Exchange
Conversations about setting up an Australian exchange program started before the pandemic. The exchange was finally able to move forward in summer 2022, when Sophia Hurst ‘25 became the first Chatham Hall student to participate.

Hurst spent several weeks at the St. Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Brisbane, Australia, during winter in their region.

“I learned a lot communicating with people, meeting new people, and the importance of having different connections in different places,” she said. “I understand if others are scared about going, but they shouldn’t let their fear stop them from doing it because we are going to grow and learn most when we are outside of our comfort zones. That’s definitely something that Chatham Hall teaches us.”

Over the past two school years, eight students from the St. Margaret’s community have joined us and experienced life at Chatham Hall.

Student Diplomacy Corps
Over the years, many Chatham Hall students have participated in Student Diplomacy Corps (SDC), a summer study away program. In summer 2023, Eleanor Butterfield ‘25 traveled to Haida Gwaii, an island off the west coast of Canada, to study traditional ecological knowledge and Indigenous cultures. For her, the highlight of the trip was traveling by Zodiac boat to a floating lodge.

“It was important for me to participate in the SDC because I want to travel everywhere and learn everything,” Butterfield said. “This was the first step in what I want to do with my life and I am so grateful I got the chance to be in this program.”

In addition to her Australian exchange, Hurst attended a SDC program in France this past summer, where she learned about French culture and language and discovered an interest in diplomacy and possibly a college major in international relations.

“Some of my highlights from my trip were meeting new people who would after a couple of days become close friends and challenging my language skills by using French almost every day,” she said.

Hallam Hurt & iQuest
For students who want to explore the world on a more individualized basis, the Hallam Hurt Travel Award and iQuest programs let students form a research question, submit a proposal, and compete for funding to go explore that question. Knight leads a grant writing workshop to help students craft their proposals.

Through these programs, Chatham Hall students have traveled to Jerusalem to explore what it’s like to live in a city with all three major world religions, Italy to learn about its mental health systems, and Los Angeles to experience raw and vegan food. Students arrange meetings with experts and plan their own itinerary, then present their discoveries with the School community upon their return. Often, this means a formal presentation, but some students get more creative.

 “We had two students who went to France, and they made a beautiful video of their dancing,” Griswold said. “It was amazing!”

Support for Travel Programs
These experiences can positively impact a student for the rest of her life. That’s why Chatham Hall donors provide funding for students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to participate, whether it’s a full or partial subsidy.

“We have generous donors who have given because they understand the value that travel provides to a person and to the community,” Knight said. “They see the value in what we’re doing and believe in Chatham Hall’s mission for girls.”