Three students in the MSW program received University of Washington Bonderman Travel Fellowships recently, enabling them to increase their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live. The School of Social Work recipients are: Azaria Evans, Erin Fitzgerald and Casey Murray.
Bonderman fellows must travel solo for a minimum of eight months to at least six countries in two or more regions of the world. The $23,000 fellowship award is intended to totally immerse the student in other places, peoples and cultures. Recipients are selected for demonstrating integrity, a capacity for vision and leadership, and a potential for humane and effective participation in the global community.
MSW student Azaria Evans from Steilacoom, Wash., has never traveled farther than a road trip to Vancouver, B.C. During her travels, she will visit countries in Africa and Southeast Asia as well as India, practicing yoga where it originated and developing a deeper understanding of other ways of life. “What I hope to take away from this experience is a better understanding of myself and how the world works,” she said. “I appreciate the emphasis on solo travel and taking yourself outside your comfort zone.”
Issaquah, Wash., native Erin Fitzgerald will use her Bonderman fellowship to learn about familial norms, social customs, developing economies, faith, history, wildlife and cuisine. “I am fascinated by the resiliency of the human heart and how we are all connected,” Fitzgerald said. “I will gain a deeper understanding of the world and myself by talking with locals in Morocco, Egypt, Madagascar, Rwanda, Tanzania, India, Thailand and Indonesia.”
Casey Murray, who is from Oakland, Cal., will travel to South America, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Japan, exploring gender identity and how cultural values impact happiness. “I expect to be challenged in ways I can’t even anticipate,” Murray said, “and hope 
to return a stronger, more confident individual. I see this opportunity as invaluable to my career as a social worker, helping to inform the work I do in a culturally responsive and sensitive manner.”
This year, 18 University of Washington students received Bonderman fellowships. Alumnus David Bonderman, who has sponsored this program for 20 years, provided a new $10 million endowment this year, which expanded the number of fellowships from 14 to 18 and increased the fellowship grant by 15 percent. See the complete list of 2107 Bonderman fellows here.
Since 1995, 254 students have been named Bonderman fellows. The application process, open to undergraduate, graduate and professional students, includes an essay and an interview with faculty, staff and former recipients. The fellowship is for independent international travel only; Bonderman fellows may not pursue academic study, projects or research during their journey.