Social work graduate students Alan Wong and Ashley Bush are two of 14 UW students awarded Bonderman travel fellowships, worth $20,000 each, that will allow them to embark on solo journeys that last for are at least eight months and take them to regions and countries around the world.
Ashley Bush is seeking an adventure that broadens her perspective, helping her to gain a better understanding of her identity and her place in the world. She plans to visit Chile, South Africa, Kenya, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Spain.“I’m beyond grateful to be named a Bonderman Fellow; this might be the most amazing opportunity I’ve ever been granted, and I am so excited for the adventure and challenge.” Ashley’s hometown is Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Alan Wong will be traveling to Southeast Asia and Latin America. Alan grew up in south Seattle, where many of his friends and neighbors immigrated from the countries he will be visiting. “The Bonderman experience will offer me the opportunity to return to my community in Seattle with more to give. I hope to arrive back home with greater perspective, vitality, wisdom and compassion—and a deepened commitment to the community empowerment and social work, which launched me on this journey.” A practicing Buddhist, Alan is also thrilled to visit the region where Buddhism flowered and remains so vividly alive.
About The Bonderman Travel Fellowships: David Bonderman, who earned his undergraduate degree in Russian in 1963 from the University of Washington, created the fellowship program. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he received a Sheldon Fellowship that allowed him to travel internationally, an experience that had a profound impact on his life. The Bonderman Travel Fellowships support UW students in having a similarly transformative experience. The UW Graduate School and the University Honors Program administer the program