First Students, Now Legacy Partners

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First Students, Now Legacy Partners

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First Students, Now Legacy Partners

May 27, 2026

Background

For the first time the 2026 team includes two Legacy Partners: Tage Oster ’24 (WSM/MAX) and Gianna
Davis ’25. The introduction of Legacy Partners is intended to further enhance the student
experience, providing an early-professional perspective during engagements within the
program.

TAGE OSTER
Graduated: May 2024 (finance, entrepreneurship and economics major)
Trips: 2022 (inaugural trip), 2023 (lead)
Professional Experience: Ernst & Young, McKinsey & Company

GIANNA DAVIS
Graduated: May 2025 (accounting (CPA) and entrepreneurship major)
Trips: 2023, 2024 (Online MBA residency program)
Professional Experience: Ernst & Young

This program has a way of staying with you. For both of us, Kenya didn't just mark a meaningful
chapter in college—it shaped how we think about connection, community and what it means to
show up with intention. When Professor Wimer introduced the opportunity of returning, it was an
easy yes.

An evolving and improving program

With the completion of the 2026 trip, we have now had the opportunity to collectively participate
in four distinct Kenya Immersion programs spanning five years, from the program’s inception to
the present day. Over that time, the growth and advancement of the program has been
remarkable.

Part of this advancement can be seen in some of the core trip partners like Amani Ya Juu,
Ubuntu Life and Anchor Leather, which have been staples of the experience for many years
now. As more students have participated over the years, the relationship between our program
and these partners has grown stronger, adding a layer of familiarity and an opportunity to
explore Kenya more deeply through intentional conversations.

In addition to these core partners, the program continues to find new opportunities that keep the
trip fresh and unique to each group. Even as legacy partners having completed this trip multiple
times already, it was a pleasant surprise to still meet so many new people and learn new
insights.

Student and alumni experience

Returning as alumni offered a different kind of engagement. As students, the focus is naturally
on absorbing as much as possible—the culture, the organizations, the conversations. Coming
back, the experience shifts. You notice things you didn’t before: how the partners have grown,
how the program has matured and how the students are navigating the same moments you
once did.The Legacy Partner role added something neither of us anticipated—the ability to bridge the
gap between where the students are now and where they might be in a few years. We weren’t
there to lead. We were there to be an additional resource: answering questions, modeling how
to engage professionally with partners and offering perspective when it was useful. That
balance—being present without overshadowing—was critical.

Career impact and giving back

Coming back as alumni is a meaningful opportunity to give back to a program that had such a
lasting impact on us. Throughout the trip, we aimed to support the students as members of the
team but allow them to engage with the program organically, independent of our prior
experiences. The intention was for them to form their own perspectives and fully experience the
program in their own way. We felt we could add the most value by simply acting as a resource
for answering questions, modeling best practices for engaging with our partners and even
tapping into college or early-career advice if asked.

Beyond giving back, the Kenya immersion program is a great reminder of how to show up from
both a personal and professional perspective. Leading with humility, prioritizing understanding,
and leaning into connection are all actions that can sometimes escape us in the fast-paced
environment of early corporate careers. Being a part of this program again has given us a
refresh on the global perspective we initially gained as students, and with that we are reminded
of the value this program brought us years ago, and acknowledge the impact it can still have on
someone early in their career.

By Gianna Davis and Tage Oster

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