Meet the 2023 Kenya Immersion Travel Team

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Meet the 2023 Kenya Cultural Immersion Team

Today we introduce the 2022 Kenya Cultural Immersion Trip travel team. Learn more about each of the members and their roles to make this experiential learning experience successful.

Elizabeth Wimer G’06 (VPA)

My Role: My role in the travel team is to pave the road. From the first focus group with students to the evolving daily itinerary, in this trip, my role is to ask, notice and understand where my students want to go and then pave the road for them to get there.

Why I want to *lead* this team: I designed this immersion experience around “Ubuntu” – a proverb my Kenyan friend taught me that, to me, means we (the students and I) are here for a purpose, not a project, we thrive only relationship with each other as a team and with our partners in Kenyan.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I believe the best way to bridge the global North/South divide is through compassionate immersion. By supporting our partners (Mwelu Foundation, Ubuntu Life, Homecare Retreat, Child Discovery Center, Mwganza College and more!) we are able to understand and contribute to the ways in which global businesses and nonprofits are investing in the economic development of the emerging economy. I hope this second trip continues to build a foundation for a sustainable partnership between students and our class partners in future years. I hope that the trip widens the perspective of students that already have a global mindset, to fully step into their role as global citizen that uses their education and access for both their own benefit and the benefit of their global neighbor.

Adam Best ’25

Majors/Minors: Accounting and Finance

My Role: Director of Finance and Fundraising. I am the Director of Finance and Fundraising for the Kenya team. I deal with the financial side of the trip, along with helping the other Fundraising Directors to collect donations and supplies.

Why I want to join this team: Seeing the world has been a dream of mine, and having the opportunity to immerse myself in a different culture is something that I want to experience. I am looking forward to learning from and sharing knowledge with the people who are making a difference in Kenya. I know that I will change as a person after this experience, and I hope that it will help me grow as a person and a professional.

My partner: Julius. My partner is Julius, who started the Mwelu Foundation. We are working together to build a library in one of Kenya's informal communities. We are collecting children's books, camera equipment, and other school supplies that the new library will use.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I want to see the world from a different perspective. Being across the globe, I will have the chance to see business differently, outside of the United States. I'm looking forward to working with all our partners to help as many people as we can, and experience their ways of life.

Tanner Boshart ’25 (WSM/MAX)

Majors: Finance and Economics

My Role: Director of Operations. I’m excited to take on the Director of Operations role for this year's Kenya Immersion Trip! This means that I assist Professor Wimer and Team Leader to craft the itinerary, manage logistics, and make sure everyone on the team is safe and ready to travel. Traveling to Kenya in a post-Covid world creates a world of headaches, and my job is to try and manage any problems that could possibly arise.

Why I want to join this team: In my Freshman year, I was lucky enough to have SOM 122 with Professor Wimer. She told us about the Kenya trip early on, and I knew from that moment that I wanted to be on that trip. I’m excited to push my personal boundaries and travel outside the sphere that normally contains Syracuse University students. This trip is an opportunity to meet new people with different outlooks and mutually benefit from the experience. In addition, I am grateful to have such an incredible team of fellow students on the trip. I’m so excited to learn more, not only about Kenya, but my peers as well.

My partner: Unilever SA. My partner is Unilever SA, which has a massive presence in Kenya. Unilever provides the Majors/Minority of domestic products used by Africa, and saying that their company is important to the future of Africa is an understatement. I’m excited to work with them to understand how their operations work and the impact they will have on the development of Kenya. It will be interesting to gaze into the logistics of a powerful corporation that affects the daily lives of many citizens around the globe.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I hope to gain a new understanding and appreciation of the world. In Whitman classes, we often discuss what it means to be a “global citizen”. I believe traveling and discovering new countries, cultures, and ideas is the best way to become a global citizen. Growing as a person, both professionally and personally, is very difficult to do if you do not look beyond your horizon. I believe this experience presents the chance to seize the moment and look beyond my current horizon. I hope to create lasting memories with my peers and partners that will shape who I am as a business professional in the future

Nolen Brann ’25

Majors/Minors: Business Analytics

My Role: Research and Development. My role on the team is research and development. I am really excited to be in this role and be able to help make sure we get the most out of our experience. I have always loved learning and curiosity, so I am extremely excited to see all the different things that we will be able to learn. In this role, I am going to develop a lot of different questions and assist in the conversations with our various partners. I am specifically excited to work with both of my two partners Justo and Ian. I think it's incredibly important to try and get the most out of these kinds of experiences and that is what I look forward to doing.

Why I want to join this team: When I heard about this opportunity in class, I knew that it was immediately something that I wanted to be a part of. Traveling to Kenya and being able to get this experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I have always loved traveling, but I have never been given the chance to go to Africa before. We always learn about business and education on a global scale, but getting to experience it firsthand and put my education to use is something that I am extremely excited about. I can’t wait for the chance to meet everyone and be immersed in a whole new culture.

My partners: Ian & Justo. My first partner is Ian. Ian is around our age and is the son of Irene. He really likes Syracuse gear and loves to be involved in the games and activities that we do and just being around college-aged kids in general. My second partner is Justo. Justo is the president of Merging Mundos. Merging Mundos is an international enterprise that strives to tackle the challenges faced by commercial and cultural integration between Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. They work with a variety of different industries including agribusiness, retail, pharmaceutical, and others.

What I hope to get out of this experience: This trip is going to put me out of my comfort zone, but that is what I am looking for. I want to be able to make personal growth and also make a difference in other people’s lives at the same time. The knowledge and experiences that I will leave this trip with will hopefully make me a better global citizen and leader. I hope this experience will allow me to learn about the culture in Kenya and create relationships that will last long after I leave Kenya. I will likely not get a chance like this again, so I hope to take full advantage of every new opportunity I am given and to try things I have never done before. I am excited to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Christina Coco ’23

Majors: Accounting

My Role: Academic and Academic Coordinator. As the Academic and Administrative Coordinator, I am responsible for overseeing the advancement of information gathered during the trip to team members and fostering an academic connection between our partners and the program. In addition, I am in charge of constructing a knowledge and experience pipeline between the trip, its partners, and the Whitman School of Management. This pipeline will be instrumental in formulating a comprehensive curriculum to be used for future Immersion Experience Impact programs

Why I want to join this team: When I first enrolled in SOM 354, the idea of traveling to Kenya was merely a concept that Professor Wimer had introduced to our classes. Over the course of the following year, I watched with fascination in the background as the inaugural trip was meticulously planned, students were carefully selected, and captivating pictures and videos were shared from their journey. I immediately felt a strong desire to be part of the team. Having never traveled to Africa before, I wanted the experience to be immersed in a new culture different from the smaller town I grew up in. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness firsthand the impact that entrepreneurs, artisans, and the education system have somewhere other than what I know. I am thrilled to have been selected to join this year's Kenya travel team and cannot wait to embark on this incredible adventure with my peers and favorite professor.

My partner: Zaynah Khanbhai. Zaynah Khanbhai is one of the Co-Founders of Merging Mundos that was founded 7 years ago. Her company works to generate and grow commercial cooperation to Africa and establishes new markets and projects with companies and universities to educate and integrate cultures.

What I hope to get out of this experience: Traveling to Kenya will be an exciting first-time experience for me, offering a direct encounter with one of the world's emerging economies that I've only studied in the classroom (SOM 354). By embarking on this immersion experience after graduating college, I hope to gain insights into how the global economy is evolving and discover the potential future contributions of emerging economies to my chosen career field. This unique opportunity promises to broaden my horizons and deepen my understanding of the world beyond the textbooks, better preparing me to launch my career on a global scale.

Cassandra Dasco ’25 (WSM/NEW)

Majors: Finance and Public Relations

My Role: Communications. My role on the team is communications coordinator. I am working with Emma Harby to create a strategic communications plan for pre, during, and post trip. The role includes writing press releases, managing our social media, and creating graphics.

Why I want to join this team: I joined this team to challenge myself and grow. I am already seeing that happening by being given the opportunity to take the lead on Communications. While there, I hope to be pushed to grow even more when working on projects and attempting to problem solve in a new environment.

My Partner: Whitman Office of Marketing and Communications. My partner is Whitman's Office of Marketing and Communications team, who I have been working closely with to facilitate communication between our team and the Whitman School of Management. We are also identifying key areas to target and solidifying our goals.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I hope to learn. I cannot wait to learn as much as I can from everyone I meet in Kenya. I want to understand how businesses operate there and interact nationally and internationally and to become familiar with their culture. Every member of this team brings new skills and perspectives, and I am fortunate enough and excited to learn from them as we work together. Professor Wimer has taught me so much just in her classes about global management and how the professional world works. She is so willing to act as a mentor to her students, and I hope that throughout this experience, I will be able to learn even more from her.

Gianna Davis ’25

Majors/Minors: Accounting and Finance

My Role: Director of Donations & Liaison to CDC. As Director of Donations, I am working with William Rourke to collect items our partners, the Child Discovery Center, Ubuntu, and the Mwelu Foundation, need. The role also includes managing which donations will be going where once they are gathered and maintaining positive relationships with everyone involved.

Why I want to join this team: I am beyond excited and grateful to join this team as we travel to Kenya to gain a global perspective through the collaborations and connections we will form. I believe in the continuous effort of serving the greater community; to wake up with a purpose that is larger and stronger than ourselves. I am eager to see the impact we will make in helping these communities.

My partner: Child Discovery Centre. The Child Discovery Centre (CDC) promises to provide underprivileged street and poor children of Nakuru, Kenya with a bright future through enrolling these children in formal education, providing steady housing accommodations, and teaching valuable life skills.

What I hope to get out of this experience: From this remarkable opportunity, I hope to change my perspective about myself and the world around me. I want to inspire, and I want to be inspired. I want to change the life of at least one person that I meet through these partnerships to believe in themselves, their abilities, and their future.

Jordan Ferguson ’25

Majors/Minors: Accounting

My Role: Research and Development Coordinator. I will work diligently to seek out critical information before the trip that would aid in a smooth experience for the entire team. While on the ground in Kenya, I will facilitate the exchange of information between us and everyone we meet.

Why I want to join this team: I want to join this team because I love the connection to the coursework in SOM 354. The collaboration begins in the classroom and then out in the real world. This team is composed of well-rounded individuals that I will be able to grow with and learn invaluable skills.

My partner: Brother Oscar. My partner is Brother Oscar, who works at the Child Discovery Center and Mwangaza College in Nakuru, Kenya. Brother Oscar is an Administrator at the CDC, which serves the children of Nakuru through its center, outreach programs, and local schools.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I hope to step out of my comfort zone as this will be my first time traveling internationally. After college, I want to see the world and travel regularly. This experience will widen my perspective and make me a better global citizen. I also hope to develop relationships that transcend the immersion experience.

Emma Harby ’25 (WSM/NEW)

Majors/Minors: Marketing Management and Public Relations

My Role: Director of External Communications. In this role, I work with the Whitman Marketing team to help create content to reach a variety of audiences. This includes creating graphics for donations, developing a social media plan, and ensuring we have the technology we need to capture our time in Kenya.

Why I want to join this team: I’ve always had the desire to travel the world and by joining this team, I not only get to travel to Africa but get to be a part of a student-led initiative whose purpose is much larger than ourselves. I am so grateful to Professor Wimer and Whitman for giving us this opportunity to travel to Kenya and gain a deeper understanding of the incredible country.

My partner: Whitman's Office of Marketing and Communications. The team manages communications between the Whitman School of Management, its students, alumni, and Syracuse University.

What I hope to get out of this experience: When I first heard about this opportunity, I knew I had to apply. I’m excited to immerse myself in an entirely new culture and gain a more worldly perspective. I want to connect with both our partners in Kenya and the team in a lasting and meaningful way.

Cecile Keavey ’25

Majors: Marketing Management and Finance

My Role: Marketing Coordinator. With this role, I’m looking forward to capturing every moment of this incredible experience to be able to give our community a view of what we are doing each day. With this, I can hopefully help in making the experiences we have on the trip last forever. I will also be working with internal/external communications to make sure our team is well-informed and our vision is understood and executed.

Why I want to join this team: As soon as I heard about this trip, my mind was already set on going. Traveling has always been a valuable part of my life, and I knew that this trip could offer a completely new experience where I would be surrounded by immense culture and brilliant people. Looking into my own future, I know that working in the global sector is something I want, and this is just the first stepping stone.

My partner: Ubuntu. U buntu Life Foundation and Enterprise is an organization founded on providing health and educational services to children with special educational and physical needs, as well as providing their mothers with a place to nurture their skills and make valuable jewelry, shoes, bags, and more. Ubuntu works to integrate the meaning of ubuntu, “I am because we are,” into building a sustainable business that works for its community.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I hope to come back from this trip feeling like I’ve made life-long connections with our partners, the people, and of course, the team. I’m looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and being able to create memories that I can look back on in 50 years from now and feel like no time has passed. Finally, I hope to improve living in moments as they come, and as this trip is just 10 days, I’m excited for the challenge and will hopefully come out of the trip feeling like I was successful.

Tage Oster ’24

Majors: Finance and Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises

My Role: Team Leader. My role this year is to act as a facilitator and a guide for the experience of the other students attending the trip. I am to act as a reference point to direct our thoughts and our intentions to maximize our learning and growth as global students and professionals before, during, and after our time in Kenya.

Why I want to join this team: After having gone the first time, I felt that I had only gotten a preview of how big the world really is. There are many people I still wish to meet, new relationships I wish to create, as well as existing relationships I wish to strengthen. I am ecstatic to be a part of this year’s team as I get another opportunity to engage with the world around me as well as help others begin their journeys as global citizens.

My partner: Julius Mwelu. My partner is Julius Mwelu, founder of the Mwelu Foundation. The Mwelu Foundation is an informal education center for the youth of Nairobi, specifically the underprivileged youth from informal communities. Julius is currently raising money to build a library and larger center than he currently operates in, so that he may house and educate more children in the informal community of Mathare.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I hope to further solidify the connection I have with Kenya and also assist the other students create a connection of their own.

William Rourke ’25

Majors: Supply Chain Management and Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprise

My Role: Donations Coordinator. My role includes coordinating with different teams and organizations to get the necessary donations for our different Kenyan partners. We are collecting children’s books, school supplies, hygiene products, children’s toys/sports equipment, and clothing.

Why I want to join this team: I joined this team to gain a better global understanding of how the world works. I am looking forward to helping people as a part of the donations team and to work on something that is greater than myself.

My partners: Sarova Woodlands and Donald Shipenzi. Donald Shipenzi is the manager of Sarova Woodlands, who I will be working closely with to learn about his role and the history of the hotel, as well as the hotel’s impact on the community of Nakuru.

What I hope to get out of this experience: By being a part of this experience, I hope to learn how we can make an impact through donations and find creative ways to best collect the items we need. I also hope that by experiencing a new and unfamiliar culture, I will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the world we live in.

Mia Thorn ’25

Majors: Finance and Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises

My Role: Documentation and Record Coordinator. In my position I will be recording what the team does through videography, photography, and writing. This role will be carried out before, during and after the trip in order to show others what we have accomplished, as well as for personal records.

Why I want to join this team: I wanted to be a part of this team because I believe it is a perfect example of being able to do good in the world while simultaneously improving myself. The people I am surrounded by on this team all bring in such unique accomplishments that there is a lot to learn from each other. Along with this, I believe that I will receive a well-rounded education that stems beyond the classroom and allows me to make lasting relationships along the way.

My Partner: Ubuntu. My partner for the trip is Ubuntu Life, a company that makes high-quality, handmade products while also focusing on empowered employment. They offer mothers of disabled children a job while also providing care for the children as well.

What I hope to get out of this experience: I believe that in order to know your place in the world, you must explore the world. This experience allows me to do just that while also surrounding myself with a driven and resilient team. I have the opportunity to learn more about culture and global business while also pushing myself to be a better student, businesswoman, and person. I am excited for the knowledge and experience I will gain along with how I am able to carry those memories with me into the future.

Ryan Tsuneishi ’25

Majors/Minors: Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management and Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises

My Role: Director of Team Support & Transition. As our team ventures outside of our comfort zones traveling to Kenya for the first time to meet and connect with entrepreneurs, we are bound to face uncomfortable situations that push us to grow. During these times of discomfort, it is important that our team trusts each other and is able to support one another. My role is to help foster these relationships so that we are best prepared to work as a team, continuing to strengthen and build relationships with our partners.

Why I want to join this team: While first learning about this trip to Kenya, I was eager to make the most of this opportunity to travel to a new country with the chance to network and learn from other entrepreneurs. Traveling the world to experience many different cultures while making friends along the way, is something that my grandmother inspired me to do. I think that it is necessary to learn about the culture and history of a country beforehand, to better understand and appreciate that experience. I am excited to meet our partners in Kenya, expanding my perspective and knowledge of global partnerships.

My partner: Irene, our partner at The Homecare Retreat Center. She works tirelessly to run this center providing a place of rest for us to refuel and prepare for the next day. Her hospitality and hard work do not go unnoticed, and I am eager to learn from someone who simply treats people with kindness.

What I hope to get out of this experience: This experience provides a unique opportunity to experience a new country, to see it with my eyes, while also having the chance to meet with and learn from entrepreneurs who have made impacts in their community. Going to a new country, I am eager to experience a new culture and to meet people with different perspectives from my own. I am hopeful that this opportunity will broaden my perspective of the world, better appreciating and understanding the people living in it.

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