Meet the 2024 Kenya Immersion Travel Team

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Meet the 2024 Kenya Immersion Travel Team

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Meet the 2024 Kenya Cultural Immersion Team

Meet the 14 students who make up the 2024 Whitman Kenya Immersion Travel Team. The group is composed of Whitman sophomores and juniors who have completed SOM 354: Managing in a Global Setting, a course about conducting business on an international scale. Students learn various course concepts including globalization, foreign direct investment and entrepreneurship. Members of the 2024 Immersion Travel Team will see these concepts in action as they learn about culture, education and local commerce in Kenya. Each team member is collaborating with business partners based in Kenya or Syracuse and have worked with them over the duration of the semester. The group is led by Assistant Teaching Professor Elizabeth Wimer.

Elizabeth Wimer G’06 (VPA)

Role: Faculty Lead

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Each team carries forward the legacy partnerships between Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management and the undergraduate students that partner with Kenyan entrepreneurs in SOM354 as well as the students that travel as part of the immersion trip. This year I’m looking forward to seeing the natural evolution of the partnerships –in the connections students in SOM354 made for Muthaiga Tea Company, as well as the individual connections the travel team will forge with entrepreneurs, global managers and local students.

Kailey Bergeron ’26

Hometown: Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Majors: Entrepreneurship and Supply Chain Management

Role: Communications Coordinator - concentration on Videography and Storytelling

Partners: Amani ya Juu and Hob House. Amani ya Juu produces a wide selection of high-quality items that are hand-crafted by marginalized women who created a program allowing other women to gain experience in skills such as quality control, management, and design. Hob House is a restaurant that sources organic ingredients, aiming to create dishes which showcase the flavors of the local environment.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Meeting my partners and making connections with them. I am super excited to see the places I have been researching in person specifically, Amani ya Juu and Hob House.

Michael Bliss ’ 26 (WSM/NEW)

Hometown: Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Majors: Management and Television, Radio and Film (NEW)

Role: Communications Collaborator - concentration on videography

Partner: Whitman Marketing and Communications

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Capturing special moments and ensuring their immortality through film.

Austin Herlihy ’26

Hometown: Wellesley, Massachusetts

Majors: Finance and Entrepreneurship

Role: Communications Collaborator - Concentration on Photography

Partners: Irene, manager of the Homecare Retreat Center, and Provisions. Homecare Retreat is a center located in the suburbs of Nairobi which highlights the culture and beauty behind craftsmanship. Provisions sources artisan products made in Kenya, with an emphasis on the belief that the best products are grown at home.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Looking forward to all the unforeseeable learning opportunities we will encounter on the trip.

Nicole Karadimitriou ’26

Hometown: Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

Majors: Retail Management and Supply Chain Management

Role: Retail Industry, Supply Chain and International Business Coordinator

Partners: Slowli, Ikwetta, Sandstorm, and Buttons and Bows. Slowli creates comfortable, simple fashion that reflects the importance of self-care and balance in life. Ikwetta is a sustainable brand which handcrafts leather bags and footwear. Sandstorm is a luxury leather bag company based in Kenya and aims to support both the economy and the environment. Button and Bows is a store which features textiles, sewing equipment, and tailoring supplies.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Immersing myself in a whole new culture that is filled with love, gratitude, interconnectedness, and passion. I’m positive that Kenya will provide me with an entirely new perspective on the way I view my work and professional career.

Isabelle Kelly ’26 (WSM/NEW)

Hometown: Saratoga Springs, New York

Majors: Finance and Public Relations (NEW)

Role: Immersion Experience Communications Director

Partners: Whitman Marketing and Communications and Mai Mahiu Church. Mai Mahiu Church is often referred to as the “Travelers’ Chapel” — it measures 15 feet by eight feet, making it the smallest church in Africa.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: The people! I’m excited to get to learn from our partners whom we have been working with over the past few months and learn about their respective business journeys. I am also looking forward to impromptu meetings and getting to immerse myself in Kenyan culture.

Max Nicholson ’26

Hometown: Norfolk, Massachusetts

Majors: Finance and Business Analytics

Role: Immersion Experience Manager

Partners: Muthaiga Tea Company, Embark, and Tin Roof Cafe. Muthaiga Tea Company was founded by Tehmeeena “Tee” Manji after learning the art of Japanese tea brewing; Manji aims to highlight stories of African culture through her tea blends. Embark is a multi-course concept restaurant where the flavors of East Africa meet influence from various regions around the globe. Tin Roof Cafe provides customers with a relaxing green space to enjoy a meal away from the bustling downtown area of Nairobi.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: The food and amazing relationships with all of our partners and others we meet.

Maya Notch ’25

Hometown: Stillwater, Minnesota

Majors: Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management (minor in Anthropology)

Role: Fundraising and Donations Coordinator

Partners: None in specific — I work with everyone!

Something you look forward to in Kenya: I am looking forward to meeting all of our amazing business partners and making lifelong connections!

Silke Pion ’26 (WSM/MAX)

Hometown: Davis, California

Majors: Finance, Business Analytics and Political Science (MAX)

Role: Communications and Community Coordinator

Partners: Daniel, a Kenyan pilot, Cultiva, and Ubuntu. Cultiva is a farm-to-table restaurant which collaborates directly with local entrepreneurs. Ubuntu is both a foundation and brand; the organization provides care for children with special needs and also is a lifestyle brand that offers employment for the children’s mothers.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Meeting my partners in person and trying new foods!

Stella Raichle ’26 (WSM/NEW)

Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin

Majors: Accounting and Television, Radio and Film (NEW)

Role: Academic Liaison and Network/Relationship Coordinator

Partners: Ubuntu and Hob House. Ubuntu is both a foundation and brand; the organization provides care for children with special needs and also is a lifestyle brand that offers employment for the children’s mothers. Hob House is a restaurant that sources organic ingredients, aiming to create dishes which showcase the flavors of the local environment.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Learning all that I can about a new country and culture, and seeing SOM 354 course concepts translate in real life!

Abigail Rockwood ’26

Hometown: Traverse City, Michigan

Majors: Entrepreneurship and Finance

Role: Culture and Arts Coordinator

Partners: Nairobi National Museum, Provisions, and Michael Soi. The Nairobi National Museum features exhibits which delve into Kenya’s rich history and culture. Provisions sources artisan products made in Kenya, with an emphasis on the belief that the best products are grown at home. Michael Soi is a Kenyan artist known for his distinct, vibrant style and provides commentary on society through his pieces.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Seeing how our team will work together!

Soaryn Rutherford ’26 (WSM/MAX)

Hometown: Nantucket, Massachusetts

Majors: Finance, Accounting, and Economics (MAX)

Role: Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility & International Business Coordinator

Partners: Preservation areas and WorldStrides Sustainability Initiative. Throughout our time in Kenya, we will visit various preservation areas, including Karura Forest and Lake Naivasha. WorldStrides is an educational travel company and its sustainability initiatives will be studied throughout our immersion experience.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Building new connections in Kenya!

Robert Schmidt ’26

Hometown: New Providence, New Jersey

Majors: Finance and Business Analytics

Role: “King of Questions”

Partners: Christian Brothers Academy, Child Discovery Centre, and Rasheed. Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) is a private secondary school located in Syracuse. The Child Discovery Centre (CDC) is a school located in Nakuru, Kenya and is a twin school to CBA. Students from each school have exchanged letters to each other as pen pals over the past two years. Rasheed is our guide who will help us with travel throughout the immersion trip.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: The story this trip will create.

Ethan Schmon ’25

Hometown: Perkasie, Pennsylvania

Majors: Entrepreneurship and Finance

Role: Director of the Whitman Undergraduate Kenya Immersion Experience

Partner: Professor Wimer

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Witnessing the incredibly entrepreneurial economy in Kenya.

Abigail Sharpe ’26 (WSM/FALK)

Hometown: Brunswick, Maine

Majors: Finance and Public Health (FALK)

Role: Communications Coordinator - Concentration on Storytelling and Professional Outcomes

Partners: Fleischer Foundation which provides scholarships for children in Nairobi to attend high school and mentorship programs which connect students to professionals in an industry where they aspire to work.

Something you look forward to in Kenya: Seeing the passion that drives entrepreneurs and building relationships with everyone we meet, especially the kids.

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