From Nicaragua to New York, Bryn Mawr Spring Break 2025

The Geology Department took 13 students and three faculty members to study the active tectonics and volcanism of Nicaragua. They visited eight active or dormant volcanos, boiling volcanic mud pots, and swam in a large volcanic craters created by a series of eruptions some 23-24 thousand years ago. The group also visited culturally important sites in the city of Granada and on the island of Ometepe.

"Before the trip, we organized ourselves into small groups around what we were most excited about or interested in, and had the opportunity to give a rough presentation as a group on the sites of our project topics! I was part of the Mombacho volcano group, and we kept saying it was like seeing a celebrity in person. It was incredibly valuable to have several professors with different specialties on the trip, each with unique insights on different questions we had at the various locations we went to, which were incredibly varied as well! 

"We hiked in the cloud forest of Mombacho, got to learn about the interesting mineralogy at Momotombo and the San Jacinto mud pots, learned about lahars and local fauna at El Chocoyero, and hiked up a cindercone associated with the Masaya complex. We also visited a quarry with a local geologist, Xochitl Guevara, who walked us through the ultimate formation of the Apoyo caldera, and her research on the deisite domes that are associated with faulting around it. 

"I've lived my whole life on the East Coast, so volcanoes and active faults are really exciting and novel to me. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to not only see these incredible places but also for the opportunity to have my professors and local experts augment my learning experience so that I really understand what I'm seeing and can incorporate my new experiences into deeper understanding." – Mac Karonis '26

Learn more and see more photos on the Geology Instagram account!

"We stayed at Camp Bob Cooper, a scenic spot nestled along the shores of Lake Marion—the largest lake in South Carolina. With the exception of our arrival day, we were lucky to have gorgeous weather, with most practices taking place in sunny, 70-degree conditions.

"The team took full advantage of the chance to practice twice a day, sharpening our technique and fitness while enjoying friendly scrimmages against Bowdoin College and Rochester Institute of Technology.

"Overall, it was a fantastic week of hard work, great weather, and even better team bonding. We’re excited to bring all the progress we made back to the water this season!" – Claire Ford '25

More images on the BMC Rowing Instagram account!

The 360° Feminism in Latin America cohort  traveled to Bogotá and Medellin, Colombia, to engage with a wide and dynamic diversity of feminist collectives based in this region of Latin America. Students experienced and contrasted urban movements and regional/rural movements. The cluster engaged with grassroots organizers, as well as movements associated with universities in the region.

“My favorite thing that we did in Colombia was by far participating in the march for International Women’s Day. It was so inspiring to see people from all over Bogotá march for dignity in work and safety for women everywhere. The march was radical in that it contained a multitude of political actions and calls for complete deconstruction of the harmful systems in place. There were wonderful guest speakers, artists, demonstrators, and thousands of participants with powerful signs, clad in the green and purple colors of the movement, which represent pro-choice and anti-violence protections. I learned that the mainstream women’s movement in the US is much more neoliberal than in other countries. In Latin America, the mainstream movement is much more radical and decolonial.”  – Maia Frost '27

More photos on the 360° Instagram account!

Applications for fall 360° course clusters are open and due April 2.

Through both curated taste experiences and independent exploring, during a four-day field experience in New York City, the 360° Taste cohort learned to pay attention in new ways to what tastes we perceive as good or bad, familiar or strange. Instead of taking taste perceptions for granted as natural, we considered through specific examples, like a coffee tasting class at the Coffee Project and a Tenement Museum walking tour about the Tastes of the Lower East Side, how these tastes are historically and socially constructed. We will also challenge ourselves to try new tastes, and to think critically about how our own experiences of new tastes are culturally and politically situated, highlighted through visits to the Museum of Chinese in America, the Whitney Museum’s Christine Sun Kim exhibition, and the Museum of Food and Drink.

“When we went to New York, I had a great time eating diverse foods and learning about how we develop our taste, but the activity that felt most impactful to me was seeing Sanaz Toosii's play English, which we read for Prof. Kwa’s Food In Translation class. The play follows a group of four Iranian students who are learning English to pass the TOEFL exam, which would allow many of them to get green cards or go to school in English-speaking countries. I was very struck by how the play addressed the complications and power that earning a foreign language can have on a person's sense of self and home. The play explored intense themes like colonialism, diaspora, and immigration and made me think deeply about what it means to be able (or unable) to express yourself in your non-native tongue. I highly recommend seeing or reading the play, as it pushes you to question your assumptions about speaking and communicating.”  – Orion Klassen '25

More photos on the 360° Instagram account!

Applications for fall 360° course clusters are open and due April 2.

The Impact Center's Unity Trip is an opportunity to build intercultural community and reflect on the ways racialized peoples’ histories intersect.

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"Our players travel with Haverford College's open league Big Donkey Ultimate (BDU) to North Myrtle Beach, S.C. every spring break. We participate in High Tide, a tournament that brings together teams from across the country to practice during our time off. Sneetches get the chance to practice mixed games with BDU, meet new teams, and relax on the beach after daytime frisbee playing. This year, we all improved our frisbee playing, made new friends, and were even able to swim in the ocean!" – Audrey Hinsdale '25

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The Interfaith Trip is an opportunity for participants to both learn about other traditions and to dive into what constitutes their own faith and practice.

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