Pura Vida

Fall 2024 
By Kayt Sukel

Mark Twain once wrote that travel is “fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness” — yet, for far too many students, going abroad can be challenging due to costs, logistics and, sometimes, just not knowing where to start. To assist with such obstacles, the Moody Global Fellows program, introduced in 2023 as part of the Moody Experience at Rice, offers first-generation and limited-income students who have not previously traveled outside the country the opportunity to get that first stamp in their passport — with full financial and planning support. 

Michi Heckler, assistant director of Rice’s Center for Civic Leadership, says the program was designed to help reduce the intimidation factor for students who may be traveling internationally for the first time.

“From the beginning, we thought about factors beyond cost. We partnered with universities where Rice already has strong relationships to help ease the fellows into this kind of travel, to give them the confidence to learn and explore,” she says.

This summer’s fellows spent their first week at the University of Costa Rica and the Latin American University of Science and Technology, where they applied a multidisciplinary lens to the subject of ecotourism. The second week, however, was theirs to plan as they wished. Students could go zip lining in the rainforest or surfing on the coast, hike in the mountains or visit a coffee or chocolate farm. 

As someone who is trying to improve his Spanish speaking skills, Kef Nkosi ’27 was excited for the opportunity to have his first international travel experience to a Central American country. “There’s so much nature everywhere,” he says. “During the second week, I traveled with another student to La Fortuna Waterfall and the hot springs. It was a lot of hiking, but it was so beautiful. We also did white water rafting. It was a lot of fun.”

Michael Tsao ’26, who was part of the inaugural class of fellows in 2023, enjoyed the experience so much that he returned this year as a site leader, helping this year’s group plan their travel excursions.

“It had always been a goal of mine to study abroad, but my family never really had the funds,” he says. “Last year’s trip to Costa Rica was my first time flying ever. It was my first time applying for a passport. And I’m so grateful to the program because they not only provided me with funding, but they eased any anxiety I had about going abroad. They walked me through every step — and what to do when you encounter any challenges when traveling — and I wanted to do the same thing for this year’s cohort.”

Brandon Nunez ’26 says his experience with the program has only inspired him to want to travel more in the future. “Once you travel to a different country, you start to think a little differently. You understand that other people are humans just like you — but they are living completely different lives,” he says. “Being able to see these different cultures and different ways of living is so important, no matter what you want to do with your life. It makes you more open.”