TRIPTych: Immersed in Scottish Life

Hunter Hegmann ’25, Andy Strohman ’25, Michael Stewart ’25 and Jack Valentine ’25 on their way to Oban, a resort town in Scotland. / Courtesy Photo

Setting foot in Scotland in September was certainly one of the most exciting “back to school” moments for me. Trying to enter this trip with no expectations was difficult, but I can confidently say that any expectations I might have had were blown out of the water. The city of Edinburgh is a major change of pace from anywhere I have been in the United States. Walkable and busy but not overwhelming, with a beautiful mix of historical architecture paired with the more modern expansions to the city.

Although the city life of Edinburgh is amazing, our group had a chance to also see the slower, more relaxed lifestyle of a small Scottish coastal town. Economics Professor Jessica Hennessey took our group on a trip to Oban, which is on the western coast of Scotland. Getting to see the beautiful sunsets, highland coos and the untouched natural beauty of the Staffa, all in one weekend, left my mind spinning in awe.

Not only were the sites and scenery amazing to see, but we got to immerse ourselves in Scottish life in Edinburgh through our internship placements. Part of our program allows for the opportunity to get relevant work experience at a job placement for the term. These range in interests and tasks based on the person. I worked to revamp the charitable arm of Scottish Disability Sport, a charity working to provide sporting opportunities to children and adults who are living with disabilities. This opportunity provided me with the chance to host a focus group aimed at creating new forms of funding for SDS. I got the chance to interact with professionals outside of SDS to hopefully have long-lasting effects on the charity.