By Christopher Caldwell '09

I was a sophomore at Whitworth University in fall 2006 when I went to my first-ever study abroad information session. The session was for a class going to South Africa for three weeks, led by professors John Yoder (political science), Andi Saccoccio (associate chaplain) and Ron Pyle (communication studies). My mind lit up as they spoke about the cross-country trek, stopping in faraway places like Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Bantustans, Durban and Johannesburg.

As a first-generation, low-income, young man of color, I had only dreamt of traveling to such distant lands through the Peace Corps or as a member of the U.S. military – never as a civilian and certainly not as a student.

Nevertheless, I was beside myself with excitement. Over the next year and a half, I worked as a barista and on my girlfriend's (now spouse's) family farm to raise $5,000 for the trip. I had $2,000 when the bill was due. By the end of that fall, I had applied for a handful of scholarships. My parents chipped in, but I was still short by about $750.

I was Crushed. There seemed to be nothing I could do.

I went to Dr. Pyle, my faculty advisor, and told him my circumstances. It's important to note that Ron Pyle is a kind, generous, thoughtful man. When I had troubles at home, Ron and his late wife, Julie, opened their home to me. When a major milestone in my academic experience occurred, he would show up to congratulate me. The day I talked to Ron, he did not make any promises or grand declarations. He looked at me in the caring way he always would when I faced a challenge. I remember him saying, "Let me look into this."

Weeks went by and my uncertainty grew. Just before Thanksgiving Break, I received a boarding pass to South Africa via campus mail. Ron said nothing; he let the boarding pass speak for itself. "Get on the plane, Caldwell," the boarding pass seemed to say. "Your presence on this trip is essential." At the beginning of January 2008, my classmates and I boarded our plane at Sea-Tac airport. Twelve hours later I was in London for the first time. A few hours later we departed for the 14-hour flight to Cape Town, South Africa.

Over the next three weeks I met a wide array of people. Folks from different religious traditions. Folks who lived in wealth and in dire poverty. Folks who lived in lavish health. Folks who were in their final days of life, HIV/AIDS siphoning their last breaths. I was introduced, quite viscerally, to the horrors of Robben Island, the Soweto Uprising, the Jim Crow era funhouse mirror of apartheid, and the de jure/de facto racism that the African National Congress has sought to dismantle to mixed results, just like in the United States.

This Trip expanded my understanding of the world and altered the trajectory of my life.

Had I not gone to South Africa, I would never have developed the global contexts of race, poverty, law, corruption, kindness, mercy and so much more. If Ron had not stepped in and advocated for me, I would have never had these experiences. He worked behind the scenes to muster the funds to send me on an adventure that changed my life. I am happy I have had the opportunity to tell him this myself.

My goal is to maintain this cycle of kindness and experiences for others.

Last summer, I had the privilege to take 17 students to Japan for a three-week study abroad course. The class focused on how Japanese animators encode social values into their cartoons and export said values to the world. Ten students in the group identified as first-generation, low income and/or students of color. Over the year and a half that we prepared for the trip, their challenges, fears, frustrations and doubts reminded me of my own from 16 years earlier.

On more than one occasion, I heard their concerns: finances, family challenges, academics, overbooked summer schedules, professional relevancies and much more. Just like Ron, I did not always have the "right" answer, but I was always able to say, "Get on the plane. Your presence on this trip is essential."

South Africa and my experiences there often pop into my head, providing a new insight or frame of reference to help me see the world more completely. I am so thankful that Ron Pyle diverted my life. His efforts were like a great boulder in a river, disrupting a complacent flow and preventing debris from hindering my growth.

Chris Caldwell is the senior director for international, intercultural and service engagement at the University of Findlay, in Ohio. This essay is adapted from the original, which was published in the December 2023 issue of International Educator.

This story appears in the spring 2024 issue of Whitworth Today magazine.

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