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Autumn 2025 | Education & Outreach

Footprint & Future: Evaluating the Environmental and Transformative Impacts of Eco Study Abroad Trips

Student(s):

Chelsea Whiting

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Tim Billo and Ursula Valdez

Partner(s):

  • University of Washington

Faculty advisor(s):

Tim Billo and Ursula Valdez, Program on the Environment, University of Washington

My capstone project explores the environmental and transformative impacts of the University of Washington’s Eco Study Abroad Program in Peru. My study aims to identify how eco-conscious travel programs can be designed to foster both global awareness and local accountability. Through interviews, surveys, and carbon footprint analyses, this project examines how students’ experiences abroad influence their environmental ethics and behaviors once they return home. The findings highlight how intentional program design, rooted in reflection, reciprocity, and respect for place can help universities move beyond traditional models of travel learning. Ultimately, this project encourages higher education institutions to create programs that don’t just leave footprints, but futures.