Passing the Travel Torch

For Berkleigh Bordeleau, a January Term (J Term) trip, made possible in part through scholarship support, allowed her to follow in the footsteps of her mother while exploring the arts and culture of southern Spain.

Bordeleau, a junior who studies ceramics and photography, spent three weeks in the historic cities of Granada, Córdoba and Seville, where she visited some of the region’s landmarks and participated in a variety of cultural activities, including taking a flamenco dance class.

Her interest in visiting Spain began long before the trip. Her mother and aunt had both studied there during their college years, and visiting some of the same places, like the Alhambra in Granada, made the experience more special, Bordeleau said.

“We were able to talk about it and compare what I saw versus what they saw,” she said.

As a ceramics student, Bordeleau was particularly fascinated by the mosaics and glazing techniques used in traditional Spanish tilework. She studied the craftsmanship involved in creating handmade tiles that appear uniform at a distance but reveal subtle variations upon closer inspection. Seeing them in person allowed her to appreciate details that can be difficult to grasp in the classroom.

“Actually seeing the tiles in person, it’s such a different way of thinking about it,” she said. “Like, how did they create this? How did they get such symmetry?”

Bordeleau also documented her trip through photography, capturing images of architecture, landscapes and nature by taking thousands of pictures, she said.

The opportunity for Bordeleau to participate in the trip came through scholarship support from Hartwick’s General Endowment Fund, which helps make global learning experiences accessible to students.

Lore Schefter Ferguson ’54 has been a longtime supporter of study abroad programs, specifically the general J Term Endowment, which helped Bordeleau. As an international student herself, Ferguson was grateful for the welcoming environment and opportunities afforded her by Hartwick when she first came to the United States from Switzerland following World War II.

Ferguson said that she enrolled at Hartwick within two weeks of arriving in the U.S., on the recommendation of a family friend who was a professor at the College. Adapting to a new country, learning a new language and making new friends shaped her belief in the value of global learning, an opportunity she now helps provide to current students like Bordeleau.

“I find it’s good for students to go to different countries and meet people from different backgrounds,” Ferguson said. “It’s a very exciting and, I think, important experience. I’m so glad that my contribution is helping students find these opportunities.”

For Bordeleau, the trip to Spain left a lasting impression personally and artistically, and one sure to inspire her as she continues her academic journey at Hartwick.