Alumnus Casey Smith graduated a year early in order to pursue her passion to travel and help others abroad. Smith’s original plan was to go to Costa Rica to work with endangered sea turtles in the Sea Turtle Project and then return home. However, her trip took an unexpected turn and she traveled to several other countries as a result.

Q: What countries did you visit while abroad?
A: “I started in Costa Rica, went up to Nicaragua, and then went down through Panama. And, I almost made it to Colombia. I also went through the Sand Glass Islands, which are a series of about 165 tiny islands, with white sand beaches and the clearest blue water I’ve ever seen.”

Q: What made you decide to keep traveling after leaving Costa Rica?
A: “I had such an amazing experience during the two months that I was in the Turtle Project, and I knew there would be incredible people down there that were really like-minded, very open, amazing people that I wanted to meet. And I wanted to experience more of the culture down there.”

Q: Do you have any plans to continue traveling in the future?
A: “Yes, I am going home to California to raise more money and then I’m headed to Spain in July.”

Q: You mentioned (previously in the interview) you hope to go to college in Australia. What do you plan to study?
A: “I actually hope to go into chemical engineering. I want to work on fabrication and manufacturing water filtration systems. In the town I stayed in (Costa Rica), the water was so bad that every time you showered, your skin would blister.”

Q: What was one of the more memorable places you stayed while traveling?
A: “Well, one of the coolest places I stayed was in a school bus for about 3 nights (4 days). We were camping out on the beach, and they removed all the seats on the bus and put about sixteen bunk beds in.”

Q: Throughout your travels, who do you believe was the most influential person you met?
A: “I met a lot of people, and I think everyone of them left a little piece of themselves with me, so they changed me each in a little way. But a guy from Sweden taught me that it doesn’t matter how impossible something might seem you just have to go for it and chance it.”