Ammon scholarship

Bill Ammon ’48 loved to travel. He and his wife, Jessie, "always loved learning something new; really experiencing how other people lived."

Editor’s note: Bill Ammon passed away Aug. 23, 2010, in San Diego, California, a few weeks after he was interviewed for this story.

While studying economics at Whitman in the 1940s, William C. Ammon ’48 didn’t do much traveling — perhaps ironic for an alumnus who has created an endowment which will help Whitman students take part in the college’s many study abroad programs for years to come.

"I would go from Walla Walla to Portland to visit home, if you call that traveling," said Ammon, who, while attending Whitman, was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and the football team. "It was the tail end of the Depression, and if we wanted to go somewhere we usually had to hitchhike. We didn’t really have organized programs for student travel — at least nothing close to what is offered today."

After graduating from Whitman, Ammon married Jessie Robbins, started a family and began a career in real estate and property management. As their son and daughter grew and eventually left home, Ammon and his wife found more time to devote to their shared interest in seeing the world together. They began traversing the globe every chance they got — visiting fascinating locales from England to Borneo. While his globetrotting introduced him to a variety of people, places and customs, Ammon took a particular interest in the cultures of Southeastern Asia.

"Vietnam just blew my mind," Ammon said, recalling his first visit to the country about five years ago. "Until then, my only impression had been the Vietnam War. But the people, the food and the terrain were just amazing. Halong Bay, in North Vietnam, is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen."

With each new voyage, the Ammons developed a deeper appreciation for the opportunity to experience, first-hand, the people and lifestyles of the places they visited. Even when they were part of an organized tour, Ammon recalls the couple would often sneak out of the group to explore on their own.

"We always loved learning something new; really experiencing how other people lived," he said. "We’ve made so many friends and learned so much from people around the world. Hopefully they’ve picked up a little something from us, too."

Anastassia Kolosova ’10 shot this photograph of the Bao family, friends she made during her spring 2009 semester on the Pitzer in China off-campus studies program through Whitman. Kolosova, who also participated in Whitman’s Summer in China program in summer 2008, is currently teaching Oral English to postgraduate students at the University of South China in Hengyang, Hunan.

Since the passing of his wife in 2007, Ammon has continued his travels, most recently visiting Cambodia and Vietnam in 2009. His enduring passion for travel, combined with his love and longtime support of Whitman, led him to create the William C. and Jessie Robbins Ammon Study Abroad Scholarship Endowment.

"I believe students should travel as much as they possibly can. The only way to truly get the perspective of another place is to go there and experience it yourself," he said. "I’m happy my gift will make study abroad possible for those who might not be able to afford it otherwise."

The endowment is Ammon’s largest gift in the 35-plus consecutive years he has supported Whitman. It will provide scholarships to students who need financial assistance to participate in one of the 42 study abroad opportunities offered through Whitman’s Off-Campus Studies programs. In the 2009–10 academic year, 191 Whitman students studied in 35 different countries around the world.

While nearly 50 percent of Whitman juniors already study abroad for a semester or academic year, Ammon hopes his gift will encourage still more students to take part in what he believes is a crucial part of any liberal arts education.

"Ultimately, I think traveling and learning about other people makes the world a smaller, better place," he said.

— Joe Gurriere