Whitties Make the Most of Their Gap Year

Taking a gap year between high school and college can be life-changing. For many students, a gap year provides an opportunity to dive into passion projects, develop independence or explore the world before embarking on college life.  Whitman College makes it easy to defer your enrollment—so your transition from your gap year to your first year is seamless. 

From outdoor adventures to international travel to nonprofit service, check out how these Whitties made the most of their gap years. 

Pursuing Outdoor Adventure

Everett Calhoun ’28 (a Geology-Environmental Studies major from Portland, Maine) took a gap year after initially being admitted to the Class of 2027 at Whitman. 

During his gap year, Calhoun worked at an overnight summer camp; completed a National Outdoor Leadership School semester in Chile; and traveled across 26 U.S states and six Canadian provinces in his Toyota Prius, visiting around 20 national parks.

Calhoun chose to take a gap year to make time for himself, pursue his outdoor passions and gain maturity. His most meaningful experiences included kayaking alongside a tidewater glacier that met the ocean and climbing Mount Elbert, the second-tallest peak in the continental U.S. 

Having started hiking at the age of 6 with his father, Calhoun found that his gap year helped him grow more independent and self-sufficient. Navigating long-distance travel, work and unfamiliar environments strengthened his sense of responsibility. And it gave him direction for his studies as well. “I learned that I wanted to do something environmental as a job in the future,” he says.

Transitioning to Whitman was smooth for him, supported by his love of learning, the presence of other gap-year students on campus and Whitman’s close-knit community. He also values the abundant outdoor recreation opportunities here.  

“Any direction you go you hit some sort of outdoor activity, which is really awesome,” he says.

Leading With Purpose

Kathleen Purnama ’29, a first-year from Indonesia, filled her gap year with internships, academic exploration and community engagement. 

Purnama focused on expanding her nonprofit organization, Redefining World, which provides free educational resources and school supplies to marginalized communities and rural schools. She also volunteered with organizations such as Ecophore, promoting sustainability initiatives, and Kasih Edukasi, supporting educational programs for children. 

In addition, Purnama completed three internships, including serving as a professor’s assistant at Tarumanagara University; co-chairing Model United Nations events; and participating in a student exchange program in Taiwan, where she studied Mandarin language, culture and history. 

Purnama also chose to take a gap year to recover from burnout after high school and to explore her academic interests, particularly in economics and mathematics, ultimately discovering a strong passion for math through independent study.  

Managing multiple teams within her nonprofit while balancing her academic and volunteer commitments helped her develop leadership, time management and intercultural communication skills. 

Reflecting on her experience, she says, “It’s a very meaningful and fun opportunity, but you need to have a sense of purpose.” 

New Friendships & Folk Skills

Hanna Grinstead ’28, a Chemistry/Pre-Engineering major from Tacoma, Washington, took a gap year that helped her develop confidence, independence and strong interpersonal skills. 

Born in the Netherlands, Grinstead was intrigued by the idea of spending the year in Norway attending a folk school, Nordvestlandet, which offers a nonacademic program focused on outdoor living. There, she studied a horse training method called natural horsemanship and participated in backcountry skiing, both of which were new experiences for her. 

During her gap year, Grinstead learned Norwegian, rode horses several times a week at a local farm, took an orienteering course, and skied regularly in the backcountry. Because there were no nearby ski resorts, skiing required hiking up mountains before skiing down, and she found the experience challenging but transformative. 

“It taught me not to be so scared of things,” she says. 

Beyond outdoor activities, Grinstead formed close friendships that have lasted beyond the program. At the end of the year, she traveled across Norway with friends she met through the folk school. 

Although returning to academics after such an exciting year was initially challenging, the break from school helped her approach college with renewed motivation. And she says the experience was very valuable for her personal growth and social readiness. 

Experiencing Other Cultures

First-year Max Lewis ’29 took a gap year before beginning college through the Rotary Youth Exchange program in Argentina. Originally from Boston, Lewis spent nearly a year in Tandil, a city about four hours south of Buenos Aires.

During her time abroad, Lewis rotated between three host families, attended an Argentinian high school, and became fully immersed in the local culture and Spanish language. Through Rotary, she traveled extensively across Argentina, including trips to Patagonia and the northern regions of the country, where she visited glaciers and salt flats. 

Living with host families provided an intense cultural immersion, allowing her to experience their daily routines, social norms and communication styles. While adapting to cultural differences and navigating a new language was challenging, Lewis says the experience helped her grow more independent and confident. 

Now at Whitman, Lewis is considering majoring in Brain, Behavior and Cognition. She credits her gap year with easing her transition to college and reshaping her understanding of people and cultures around the world. 

Thinking About a Gap Year?

Whitman is always supportive of students who choose to take a gap year before college. If you’re thinking about deferring your enrollment, check out the answers to a few frequently asked questions.