California Honors Trip

BY JOYCE SALLES ’19

This past Spring Break, I had the opportunity to travel with the Class of 2019 Honors Program students to sunny (and sometimes rainy) San Francisco! We traveled by foot, trolley, and Uber to various locations that were both educational and exciting. I was able to capture a snip bit of a few spots we toured in this short video clip.

Here is an outline in case you missed it:

  • March 10 – Union Square
  • March 11 – Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf & Alcatraz
  • March 12 – Muir Forest & Sausalito
  • March 13 – Lombard Street & Painted Ladies
  • March 14 – Pier 39 & Chinatown

It’s hard to pick a “favorite part” of the trip with so many highlights, but the one location that stood out to me the most was Alcatraz.

On our first full day in the city, we took a ferry to the island known for its famous military prison in 1934 until 1963. Ironically, there was a gloomy, cold, foggy haze that morning. You could sense the somberness in the air as soon as you step foot on the island. We were given an audio tour in the Main Prison where they explained in detail the memories of what took place in the cells. We were able to walk in the same halls as some of infamous inmates like Al “Scarface” Capone and the “Birdman” Robert Stroud.  It was almost as though I could picture exactly what was narrated and relive it as a fly on the wall. Being able to educate myself at such a historical location made it an “inescapable” experience.

I am thankful to have gotten the opportunity to travel to a new part of the country, discover a new culture, and learn about our country’s history. Shout-out to Nichols College for giving students the chance of a lifetime to travel around the country!

Joyce Salles is a senior at Nichols College majoring in marketing and minoring in hospitality. She is also interns for the Office of Marketing and Communications. 

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