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Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship

At Grinnell College, students pursue passions that shape their academic careers and impact society. The S&B spoke to Olivia Wang `25 and Chikako Inoue `26, two recipients of the Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship, which supports Grinnell College international students as they explore the United States independently while delving into themes that drive their academic and personal […]

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3 weeks ago

April 9, 2025

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Surfing and (Sub)cultural Exchange

Wang’s journey explored a spectrum of surf spots, from iconic locations like Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Cocoa Beach to lesser-known destinations such as Sheboygan on Lake Michigan and the Gulf Coast near Tampa. Each site offered a distinct glimpse into the local surfing community. While some regions, like Florida and Wisconsin, presented challenging wave conditions, these hurdles only deepened her understanding.

“Even when the waves weren’t ideal, I found opportunities to learn and connect with the people around me,” Wang explained. This adaptive mindset allowed her to observe how geography and community values shape local surf cultures and the ethos of the sport overall.

“I wasn’t just chasing waves,” she said. “I was looking at how people connect to water, to land, and to each other.”

Beyond the act of surfing itself, Wang’s experience was shaped by her earlier volunteer work with a surf club in Guangdong, China. “The surf club I volunteered with in Guangdong had such a strong sense of purpose — not just surfing for fun, but educating people about the ocean,” she said. “That was where I first saw surfing as something communal and even political.”

These early impressions informed how she approached surf culture in the U.S., where she encountered both polished, image-driven scenes and more relaxed, grassroots communities. “California surf culture felt very polished — like everyone had the right gear, the right look. But places like Cocoa Beach felt more laid-back, more welcoming in a way.”

For Wang, surfing became a way to explore themes of identity, community, and freedom. “Surfing made me think a lot about freedom — how different places and people define it.”

Her travels showed her how the same passion — surfing — can be expressed through very different lived experiences, yet still function as a shared cultural language. In each place, she found a narrative of belonging: one shaped not only by waves, but by people, place, and purpose.

Intergenerational Healing Through Transnational Histories

While Olivia Wang’s travels are complete, Chikako Inoue `26 is just preparing for their own fellowship journey. Recently announced as the 2025 recipient of the Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship, Inoue, a Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies major from Saitama, Japan, will embark on their fellowship trip in Aug. 2025.

Inoue’s project centers on the history of “comfort women” — a term for the women and girls subjected to sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II. This topic is both a personal and academic focus for Inoue, and they plan to examine how the legacy of this trauma is commemorated within the Asian-American community, especially through statues of peace placed in U.S. cities.

These statues, found in areas with significant Asian-American populations, serve as memorials to the victims of wartime sexual violence. Inoue aims to explore how these memorials act as a form of healing, fostering solidarity and activism within affected communities.

Inoue was encouraged to apply for the fellowship by Ekta Shaikh `24, a fellow GWSS major and previous recipient of the award, who worked on similar gender-based issues.

“I was inspired by their work and saw the fellowship as a chance to deepen my own understanding of American culture, contribute to my community, and expand my network of scholars and activists,” Inoue noted.

As a Japanese student studying in the U.S., Inoue is uniquely positioned to engage with this issue from multiple perspectives — as a scholar, an activist and someone with personal connections to Japan’s wartime actions.

“This project is about acknowledging a painful history and working towards healing,” Inoue explained. “The memorials are not just about remembering the past but about creating spaces for dialogue and solidarity.”

Chikako Inoue poses for a photo in the HSSC on Thursday, Apr. 3 (Owen Barbato)

Inoue also plans to visit key sites, including Glendale, California, where one of the memorials stands, and other cities where similar statues are located. They aim to connect with residents involved in the commemoration and reparation efforts to better understand how public acts of remembrance can serve as tools for healing and social justice.

For future applicants, Inoue emphasized the importance of passion and purpose in the proposal. “This fellowship is a powerful tool for anyone looking to deepen their academic and activist work while engaging with diverse communities. My project is personal, and I believe that authenticity shines through in the application process.”

Inoue’s fellowship will also provide opportunities to connect with scholars and activists who are also addressing issues like colonialism, decolonization and the legacy of wartime sexual violence. “I want to bring the experiences of comfort women into broader conversations about colonialism, trauma and healing,” Inoue said.

The Fischlowitz Fellowship Selection Process

Emily Perry, assistant director of international student programs at Grinnell’s Office of International Student Affairs (OISA), oversees the logistics of the Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship. She described the process in a recent interview, noting that a selection committee reviews proposals and selects three finalists for interviews before choosing the final recipient.

The committee has five members — a representative each from the Office Development and Alumni Relations, global fellowships and awards and the Institute for Global Engagement, a rotating faculty member and the most recent recipient of the fellowship (Wang participated in the 2025 search committee.) Perry’s role is to manage the logistics while remaining neutral in the final decision-making process.

The selection committee evaluates applicants based on a rubric that considers the clarity of their theme, the feasibility of their travel plans and their overall maturity and adaptability. Perry emphasized the importance of seeing clear goals, realistic planning and the ability to engage with new experiences. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate openness to learning and flexibility in their travel plans, as the fellowship places a strong emphasis on independent exploration and personal growth.

The number of applications for the Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship has remained consistent despite concerns during the pandemic. “We’ve seen a steady number of applications each year, with students engaging deeply with the themes they propose,” Perry said.

While Inoue’s fellowship travel has not yet begun, they took an early step in preparation after being invited to attend the 25th anniversary of the Women’s International War Crimes Tribunal on March 13, 2025, at Cardozo School of Law in New York City. The event honored the legacy of the comfort women and the tribunal, marking its 25th anniversary and reflecting on its ongoing impact.

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Nebraska Volleyball Visiting Ord for Final Spring Exhibition

This offseason is unique for Nebraska volleyball, and not just because John Cook isn’t roaming the sideline. The Huskers scheduled three opportunities to test themselves against another team heading into Dani Busboom Kelly’s first season in charge. They’ve already faced Omaha in a closed scrimmage and Kansas in front of a full Devaney Center crowd. […]

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14 minutes ago

May 2, 2025

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On Saturday, they’ll cap the spring with their traditional traveling exhibition, this year visiting Ord, Nebraska, to face South Dakota State.

“I think it’s incredibly helpful,” Rebekah Allick said of the multiple exhibitions. “Like a lot of us said, there were tons of nerves in those first couple points in the first half of the first set, and so just being able to work through that. Obviously, it’ll be a smaller crowd in Ord, and so I think we’ll be able to focus on stuff technically speaking, and run more of those offensive plays, just different things that we have to offer this season.

“I think playing here in Devaney was great. It really is, honestly, the definition of jumping off in the deep end. So I think Ord will be, hopefully, smoother.”

A crowd of 8,592 packed John Cook Arena inside the Devaney Center for Busboom Kelly’s home debut as Nebraska’s head coach. While the team has said the change hasn’t been dramatic, Busboom Kelly is asking the team to speed the tempo up a bit and has brought more set plays with her, giving the Huskers plenty to work on offensively.

The Kansas exhibition offered the returners a chance to get used to the offensive tweaks and the freshmen a chance to work through some first-game jitters. As Allick said, the focus on Saturday will be on execution.

Busboom Kelly said she’s excited to continue the tradition of bringing Nebraska volleyball to small towns in central and western Nebraska.

“I was an assistant when we started that,” Busboom Kelly said. “I don’t even remember where we went, but I know it was far, out in western Nebraska. We played Colorado. I kind of know what to expect, and I know it’s really special to the people in those towns. They put on a show the night before and treat us like royalty, so I know it’ll be a great time. It’s a way to just be really appreciative of what we have in the state of Nebraska.”

Ord, with a population just north of 2,000, is located roughly 70 miles north of Kearney, last year’s site for Nebraska’s exhibition. Tickets for the match sold out in less than 30 minutes.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Busboom Kelly said. “Being away from Nebraska for eight years, you forget a little bit how big of a deal volleyball is here. And then when things like that happen, it’s a quick reminder how amazing it is across the state and how much it means to everybody. So besides the fact it’s on [Kentucky] Derby Day, I’m excited to go out to Ord, and I think they’re going to be really impressed with this team, and also this team is just so amazing at what they can bring to just fans in general. They’re great people, and they really enjoy interacting with fans. I think Ord’s going to be a great time.”

Nebraska’s first public scrimmage showed plenty of potential as Busboom Kelly made use of her deep and talented roster, rolling out different lineups in each set. Busboom Kelly highlighted the potent middle attack — Allick and Andi Jackson combined for 22 kills on .538 hitting — as something she hopes to see again on Saturday and pointed to serve receive, serving and blocking as areas for improvement.

“I do think Kansas served very aggressively, but I thought our serve receive showed some weaknesses, and then just our blocking,” Busboom Kelly said. “But if we’re serving weak, our block is probably going to look weak. So if we serve tougher, hopefully we can smooth out our blocking. Those would be two big areas of improvement.”

The Jackrabbits went 27-3 during the 2024 season, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team before falling to No. 8 seed Miami in the first round at the Devaney Center. They return their starting setter in Rylee Martin, five of their top six attackers led by outside hitter Sylvie Zgonc and their top two defensive specialists. Coach Dan Georgalas also has a Nebraska native on his roster in fifth-year middle blocker Analee Ventling-Brown, a Lincoln East graduate.

First serve at Ord High School on Saturday is set for 2 p.m. CT. Nebraska Public Media will televise the match, with a stream available for Big ten Plus subscribers.

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BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Gritty Port Charlotte advances to region title match | Sun Preps

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19 minutes ago

May 2, 2025

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Beach Volleyball Earns Seven All-Conference Team Spots

NEW ORLEANS – Conference USA has awarded seven Tulane Beach Volleyball players with spots on the 2025 All-Conference Teams. The honors include one All-Conference First Team, five All-Conference Second team, and one All-Conference Freshman Team distinction. Sophomore Skylar Ensign was named to the C-USA All-Conference First Team following her performance this season. Ensign played the […]

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38 minutes ago

May 2, 2025

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NEW ORLEANS – Conference USA has awarded seven Tulane Beach Volleyball players with spots on the 2025 All-Conference Teams. The honors include one All-Conference First Team, five All-Conference Second team, and one All-Conference Freshman Team distinction.

Sophomore Skylar Ensign was named to the C-USA All-Conference First Team following her performance this season. Ensign played the majority of the season in the 2 spot where she earned a 15-8 record. She dominated at the three spot, ending the season at 11-4. Ensign also claimed four ranked wins.

Gigi Gallegos earned All-Freshman Team honors thanks to her 21-13 record after only playing in the 2s and 3s. She had a winning record in both spots (5-2 and 13-10). She was part of the only pair to beat No. 18 Hawaii. She also beat No. 17 Washington in the same tournament. Gallegos had four ranked wins this season, tied for the most on the team.

Emily Heintzelman, McKenzie Cutler, Sara Hall, Molly Trodd, and Samantha Green each earned All-Conference Second Team Honors. Tulane claimed five of the six spots on the All-Conference Second Team.

Heintzelman and Cutler put on a 20-17 performance at the 1 spot this season, achieving 13 more wins than Tulane’s winningest 2024 1 pair and seven more wins than the entire combined 1’s record of 2024 Tulane (13-26). Cutler played at the 5 in 2024 with a 27-10 record and accomplished a winning record after moving up to the 1 in 2025. They started 37 games at the 1 and secured three ranked wins.

Hall put up a 16-12 record and had a winning record in both the 2s and 4s spot, holding a 7-1 showing in the latter. Green had the best win percentage on the team with 76% from a 19-6 record. She was also named to the league’s All-Academic Team. Trodd had a 22-12 record this year, predominantly from the 2s. She went undefeated in the 3s at 6-0.

Ensign, Hall, and Green all achieved 50 career wins this season.

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Women’s Track & Field Competes in Day One of CCAA Championships

Story Links TURLOCK, Calif. – The California State University San Bernardino women’s track & field team competed Thursday in day one of the CCAA Championships, seeing another school record fall. In the preliminaries of the 100 meter dash, senior Hailey Hunt (Winnetka, Calif.) broke her own school record with a sprint of […]

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42 minutes ago

May 2, 2025

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TURLOCK, Calif. – The California State University San Bernardino women’s track & field team competed Thursday in day one of the CCAA Championships, seeing another school record fall.

In the preliminaries of the 100 meter dash, senior Hailey Hunt (Winnetka, Calif.) broke her own school record with a sprint of 11.46 seconds, besting her previous school record by .10 seconds. She finished first to qualify for Saturday’s final with the meet record time, and will be joined in the final by teammates Amari Weatherford (Southeast San Diego, Calif.) and Alexandra Ackerman (Lake Elsinore, Calif.).

Weatherford was also one of two Coyotes to finish in fourth place in field events, as she barely missed the podium in the long jump with a PR of 5.80 meters. Classmate Elizabeth Rushing (Oakdale, Calif.) was also fourth in the hammer throw, recording a toss of 45.90.

Four Coyotes will race for gold in Saturday’s 400 meter run final, led by top preliminary finisher Alexis White (San Bernardino, Calif.), who ran a time of 54.02 seconds on Thursday. Joining White will be Coryssa Hope (Riverside, Calif.), who placed fourth in the prelims at 56.79 seconds, Prishencia Nnoham (Palmdale, Calif.), who placed fifth at 57.46 seconds, and Briana Miller (San Bernardino, Calif.), who placed eighth at 58.49 seconds.

In the 400 meter hurdles, freshman Sauzhane Johnson (Victorville, Calif.) missed out on a spot in Saturday’s final by less than half a second, placing 10th at 1:07.45, a season best.

The Yotes will return to the track on Friday to continue the CCAA Championships.

#GoYotes

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Cal Poly Beach Volleyball look to make another run at the NCAA Championships

One day before the Cal Poly Beach Volleyball team was set to leave for the NCAA Championships, the Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex on Cal Poly’s campus sat empty. The team could instead be found over 13 miles away, getting their final practice in on the public courts of Avila Beach on the coast of San […]

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1 hour ago

May 2, 2025

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One day before the Cal Poly Beach Volleyball team was set to leave for the NCAA Championships, the Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex on Cal Poly’s campus sat empty.

The team could instead be found over 13 miles away, getting their final practice in on the public courts of Avila Beach on the coast of San Luis Obispo County.

The 32-person roster will be making the trip to Gulf Shores, Ala. as the No. 6 seed, with their attention set on a round one matchup against No. 11-seeded LSU on Friday, May 2.

The Mustangs come into this year’s NCAA Championships with significantly higher expectations than in previous seasons.

Last year, they finished third in the tournament after reaching the Final Four and losing to eventual champion USC.

That season they went in as the No. 5 seed, won in the opening round and then secured a major upset against then No. 3 seed Florida State.

Now presented with a similar starting point, they will be looking to prove that the historic run wasn’t a fluke.

“Last year showed us anything can happen,” junior Izzy Martinez said. “We need to bring our A-game, we need to bring our fight, and we’re going to give it our all.”

Gulf Shores is known to be a windy volleyball environment, which can be challenging for teams like the Mustangs who play in more confined complexes where the buildings block out most wind.

Team practices on the shores of Pismo Beach were intended to replicate the unpredictable conditions and different feel of open beach volleyball courts.

“The dimension of where the wall is at Mott, or the parking garage or tennis courts is so much different than the beach that keeps going out,” Head Coach Todd Rogers said.

They will be looking to draw from their veteran experience this time around, with a roster that retains nine of the previous ten starters from the successful 2024 run.

The Mustangs are primed for another run at the NCAA Championships. Credit: Chloe Briote-Johnson / Mustang News

The lineup includes four AVCA All-Americans, two on the first team and two on the second.

The two first-teamers, the No. 1 pairing of senior Piper Ferch and sophomore Erin Inskeep, put up strong numbers all season taking on the best Cal Poly’s opponents had to offer.

They finished 27-6 and became the winningest pair in Cal Poly program history with 57 total wins.

The No. 2 pairing of Martinez and sophomore Logan Walker were the two second-team All-Americans, going 29-7 and winning eight straight matches to end the year.

Graduate student Lindsey Sparks brings a championship pedigree at the No. 3 pairing, having won a national title in her first season at UCLA in 2019.

Sparks and Ferch each reached 100 career wins near the end of the season.

“Our expectations are that we’re going to do well here,” Rogers said. “We’re all accustomed to being there and under that pressure, so let’s go out and take care of our business.”

As a nine-year coach, Rogers is looking for his first NCAA beach volleyball title, which would also be the first in Cal Poly program history.

Another historic season for the Mustangs

The Mustangs face an uphill climb as the No. 6 seed, but upsetting higher-ranked opponents is nothing new to this team.

Their strongest performance from the year came in a 4-1 April 4 win against then No. 2 and current No. 1 ranked UCLA at the Best of the West Tournament in Laguna Beach.

It was the first time in program history that they had beat the Bruins, and pushed them to a season-high No. 3 ranking.

They also have faced significant challenges defending their position as a top-ranked team in the country.

Logan Walter was named as an AVCA All-American before the NCAA Championships. Credit: Chloe Briote-Johnson / Mustang News

No. 8 Long Beach State was a constant problem for the Mustangs, beating them twice in four matchups during the year.

The Beach spoiled the Mustangs’ hopes of a Big West title, taking down the No. 1 seeded Mustangs in the championship round on April 25.

“We’re only going to let it fuel us,” Martinez said. “We’re definitely going to make sure that what happened there isn’t going to happen again.”

The shocking loss was a blow to the team after having such a strong season, which included a Division I-best 18-game win streak.

The run included their win over the Bruins, Long Beach State as well as then-No. 3 LMU.

Unfamiliarity with LSU

Friday’s slate against LSU will be the first matchup between the programs since 2019.

Sparks is the only member of the current starting lineup who has faced the Tigers, back in her first seasons at UCLA before transferring to Cal Poly.

The No. 11 seeded Tigers hold a 3-0 record over the Mustangs since beach volleyball became an NCAA Division I sport in 2016.

In this year’s matchup, the No. 1 pairs will be a highly competitive matchup, as LSU’s No. 1 pairing Gabi Bailey and Parker Bracken were named to the AVCA All-American first team as well.

“They have a lot of big, physical blockers, which is going to be a test for us,” redshirt junior Ella Connor said. “I’m super excited, it’s going to be a super fun matchup.”

Cal Poly holds the seeding and record advantage, finishing 29-7 on the season compared to LSU’s 24-12.

With a win, Cal Poly would potentially be faced with a rematch against No. 3 seed Stanford if they win their respective matchup with No. 14 seed Boise State.

Stanford beat the Mustangs 4-1 in their only matchup this season at the Center for Effort Challenge at the Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex.

The NCAA Championships are a three-day event with the first round on Friday, both the quarterfinals and semifinals that Saturday and the championship match on Sunday.

They will have had a week to gather themselves with the hopes of going on another run at the right time for a shot at the national title.

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Long Beach State Sweeps Big West Top Awards

LONG BEACH, Calif. – After a 3-1 Big West Championship win over Cal Poly, Long Beach State has taken all top conference awards. For the first time in program history, the Big West Pair of the Year award went to Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah. Demi Wagdy was named Freshman of the Year after starting […]

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1 hour ago

May 2, 2025

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Head Coach Mike Campbell had a successful eleventh season leading the Beach to its second Big West title. He achieved his 200th win as head coach in the first game of the season against No. 9 Cal. The Beach is currently 27-11, with 11 wins over ranked opponents this season.

A first-team recipient with Gementera and Hagenah, Julia Westby has consistently played at the second flight and hit a milestone of 50 wins with Long Beach State. Westby was among five other players named to the All-Big West Team.

Skyler Germann and Natalie Glenn were named to the All-Big West Second Team. The duo was the dual clinching point in the 3-2 win over No. 6 Cal Poly at the Best in the West tournament. They boasted 38 wins between the two of them with success throughout the season, even when not playing together. Megan Widener and Demi Wagdy were also named to the All-Big West Second Team as one of the winningest fifth flight pairs this season.

Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah hold the best pairs record in the Big West, with a 33-4 overall record. They did not drop a single match to conference opponents. The first flight pair beat the top ranked teams from Stanford, LMU and Cal Poly. They also continued to shatter records, becoming the most winning individuals in LBSU program history with 95 wins.

Demi Wagdy stepped onto the sand at the fifth flight as a true freshman. She held a 12-win streak with Megan Widener and was named Pair of the Week after their success at the Death Volley Invitational. The duo was briefly split up as Wagdy played four games at the second flight, going 2-2. She settled in with Widener at the third flight, where the duo clinched the Big West title for Long Beach State.

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