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06/08/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/09/2026 06:13

SHA Students Travel to Kenya to Study Global Tourism

SHA Students Travel to Kenya to Study Global Tourism

Hannah Hess (SHA'26, CFA'26) gets up close with a giraffe at the Giraffe Center in Nairobi, Kenya. Photos courtesy of Mara Littman

Education

SHA Students Travel to Kenya to Study Global Tourism

Participants say cultural exchange and community connection shaped their most enduring lessons during the 10-day trip

June 8, 2026
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Just days after arriving in Kenya, Boston University alum Hannah Hess found herself navigating a bustling marketplace in Limuru, Kenya, with a simple assignment: buy fruits and vegetables for children at a local school.

Armed with a one-hour Swahili lesson and a handful of Kenyan shillings, and thrust into unfamiliar surroundings, Hess (SHA'26, CFA'26) and her fellow BU students were tasked with navigating language barriers and bargaining with vendors.

But it was not the challenge of maneuvering the market that stayed with her after leaving Kenya-it was the lessons she learned and connections she made with the country's people.

When the BU group arrived at Foundation of Hope, a nonprofit that provides food, education, and basic healthcare, the children there welcomed the students with a melody. "They sang a song to us that focused on all of the good they had in their lives," Hess says. "Even though they didn't have much, they had a roof over their heads and shoes on their feet."

The moment left a lasting impression. "I think in the US, we look at material items as very important," Hess says. "It was a good reminder that you don't need to have many material items to have a good life and to find happiness."

Hannah Hess (SHA'26, CFA'26) (from left), Oliver Rubenstein (SHA'29), Mirabel Bayazit (Questrom'26), and Baiden Wright (SHA'27) pose at a scenic lookout between Limuru and the Maasai Mara during a service trip to Kenya.

Hess was one of four students from BU's School of Hospitality Administration who recently traveled to Kenya after Commencement as part of a weeklong service learning program designed to immerse students in global hospitality, tourism, sustainability, and cultural exchange.

Through partnerships with local organizations and an in-country educational partner, EDU Africa, the SHA students engaged with hotels, hospitality training schools, nonprofit organizations, and community members as they explored the country.

"I can 100 percent say that, in Kenya, the hospitality has been the kindest and most welcoming out of anywhere I've ever been," says Hess, who graduated last month with degrees in hospitality administration and music.

Having visited 16 countries before Kenya, she says that what stood out most in the country was not its wildlife or scenery. "What has really become the focal point of this trip for me is the people and the incredible communities that they've built here," she says.

That sentiment was echoed by fellow student Baiden Wright (Pardee'23, SHA'27), a graduate student pursuing a master's in management in hospitality degree. "The biggest takeaway is just how hospitable everyone in the region is," she says. "Hospitality really does stem from human connection."

The biggest takeaway is just how hospitable everyone in the region is. Hospitality really does stem from human connection.
Baiden Wright (Pardee'23, SHA'27)

Throughout the trip, students shadowed hospitality professionals at several locations, including Brackenhurst Conference and Retreat Centre in Limuru and the Villa Rosa Kempinski Nairobi. They observed operations, explored industry trends, and compared hospitality practices in Kenya with what they have learned in the classroom.

Yet some of the most impactful experiences happened outside traditional hospitality settings.

At the Kimlea Girls Technical Training Centre, students met young women pursuing careers in hospitality and tourism through vocational training programs designed to expand economic opportunities and promote female empowerment. "It was really special to work with these young women and see what they're learning and interact with them one-on-one," Wright says.

Students also visited tea farms, learned about sustainable tourism practices, and participated in cultural exchange activities throughout the country.

One of Hess' most memorable experiences was visiting a local Kenyan family's home, where students helped prepare traditional foods and shared a meal while learning about daily life firsthand. The experience provided her a deeper understanding of hospitality beyond hotels and guest services, she says, highlighting the generosity and openness with which families welcomed them into their homes.

BU School of Hospitality students pose with staff members at the Kimlea Training School following a shadowing experience, where young women receive training in hospitality.

For Wright, those interactions reinforced an important lesson about the profession she hopes to pursue as a career. "One of the workers at a resort remembered my coffee order after two days," she says. "That level of care really shows what hospitality is at its core."

The trip also challenged some students' assumptions about Kenya. Hess says she initially expected the experience to focus heavily on nature and wildlife. While she enjoyed seeing monkeys and a safari in the Maasai Mara, she says the people made the strongest impression on her.

That experience reflects a broader philosophy behind the program, the organizers say. Rather than positioning students as helpers arriving with solutions, the program emphasizes learning from local communities, understanding cultural contexts, and engaging responsibly with the places they visit.

"We've started thinking about it as 'learning service' rather than 'service learning,'" says Mara Littman, executive director of strategic operations and corporate relations at SHA. "Any which way you look at it, you learn to serve the populations. It's about understanding that everything you're doing is making a footprint."

Students say those lessons will stay with them long after they return to Boston. "I would say, go for it, even if it's out of your comfort zone," Hess says of future service learning opportunities. "You will learn so much. It's a really great opportunity to grow as a person, as a professional, and just expand your worldview."

For Wright, the experience reinforced the importance of cultural understanding in a global industry.

"In order to be successful in hospitality, you need cultural competency," she says. "This trip really showed me that hospitality is ultimately about people, no matter where you are in the world."

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Boston University published this content on June 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 09, 2026 at 12:13 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]