Photos and Testimonials
Each summer, our Business, Clergy & Religious Leaders, Design & Technology, Journalism, Law, and Medical, Fellows spend two weeks in Berlin, Krakow and Oswiecim, visiting historical sites, attending intensive seminars and participating in intimate cross-disciplinary discussion groups. Questions raised in the classroom and reflections spurred on by site visits are discussed and debated over lunch and dinner. Our Fellows travel in two groups at different points in the summer: Business, Law, and Design & Technology form the first cohort, and Medical, Clergy, and Journalism travel to Europe several weeks later. Below you can see photos from each trip and read testimonials from recent Fellows.
Recent Testimonials
“FASPE filled a critical role within my broader graduate studies, helping me start to better recognize the interconnections and moral implications of our increasingly complex world. The program's combination of classroom dialogues and real-world experiences coalesced perfectly to give me space to reflect on my early career working at the intersection of public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The conversations that FASPE facilitated will stick with me for the rest of my life, as will the friendships I gained from the two weeks in Germany and Poland.
— Cameron Davis, 2024 Business Fellow
"The FASPE program provided structure and starting points to have conversations about how we can analyze ourselves and our professions as we seek to act ethically. One of my favorite aspects of the program was how the formal curriculum sparked many informal conversations during meals, bus trips, and walks around the cities. I came away from FASPE with new ethical frameworks and questions, which I will continue to ponder throughout my career. I also gained many wonderful colleagues within and outside of my discipline.”
— Anjola Ondadipe, 2024 Medical Fellow
“I had been seeking spaces designed for discussing difficult personal, professional, and ethical questions, and at FASPE, I found that. Looking back, traveling alongside Law and Business Fellow made the experience far richer and more insightful than I could have anticipated. The conversations I had with fellows, inside and outside of facilitated discussions, were true and perspective-shaping gifts. I hope these connections hold long into the future.”
—Sarah Vernovsky, 2023 Design & Technology Fellow
"I always thought I was making informed decisions in my career as a journalist, but FASPE taught me not to just think about the immediate impact of my reporting, but also the long-term impacts. Am I providing a platform for others to be potentially harmed. Do I have a role in defending democracy? Journalists during and leading up to Nazi Germany faced similar questions. FASPE taught me how I report on potential threats can determine the future of society."
— Deion Broxton, 2024 Journalism Fellow
“The FASPE program was a life-changing, immersive experience. It leveraged this immersion as a starting point to facilitate incredibly challenging conversations about professional ethics, and how we as leaders conduct day-to-day business and make decisions in an increasingly uncertain world. I was able to broaden my horizon of thinking amongst a talented community of interdisciplinary leaders; this will become part of the network of minds I know I will engage throughout my career.”
—Mohammed Omar, 2023 Business Fellow
“FASPE was an incredible and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to think critically and discuss complex issues in the same historical locations where so much wrong took place. Surrounded by brilliant faculty and peers, I have never felt so vulnerable and simultaneously comfortable enough to analyze my own weakness, both personally and professionally. I left the two weeks feeling inspired to change my profession and the world, and fully committed to serving others and creating a more just society.”
—Derek Soled, 2022 Business Fellow
Going into FASPE, the Fellowship aspect of the program was the piece I was most impacted by. It is such a rare experience to spend time building relationships with professionals in different disciplines as well as having honest conversations with fellow religious leaders from other faith backgrounds. In our current epoch of division and entrenchment, interdisciplinary fellowship has never been more vital to developing a holistic life that feeds body, mind, and soul. FASPE gave me the opportunity to meet other professionals willing to take the time to speak from their own expertise while learning from others who see the world through another lens.
—Michael Sturdy, 2024 Clergy Fellow
“FASPE was at once a most universal and most personal experience. Universal for how it reminded each of us, despite our vastly different backgrounds, to fundamental truths about what it means to be human. But also deeply personal, for how it revealed both the biases and convictions each of us hold by virtue of our varied experiences. I’m almost certain that the tensions FASPE has forced me to wrestle with will stay for a long time – thankfully though, alongside a lifelong community of people driven by the same challenge.”
—Claudia Kwan, 2022 Business Fellow
"FASPE instilled the importance and skills necessary to deeply care and consider the consequences of my professional work. The conversations and experiences we shared have enriched my life and work. Post FASPE, having a community of caring and thoughtful young leaders is proving to be an indispensable aid in my professional development and decision making."
— Alison Palmer, 2024 Design & Technology Fellow
“It's easy to believe you're the good guy. FAPSE forces you to think about what that really means. My two weeks here helped me think about why I wanted to become a journalist and the good -- and harm -- that people in my job do. I recommend this fellowship to anyone thinking about the "why" of what they do.”
— Zak Vescera, 2023 Journalism Fellow
“Participating in FASPE dramatically changed my perspective on my career as a physician. Through discussions with other fellows, I gained a new awareness of my ethical responsibility to steward the trust that the public places in the medical profession to seek the good of our patients. The visits to sites of Nazi medical crimes gave me a new understanding of the immense harm that the medical profession can cause when we fail to uphold our professional responsibility.”
— Kevin Lazenby, 2023 Medical Fellow
“The FASPE program is thus far the highlight of my ethical training. Learning in this way, with a highly-motivated group of interdisciplinary professionals is so important, unique, and effective. Getting a 2-year masters in medical ethics feels less valuable than FASPE's 2-week program.”
— Claire Rosen, 2022 Medical Fellow
"FASPE has profoundly reshaped how I approach the ethical dilemmas inherent in being a problem solver. The program’s interdisciplinary nature brought together an extraordinary group of professionals from around the world, each offering unique perspectives on the ethical challenges we face in our respective fields. Engaging in these rich discussions broadened my understanding and deepened my commitment to ethical decision-making. Moreover, learning about the resilience of spaces that have endured unimaginable atrocities underscored the importance of approaching our work with both integrity and compassion. This experience will undoubtedly guide me throughout my career as I navigate complex ethical landscapes."
— Javier Ricardo Diaz, 2024 Design & Technology Fellow
“I expected the Fellowship to be valuable, and for the site visits especially in Poland to be moving, but I cannot overstate how impactful the program was for me. The curriculum was so much more robust than I expected, the discussions between past and present drew linear connections, and the people were absolutely fantastic. Best professional development and personal growth experience of my career thus far.”
— David Loftus, 2022 Medical Fellow
“What makes FASPE special is the diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and professional interests that its fellows bring to the table to engage in challenging dialogue about ethical leadership for a better society. I am grateful to FASPE for its commitment to fostering this dialogue within and across disciplines - especially in our often-polarized world. The engaging tours, site visits, and seminars fostered countless conversations over meals, on bus rides, and on walks through Berlin and Krakow that I will carry with me throughout my career.”
— Katie Mascari, 2023 Clergy Fellow
