Afomia Assefa found inspiration in Tricia Hairsey’s novel Rest is Resistance. She applied for the University of Washington’s Bonderman Fellowship envisioning a life beyond grind culture — a decision that will take her on an eight-month solo journey across the world this fall.

Assefa, an online Master of Science in Information Management student, will travel to countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, exploring how rest, spirituality and self-care are honored across various cultures. 

“I’ve been working since high school, through college and now grad school, but I’ve never really given myself the time to dream before diving deeper into my career,” Assefa said. “I’m so grateful to now have this space to integrate my learning into my travels and reflect on the impact I want to make in my career and in the world.”

Assefa is one of eight recipients of the prestigious Bonderman Fellowship awarded by the University of Washington to select students each year. The fellowship offers students the opportunity to independently travel the world and visit four to eight countries of their choosing, empowering them to engage deeply with peoples and communities across the world.

With an itinerary in the works, Assefa is planning to travel to countries that challenge her in different ways and allow her to gain an understanding of new cultures, food, music and people. Some of the countries on her list include Morocco, Tunisia, Thailand and Singapore. 

She hopes to channel these experiences to become a better information leader in the next phase of her career. 

“The MSIM program has taught me to think critically about the values I want to bring to information science,” said Assefa. “One of the purposes of my travels is to resist ideals that progress is linear and new technology is always better. Instead, I hope to draw inspiration and learn from information practices in different countries.” 

MSIM student and previous Bonderman Fellow Erica Adams, who returned from her travels in 2024, looks back on her experience as the trip of a lifetime. 

Adams, who was awarded the fellowship in 2023, traveled to Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and South Korea. 

“It was an amazing experience. I met so many new people, including other travelers and locals,” said Adams. “I even ran into a couple of other Bonderman fellows and got to reconnect with some old friends that had moved to Korea, which was great!” 

Similar to Assefa’s goal of becoming a better information leader, Adams came back with a new understanding of how technology and information solutions vary based on cultural and geographic contexts. 

“As someone pursuing a career in cybersecurity user experience, it was incredibly valuable to see how different technology is in each country, and it made me reflect on my undergraduate experience as an international studies major,” said Adams. “My travels have encouraged me to combine my interests in cybersecurity and international studies together as I move forward in my career.” 

For students interested in the Bonderman Fellowship, Assefa and Adams have one piece of advice, “APPLY!” 

“This is such a great way to get out of your comfort zone, explore new opportunities, and make connections around the world,” said Adams. 

“I know the thought of solo traveling can be very intimidating, but the first step is to figure out your ‘why,’” said Assefa. “Connect your travels to your larger purpose and ground yourself in the experience of previous fellows.”