My Davidson | A Student Blog Oh the Places You’ll Go…with Davidson College Funding!
October 19, 2026
Discover how Davidson College student Will Capps ’27 used college funding to travel from Joshua Tree and Hawaiʻi to Copenhagen and D.C. for hands-on research, education abroad and experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
About the Author
Will Capps ’27 is a History and Political Science double major from Cary, North Carolina. On campus, he is involved with Honor Council, Davidson Outdoors, Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and New Student Orientation.
"I was first drawn to Davidson for the small class sizes, access to professors, and Division I sports. When I visited campus for an admitted students day, I found all of these things and more. The students I interacted with were shockingly outgoing; the professors genuinely cared about getting to know me; and the campus was so beautiful."
Some of my favorite experiences at Davidson College have occurred hundreds — and even thousands — of miles from campus.
I’ve spent a week backpacking in California, traveled to Hawaiʻi with classmates from a history course, completed archival research in St. Louis and Chicago, worked in local government, and studied abroad in Copenhagen. Each experience has opened my eyes in so many ways, from discovering new interests and immersing myself in unfamiliar cultures to sharpening my critical thinking skills and learning the value of simply slowing down and enjoying the little things.
Joshua Tree National Park (January 2024)
In January 2024, I traveled with friends from Davidson Outdoors to Palm Springs, California, for a six-day backpacking trip through Joshua Tree National Park. Spending nearly a week in the desert allowed us to push ourselves, lean on each other, and see a landscape that looks nothing like Davidson. It was a great way to kick off my second semester, and it reminded me that college is about so much more than what happens in the classroom. The people you meet and the challenges you take on together matter a lot, and Davidson Outdoors has done a wonderful job of creating amazing experiences that bring all sorts of students together.
Honolulu, Hawai’i (March 2025)
During the spring semester of my sophomore year, I took a course called HIS 301: "Making History." For spring break, my 11 classmates and I, along with our two professors, traveled to Honolulu for a week of learning well beyond Davidson’s campus. We visited the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Hawaiʻi State Archives, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa—and made time for the beach, too! Back at Davidson, we developed original research projects and presented them at the Verna Miller Case Research Symposium. Seeing the historical materials we had been studying in person made history feel like it was coming alive. It was a great example of how so many courses at Davidson extend beyond lectures and readings into the actual places and communities we study.
Washington University in St. Louis (May 2025)
An independent research project about the emergence of zoning ordinances in the United States took me to the John M. Olin Library at Washington University in St. Louis on a grant from the Bank of America-Kemp Scholars Program. There, I spent one week examining the Harland Bartholomew collection, working directly with a huge body of archival material to trace the history of urban planning in St. Louis and across the country. Seeing the same historical documents I had read about for months was beyond exciting. What started as a passing question in one of my classes quickly became a deeply fascinating two-week research trip hundreds of miles from Davidson.
Chicago, Illinois (May 2025)
From St. Louis, I continued to Chicago for another collection central to my research. I spent one week at the Art Institute of Chicago’s Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives, examining the Daniel H. Burnham collection. Working across these two archival collections helped me build a more nuanced picture of my historical story. I’m so grateful that Davidson was able to cover all of my expenses throughout the trip! The experience significantly sharpened my research skills and made subsequent research projects much smoother and more enriching.
Washington, D.C. (Summer 2025)
Through the Davidson in Washington program, I spent the summer interning in the Baltimore Mayor’s Office alongside Davidson alumnus J.D. Merrill ’13. I also completed a course on U.S. foreign policymaking with Professor Silvi Toska. Balancing a full-time internship with an evening seminar was tough, but it opened my eyes to what a career in government could look like after Davidson and taught me a lot about the behind-the-scenes processes that affect local governance every day. This summer showed me how a Davidson education bridges academic inquiry with real-world work—and how relationships within the Davidson community open so many doors in professional settings.
Copenhagen, Denmark (Fall 2025)
Following the Davidson in Washington program, I packed a couple of bags and flew to Europe for a four-month study abroad adventure in Copenhagen through DIS (Study Abroad in Scandinavia). The program immersed me in a different culture, climate, and academic environment. I often spent my afternoons biking around the city and visiting bakeries and coffee shops where I read about Nordic mythology and the history of the city. Living abroad also pushed me to become more independent and truly take advantage of everything around me. I was able to travel to nearly a dozen countries and visit Davidson friends all over Europe. The semester expanded my understanding of the world and myself — and it definitely renewed my appreciation for life at Davidson.
Washington, D.C. (Summer 2026)
This past summer, I returned to Washington, D.C., for another research project, this time for HIS 480: "Senior Research Seminar," my capstone. I’m currently researching the McMillan Commission of 1902, which created Washington’s first comprehensive city plan. I spent a few days at the Library of Congress poring over thousands of documents from the early 20th century, including sources few scholars have ever touched. Researching in the capital itself brought me closer to the people, places, and records connected to my studies. Returning to D.C. felt like a full-circle moment. With research trips to Honolulu, St. Louis, and Chicago already under my belt, I felt much more confident in my research skills and excited to take on one last history research project.
Whether in an archive, a new city, or a national park, Davidson has given me both the confidence and the resources to pursue new places, people, and ideas and to keep asking tough and complicated questions. I’ll always be grateful for the ways Davidson has opened doors to incredible experiences, from just outside Charlotte to the other side of the globe.
