Student Testimonials
The following are testimonials from some of the students who went on the New Orleans trip:
As someone who was born and raised in New York City, I really appreciated the opportunity to visit a new, vibrant city like New Orleans. I love trying new dishes in new places and on the first day of the trip I was able to try fried alligator bites, which were delicious. As for the itinerary of the trip, I am grateful every location was selected with such thoughtfulness. Visiting the Whitney Plantation and Laura Plantation allowed me to witness the power a narrator holds when they retell history, especially the history of slavery in America and its aftermath. An intentional lesson, among many others, that Clint Smith thoroughly wrote about in How the Word is Passed as he visited the Whitney Plantation and other historical landmarks. My favorite location was the Backstreet Cultural Museum because it was the most intimate museum I have ever been in. Not only did the woman guiding us around the museum have a familial connection to the exhibits preserved by her father Sylvester Francis, but she guided us with a familial sense of care. A level of care that informed us about the exhibits and with enough room to explore more and respect both their individual and collective histories. I want to thank the American Studies Program for opening up this trip to Black Studies majors like myself, and Latino Studies majors as well. All in all, the trip was an informative and enjoyable glimpse of life in New Orleans, and I hope to revisit in the future to learn more.
The trip to New Orleans was super fun and informative - it was a great blend of historical information, real-world immersive experiences, and opportunities to relax and process the information we learned for the day. The trip was well-planned, meaningful, and one I will remember when looking back on my time at Northwestern.
This experience was extremely intellectually, culturally, and socially rewarding!
My experience on the recent New Orleans trip was educational and fun overall. I enjoyed learning about the city's history through walking tours in the French Quarter, especially the Hidden History tour. Additionally, I learned about the city’s culture and the tradition of Mardi Gras Indians through our visit to the Backstreet Museum. Ultimately, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to travel to such a vibrant and musical city that I had never been to before.
The New Orleans trip was well-organized and very educational. The programming was interesting and allowed us to experience learning outside of a traditional classroom setting.