Aliya Adan, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & American Ethnic Studies, minor in Diversity, is from South Seattle, Washington, and is a first-generation Somali American. As an undergraduate, she conducted independent research on gun violence in Black immigrant communities, exploring its social determinants and lived impacts. Her Bonderman Fellowship proposal centers on identity—examining how she navigates multiple cultural worlds as the child of immigrants and what that reveals about belonging in an ever-changing global society. Aliya selected Turkey, Kenya, Malaysia, Indonesia, Oman, Morocco, China, and Brazil—countries where she would feel safe traveling solo.
Each year a select group of UW students are provided a rare opportunity to independently travel the world as Bonderman Fellows. David Bonderman, a UW alumnus, created the Bonderman Travel Fellowship in 1995, and it has funded life-changing global journeys for more than 330 students thus far.
Students traveling with this $26,000 fellowship set off on journeys that are at least eight months long and take them to at least two regions of the world. While traveling, students may not pursue academic study, projects, or research. Established in 1995, this fellowship aims to expose students to the intrinsic, often life-changing, benefits of international travel.
For more than twenty years UW alumnus David Bonderman annually supported UW students via travel fellowships that ask them to explore, be open to the unexpected, and come to know the world in new and unexpected ways. The University of Washington Bonderman Fellowship expanded its impact in 2017 with a $10 million endowment from David Bonderman.
In December 2024, David Bonderman passed away at the age of 82. UW staff and the community of Bonderman Fellows are grateful for his legacy and generosity.