Making connections, learning about the hospitality industry, and experiencing a different culture were all on the itinerary for a group of Highline College students visiting Indonesia earlier this year.
Six students and two faculty members took the 10-day spring quarter trip, which was mostly funded by a federal IDEAS grant valued at $35,000, along with contributions from the Highline Foundation. The students each paid $600 for the trip. The grant is part of the U.S. Department of State’s Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program.
Highline was one of 37 U.S. colleges and universities awarded an IDEAS grant last year, to establish and expand American student mobility overseas in support of U.S. foreign policy goals.
The students spent time in Jakarta, Mulyaharja Village, Bogor, and Bandung. They even toured rice farms, planted rice by hand, and used a traditional tractor in mud while planting rice.
Le My Phung Pham, aged 31, who graduated Highline in June 2025 with an associate of arts degree, majoring in global studies, said the trip was a “glimpse into local life and showed the behind-the-scenes of the hospitality and tourism industry. Not just the fancy parts.”
The students who went on the trip came from different programs across campus, including Highline’s English Language, Career and Academic Prep (ELCAP) program, which helps students increase their English proficiency and become college and career ready.
ELCAP instructor, Ahmed Fahad who was on the trip, described the primary goal of the study abroad program as a way to increase access to world learning experiences for students who have had historically low, or no, participation in these kinds of initiatives, and may not have traveled abroad before.
He went on to say that Highline appears to be the only institution in the country to include adult basic education students in a study abroad program.
“We are honored to pioneer this model and demonstrate that with the right support, all students, including multilingual learners and nontraditional adult students can benefit from global learning experiences,” Fahad said.
Justin Taillon, professor and department head of Highline’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HOST) was also on the trip. He said, “Students come back with a better understanding of sustainable tourism, global awareness, and how to work with people from different cultures.”
Taillon said, “These experiences help students in class, job interviews, and career planning, especially in areas like hospitality, business, and education.”
For 20-year-old interior design student, Deko Jama, the trip to Indonesia made a lasting impression. “This journey transformed how I see the world, and how we view ourselves in it,” she said.
As Phung Pham noted, “This trip has truly fueled my passion for cross-cultural exchange and deepened my understanding of global dynamics.”
Highline College collaborated with the Washington Community College Consortium for Study Abroad (WCCCSA), a partnership of community colleges dedicated to providing students with affordable and enriching study abroad opportunities.
Watch presentations from students who participated in the Indonesia trip
Deko Jama
Keila Sanchez
Le My Pham