Whitman Journey: Adam Simon �26
Adam Simon (second from right) with the team of psychologists he worked with at Casa de la Amistad in Mexico City the summer of 2024. The photo was taken in celebration of a patient entering “vigilancia,” the five-year period of post-treatment monitoring during which patients return every few months for follow-up care.
When considering college options as a high school senior, Adam Simon ’26 was attracted to Whitman’s small class sizes, its robust study abroad program and the chance to see what life is like in a small town. Leaning early into the opportunities Walla Walla has to offer, Simon built a trajectory that has involved him with organizations across our community and around the globe.
As a Psychology major, connecting with people is an important aspect of the work that Adam has pursued. Volunteering with the Buddy Program in his first year at Whitman led to leadership roles throughout the Community Engagement Programs in the Career and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) and national recognition for his leadership in solving real community challenges.
His interest in community connections also extended well beyond Whitman and Walla Walla as Simon pursued an internship in Mexico City the summer after his sophomore year, with the help of a Whitman Internship Grant. Providing emotional and psychological support for children with cancer allowed him to build his language skills while extending his experience in ways that built on his background in Psychology classes and other nonprofit settings. His global exposure continued as he studied in Argentina his junior year and interned with the Red Cross in Buenos Aires.
As Simon looks ahead beyond graduation, he is considering direct, supportive social work in either the U.S. or abroad, as well the possibility of teaching English in Spain through the . He credits his experience with CCEC Community Engagement Programs for laying the fundamental groundwork to ethically approach volunteer and other community-facing social impact work.
�Remember that figuring out what you DON’T want to do is just as helpful as figuring what you DO want to do. Take agency—what your college path looks like is largely in your hands.
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Adam Simon ’26
Follow Adam Whitman Journey
Fall 2022揝pring 2023
Volunteered with the Buddy Program and Whitman Friends Program, CCEC Community Engagement Programs
Summer 2023
Youth mentor, Caldera Arts Camp
Fall 2023
Writing Fellow, Hispanic Studies 343
Fall 2023揝pring 2024
Buddy Program Leader
Summer 2024
Psychological and Emotional Support Intern in Mexico City, funded with an International Whitman Internship Grant
Fall 2024
Youth Program Operations Intern with , Walla Walla
Fall 2024
Community Engagement Leader for Nonprofit and Community Partnerships, CCEC Community Engagement Programs
Fall 2024
Awarded the Campus Compact , a national program to connect young leaders involved in community-based programs
Fall 2024
Took the Restorative Justice class inside the Washington State Penitentiary with a group of Whitman students and incarcerated students
Spring 2025
in Buenos Aries, Argentina and completed a Community Health & Education Internship with the Red Cross
Summer 2025
Worked as a Direct Support Professional at L’Arche Portland community support home
Fall 2025
Currently working on senior thesis research on chronic pain in adult men
Fall 2025
Whitman Community Fellow with Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition
The Whitman Journey series highlights some of the varied ways students are engaging on and off campus in immersive experiences. These stories are intended to illuminate the integrated ways that students tap into a variety of opportunities, with support from the CCEC, to build their path to personal and professional growth.
If you would like to learn more about any of the programs or resources available through the CCEC, please reach out to any of our team members.
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Published on Nov 11, 2025