Across the States in 48 Days

Students Kaylee Bandow, C‘23, RJ Kenna, C 24, Taylor Hochard, C 24, Lauren Krecota, C‘22 and Maggie Edwards, C 24, reach the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.

STORY

Madison Whitfield

What do the continental United States, a group of college students, and a lacrosse coach all have in common?

The number 48. 

There are 48 continental states in the US, and that group of students and the coach? They set out to travel to all of them…in 48 days.    

Led by Jym Walters, C’96, associate director of campus life and student recreation, head Women’s Lacrosse coach, and assistant Women’s Tennis coach, a group of students from all academic backgrounds have been given the opportunity, entirely unique to Saint Vincent, to take on what can only be described as an adventure of Vernian proportions: travel the country in 48 days. 

As they traveled across the nation after the school year ended, their journey was documented through different legs of the trip and highlighted on Instagram, @svc48in48. Each day, the recaps shared their adventures and even noted what their song and bird of the day were. While the goal was to visit 48 states in 48 days, there was also another theme at play: captured were not only impressive scenic images of national parks, mountains, and sunsets, but also the smiles of individuals—and Bearcats—they met along the way, showing that the Bearcat community extends well beyond the five-mile radius of our campus in Latrobe. Whether current students, alumni, friends, or even incoming and future Bearcats, the students on the 2022 trip were able to meet with over a dozen members of the SVC community from New York to California and nearly every state in between. 

This fast-paced trip, then, is far from a relaxing vacation: it provides an exciting and fulfilling experience for students, allowing them to not only see new places but also grow as individuals and recognize the opportunities that
await them after graduation. Connecting with alumni from various states adds a unique dimension to the journey as students learn from their experiences and gain insights into different career paths and life after Saint Vincent. 

In 2022, Margaret “Maggie” Edwards, C 24, participated in the entire trip, and as she prepared to embark on the 2023 summer trip, she reflected on her experience. Read on to get Maggie’s highlights. 

First Leg

After receiving a blessing and send-off from Father Max, Sister Maria, and Sister Donatha, we departed from the Basilica at sunrise on May 9, 2022, for the first leg of our trip, which would cover the southeastern portion of the United States. This section included unforgettable views of clouds forming along the tips of Mount Mitchell in South Dakota, right in front of us, and unforgettable memories of swimming side-by-side with manatees in Wakulla Springs, Florida. We also formed a special connection with a couple, Aunt Sally and Uncle Chuck, who welcomed us into their home and gave us the ultimate Louisville, Kentucky, experience. 

 In between each of these unforgettable moments were even more exceptional adventures. From eating breakfast with alumna Judy Spelz Haas, C’10, G’12, and her family in Frostburg, Maryland; to hiking Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, with alumnus Theo Chavez, C’08; Lenna Vaughn, and Anna Archibald; and exploring Branson, Missouri, with alumna Cori Britt, C’96, we students embraced the opportunity to hear from generations of SVC alumni and their unforgettable times as Bearcats themselves. Passing along stories old and new, sharing laughs, hugs, and lots of smiles, and saying “see you later” were vital parts of experiencing just this first part of the United States and the outreach Saint Vincent and its community have made on the world outside of Latrobe.

Second Leg

Although the shortest section of this forty-eight-day trip, venturing across nine New England states in just eight days easily made this trip one of my most memorable. Given the opportunity to experience many new things for the first time and joined by some of my closest friends while celebrating my birthday and traveling through multiple states in just a few hours created the ultimate road-trip experience. 

 We started off by meeting with alumna Jess Morrell, C’04, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, who told amazingly entertaining stories originating from the first Saint Vincent Outdoors Club adventure in 2004. After stopping along the beaches of Rhode Island and Connecticut, we continued traveling north to meet up with alumna Alexis Oropallo, C’16, to hike Watkins Glen State Park in New York and sail across Seneca Lake with the father of former soccer coach Becky Stewart. Along with that, in between all the time spent in the car, there were a lot of fun sights and exciting adventures, like seeing shooting stars in Quechee, Vermont; swimming in waterfalls and mountain water runoff in Grafton Notch State Park, Maine; and riding a train up to the peak of Mount Washington, New Hampshire. We went on sunset hikes in New Hampshire and tried our hands at tracking animals like moose and bears along the wooded roads. But, the adventures and stories don’t stop there, as each day brought a new Saint Vincent and Benedictine connection, a recurring theme that was seen throughout the entirety of the expedition.

Third Leg

Our voyage across the western part of the United States was the most exciting and striking section of this trip. Crossing new landscapes, seeing new animals, and experiencing new cultures opened up an entirely new world we had yet to discover. But the best thing about this leg of the trip was who we would discover all of these new experiences with. From meeting with alumnus Bryan Pizzuti, C’96, and former field hockey coach Paul Ferzt in West Bloomfield, Michigan; to unexpectedly running into alumna Linger Williams’, C’20, family at mass in Wall, South Dakota; to taking a tour of Abbots Passage Winery in Glen Ellen, California, with alumnus Kyle Kuklewski, C’09; Father Cassian Edwards, S’21; and tennis coach and alumnus Brian Niemic, C’17, all on our journey out west, it soon became apparent just how far Saint Vincent College and its seminary have reached outside its home base in Latrobe. Of course, the connections didn’t stop there; as we made our voyage back east, we continued to find past, present, and future Bearcat families along the way. 

 After a fun day of swimming in Lake Tahoe, we found our way to Reno, Nevada, “the biggest little city in the world,” to explore and have dinner with former assistant men’s lacrosse coach Andrew Haas and his wife, Marni. Soon after, we stopped in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for history and cultural lessons at the New Mexico History Museum, journeyed to Chimayo, and then finished off in Albuquerque with a Saint Vincent-style dinner filled with family, laughter, and well-wishes. This dinner party was made up of Bearcats old and new, such as alumnus Tim Chavez, C’21, and his family; freshman Izzy Jolly, C 26, and her family; and, of course, the current members of the Outdoors Club.  

This trip solidified our appreciation and gratitude for Saint Vincent College and the memories, adventures, and, most importantly, the community it has provided us with and will continue to provide us over our time at SVC and beyond.  ♦