First-person POV: Bulldog Trek
Aug 25, 2026
Atmosphere.
It’s one of the first things you notice when you walk through a city you’ve never visited. Seattle was no different.
Walking down Pine Street toward Pike Place Market, I watched crowds weave between family-owned shops and storefronts. Then there was the original Starbucks, its long line waiting to squeeze into a tiny store. Small businesses existed alongside massive corporations and skyscrapers — all of it, somehow, grown from the same seed of entrepreneurship.
By the final day of the University of Redlands Bulldog Trek, I was walking through that same market with a different perspective than when I arrived.
Throughout the week, our group of 11 students stepped into professional environments with different cultures, people, industries and scales. But despite those differences, I kept hearing surprisingly similar advice about careers, success and navigating an uncertain future.
Expeditors International was our first company visit, and it immediately challenged my expectations. Despite being a global logistics company with more than 350 offices worldwide, the atmosphere felt surprisingly personal. Steve Grimmer and Dan Wall shared stories that quickly dissolved the intimidating corporate image I’d walked in with.
We heard about starting a career without a college degree and working your way from the bottom to the top — a reminder that where you begin doesn’t determine where you end up. Even more memorable was their emphasis on holding onto your values along the way.
At Amazon, I expected the traditional “tech startup” atmosphere. Instead, I found a mix of corporate professionalism and unconventional tech culture. Yet the message from the people we met was familiar: Balance practicality with your dreams, stay curious and keep learning. There is rarely one predetermined path to success.
The most meaningful conversations, however, happened outside company walls at a Redlands alumni networking reception.
Every company visit began with a firm handshake and an exchange of names. At the reception, those introductions became something more. Conversations with alumni moved beyond names, job titles and career timelines. We talked through uncertainties, weighed career options and discussed possibilities I hadn’t considered. We weren’t simply students talking to professionals. We were students receiving guidance from alumni willing to become mentors.
Walking through Pike Place Market on our final day, I realized atmosphere is about more than a place. It comes from the relationships, values and experiences that give a place meaning. Every workplace we visited had its own atmosphere, but the people within them shared many of the same lessons about finding your way forward.
As I begin navigating my own path, that’s what I’ll carry with me.
If I hadn’t stepped outside my comfort zone and said yes to this opportunity, I wouldn’t have met the mentors I now have or made the connections and friendships this trip gave me. For students who feel uncertain about what comes after college, look into opportunities like Bulldog Treks.
Sometimes figuring out your future starts with something as simple as a handshake.