KU Voice: A momentous Study Abroad experience

Dear Kansas Alumni and Study Abroad,

We hope this message finds you well. We are Ben, c’04, g’06, and Jessica Kirby, c’04. We are reaching out to share a special story about how the University of Kansas and KU Study Abroad have had a profound impact on our lives and our family.

We ended up at KU from different parts of the country—Ben from Dallas, and Jessica from Stilwell—but we both have parents who attended, so KU was in our blood. In 2002, we both participated in a KU Study Abroad program to Costa Rica, biology 
majors driven by our interest in science. 
We saw the program as a unique opportunity to earn credit toward our degrees while immersing ourselves in the vibrant culture and stunning landscapes of Costa Rica.

We did not know each other at that time, and neither of us knew anyone else in the program except for random lab partners from biology classes. Our goals were simple: travel, learn a bit of Spanish, and dive into field biology, including marine biology and ethnobotany.

Truth be told, this story almost never took off because Jess’ father was hesitant to let his daughter travel abroad alone. He ultimately relented on the application deadline, and the rest is history.

During our time in Costa Rica, we lived with generous host families, took classes in a rainforest, and went on excursions to stunning locations like Fortuna Waterfall, Quepos, Jaco, Golfito and Manuel Antonio. It was on these weekend trips that we often found ourselves talking and discovering commonalities in our life goals. We were both pre-med students, and while we both returned to Lawrence and took the MCAT, we each ultimately decided that medicine was not our calling.

Ben pursued a PhD and a career as a science teacher and school administrator at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, and Jess ventured into event planning and sales. So, despite our best intentions and some serious studying, neither of us ended up in a white coat.

The Study Abroad program was life-changing for us. We started dating about six months after we returned to Lawrence and married two years after graduation. We returned to Costa Rica for our honeymoon in 2006 and for our five-year anniversary.

Eighteen years of marriage later, we again returned to Costa Rica this past summer with our children, Charlie (12), Cora (11), and Chloe (5). We were thrilled to show them where we met and to take pictures at the same places we visited and photographed years ago.

It was a full-circle moment. We can definitely say that KU’s Study Abroad program profoundly influenced our lives and, by way of us, the lives of our family. Taking the kids to KU basketball games always gives us chills because it is KU basketball, but taking them to beautiful Costa Rica was unbelievably special.

Because of our experiences, one of the requirements for our children is that they study abroad while in school. We don’t expect them to find that special someone, but we hope they learn about themselves and the amazing world around us.

Ben has carried on the passion by directing travel programs at his school, including personally leading a marine biology program he started in 2010 that has taken students to Virgin Gorda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Hawaii and the Florida Keys.

We are grateful for the opportunity that KU provided and wanted to share how it has resonated through our lives. Thank you for continuing to offer such impactful programs and fostering experiences that shape the lives of students and alumni.

Rock Chalk,

Ben and Jessica Gnau Kirby