Ellie Oakley

Photos

Ellie at the top of a mountain with ruins and a blue sky behind her

Ellie grew up in Colorado and New Mexico, and she graduated from Middlebury College in 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Religious Studies. Before working for Visions, Ellie worked with kids in various capacities, including a summer with Girls Inc. where she helped middle school girls develop wilderness skills for hiking and camping in the high desert mountains. She enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite travel memory at Visions was waking all of the students up at dawn to hike up to Machu Picchu. We started out by walking through the small town at the base of the ruins, a bleary walk in the dark with flashlights to light our way. We then hiked up the mountain via many flights of stone stairs and ended with sunrise at the entrance to the ruins!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Working for Visions encouraged me to grow as a confident leader. Being a leader for a Visions program really allows for growth in communication skills with the kids, teamwork with other leaders, and intercultural competence as you spend time in other cultures and countries. These are all important skills that I took with me afterward.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One of the stories I enjoyed hearing from the students who were in my program is the fact that they were all still in touch with each other after the program ended. Their friendships continued after their time in Peru, and they were all making plans to meet up and visit each other. They left Visions with friends all over the country and the world.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I am drawn to the Montana programs – both the Blackfeet program and the Farm program. As I live in Montana, I think the Blackfeet program would offer a way to explore and connect with another culture within the state, while the Farm program explores sustainable farming techniques and hands-on outdoors experiences.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Visions are unique in the fact that it has a component called Circle, where you gather as a group of leaders and students every-other night on the program. During this time you hold prompted discussions on how the program is going, any difficulties that have arisen, and any particularly happy or proud moments that have occurred. You also dive into important questions about each other and each other's backgrounds and experiences, holding meaningful and personal discussions that form the foundation of a strong community. I found that the students were really open to this activity and I was especially proud when some of them mentioned how significant Circle was to their experience and how they aimed to foster the same open communication throughout their lives.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

One of the biggest factors is offering a unique and compelling experience for students, which I believe Visions does through its focus on community service, meaningful cultural exchange, and communication and community-building amongst the students in the program and between the students and the culture they're immersed in. Along with that, having a strong team of people working behind the scenes to make these programs a reality.