The William Westerman Pathfinders awards to North America fund up to 10 new Balliol alumni to travel to the USA and Canada each summer for a period of 6-8 weeks, staying for up to 50% of their travel with their fellow Old Members of the College, who volunteer to host them in their homes typically for a few days at a time.
The William Westerman Pathfinders awards to Asia fund 2-3 new Balliol alumni to travel in a similar way to Asia, though with less of an emphasis on being hosted overnight by their fellow Old Members than in the North America programme.
The purpose of the programme is to encourage better understanding between the newest generation of Balliol alumni and their fellow Old Members who live in the United States, Canada, and Asia respectively, and to allow Old Members in these places to keep in touch with the Balliol community.
Non-academic
New undergraduate or postgraduate alumni who are:
Preference will be given to people who have never previously visited the intended countries of travel. Applications will be considered from those who visited for very short periods or when they were young but anyone who has been there, especially on their own, for more than a week or so in the last few years is unlikely to be successful.
Successful candidates are more likely to demonstrate:
£4,000
Details of how to apply to any of the schemes are announced by email and shortlisted applicants are asked to attend an interview in Balliol during Hilary Term. First interviews will be taking place on 10 & 11 February, 4th Week, Hilary Term 2026 and second interviews on 26 & 27 February, 6th Week, Hilary Term 2026. Graduate students must obtain the permission of their supervisors before applying. Applicants will have a project plan for their visit.
The successful applicants will be required to attend two briefing sessions. They will also have to present a written report, including a journal of their visit and feedback on the programme, to the Master, when the final balance of the award will be paid.
In all cases of travel, whether as part of a course (e.g. field work, year abroad, medical elective) or an extra-curricular activity (e.g. a project for which College has provided financial support, a College reading party, or William Westerman Pathfinders awards), new Balliol alumni are responsible for taking out appropriate medical and travel insurance for the whole of their time away, including any independent trips made alongside, and for consulting relevant travel advice, for instance the Foreign Office travel advice. Reading party participants are expected to sign waivers prior to departure. New Balliol alumni are not permitted to travel to countries or regions for which appropriate travel insurance cannot be obtained.
If you have any queries about the William Westerman Pathfinders awards, please contact the Development Office, pathfinders@balliol.ox.ac.uk.
The original Pathfinders programme at Balliol was started in 1955 by Bill Coolidge (Balliol 1924). Bill Coolidge died in 1992, and from then until 2002 his niece, Kitty Lastavica, together with her husband, John, generously provided funding for the programme. In more recent years, the scheme was funded first by three anonymous donors before Matthew Westerman (Balliol 1983) took over the funding of the programme in honour of his father, William A. Westerman (Balliol 1946), after whom it was renamed. You can read more about the William Westerman Pathfinders scheme here.
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