Watson Fellowship Reflection: Paige Bristow ’23

Ursinus alumna Paige Bristow ’23 is in her first year as a medical student at the University of Maryland, working toward her doctor of medicine and master’s in public policy. Before graduating from Ursinus in May 2023, Bristow was awarded the prestigious Watson Fellowship. This one-year grant is given to graduating seniors to conduct purposeful, independent exploration outside of the United States.

After graduation, Bristow embarked on her Watson-funded adventure. Inspired by an internship with the U.S. State Department between her junior and senior years, she aimed to explore women in leadership roles and how crises impact them.

“Only 20% of women at the time were ambassadors with the State Department, so they were hugely underrepresented,” Bristow said. “I also noticed that many of these women were assigned to hardship posts, which led me to focus on my project.”

Bristow traveled to Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Northern Ireland, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Taiwan. She spent 90 days visiting countries in the European Union, followed by 90 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Next, she spent 90 days in Tokyo, and then spent a month each in Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan.

“I honestly chose places I thought were interesting, booked an Airbnb, and just showed up,” Bristow said. “I think that might stress out a lot of people, but it really reflects my personality.”

Once in a new place, Bristow would open her laptop and start sending emails.

“I’d look online and email people I wanted to talk to,” Bristow said. “Inevitably, some people responded, and I would meet others through them. My network just kept expanding.”

Bristow reached out to women leaders in every field she could think of, from politicians to scientists to professors. She conducted over 40 interviews, taking meticulous handwritten notes in a single notebook. This approach to research was inspired by her time as a Melrose Fellow at Ursinus, a small group of scholars selected annually to study global civic engagement.

During her sophomore year, Bristow took a class exploring global issues and read a piece by American activist Fran Peavey titled, “American Willing to Listen.” Peavey would travel to different countries and stand in public places with a sign that said, “American Willing to Listen,” sparking conversations about topics she knew little about. Bristow carried this same ideology with her throughout her travels.

“In my final Watson interview they asked me what I wanted to get out of the experience, and I said, ‘I just want to go and meet people’,” Bristow said. “It was a simple answer but very true.”

Beyond emailing, Bristow also used field hockey to connect with people. While in New Zealand, she reached out to a local club team and was invited to try out. As a former Ursinus field hockey player, she jumped at the chance and ended up playing in the team’s first game in the Wellington Premier League, the highest level of the sport in New Zealand.

“It was really fun to rekindle my love of field hockey and getting to grow with the team,” Bristow said. “I actually got to interview one of my teammates by coincidence because she was involved in the New Zealand government.”

The timing of Bristow’s trip also aligned with that of previous Ursinus Watson recipients Garrett Bullock ’20 and Tommy Armstrong ’20, whose travels had been postponed until 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The three attended the final Watson Conference together. Bristow also connected with Ursinus Fulbright Fellowship winner Jesse Wun ’22 in Taiwan and helped teach English at his school for a day.

“It was really cool to be able to connect with another international fellow and do something together, especially since we were in [Assistant Professor of Chemistry] Samantha Wilner’s lab together,” Bristow said.

After completing her degrees at Maryland, Bristow plans to pursue a career in emergency medicine as a physician and aspires to hold a leadership position in government. She hopes to incorporate the insights gained from her interviews abroad into a book or narrative that reflects her findings. Bristow credits the Watson Fellowship for providing her with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“It’s the best opportunity out there. There’s nothing like it, and you’ll learn so much about the world,” Bristow said. “The process of it all is easily worth the reward.”