His hands-on learning experiences also include serving kids and adults through Naz community partners in Rochester
- Major: Business, artificial intelligence, & innovation
- High school: Churchville-Chili High School, New York
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| I’m looking at Mt. Fuji while studying abroad in Japan. |
Denim Powers had never been out of New York state, and he is the first in his family to go to college. He has thrived in his first three years at Nazareth from transformative experiences, including two study abroad programs, community work across Rochester, and strong guidance from professors and advisors.
After his first major didn’t work out academically, he now has a whole new sense of his future as a senior in the business, artificial intelligence, & innovation program, and he recently received an award for academic achievement. He appreciates support from the Higher Education Opportunity Program to go to college; that state-Nazareth partnership provides academic support and financial aid for New York state residents whose academic and economic circumstances would otherwise keep college out of reach.
In an interview (edited for clarity), he shared his story.
Travel was new to you?
Growing up, I never went anywhere outside of New York State. I have a single mom, so it was kind of hard for her to get the money together for that kind of thing. Hershey Park was always the dream vacation, but we never ended up making it happen.
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| Hiking up Phnom Sampeau Mountain, Cambodia. |
So how did Japan happen?
Freshman year, our HEOP group met staff from key offices — including Josh Fess in the Naz Center for International Education, who told us about study abroad. I told him I wanted to go to Japan. The summer after my sophomore year, I used my Naz SPARK Grant for Nazareth’s program in Osaka, studying Japanese culture and society and taking two international business classes. I was scared on the plane, but I had a great time there.
What drew you to Japan?
During COVID, I looked at anime as revolutionary and an escape from depression. I fell in love with the culture, the food, and the history. Going there was my first time out of the country, and I was nervous about how people would react to me, based on my skin color. But everyone was really nice to me. I still talk all the time to two Japanese friends I made, and the Naz students who went with me are still some of my closest friends.
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| Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills, Vietnam |
And then you studied abroad in Cambodia and Vietnam: Why there?
Josh mentioned there was a Cambodia and Vietnam trip coming up (to learn about war, peace, genocide, and reconciliation). A friend from my Japan trip is Cambodian, and I'd seen his photos. It looked like such a beautiful country. One of my best friends, who lives in my dorm, is Vietnamese, and his parents gave me a whole list of foods to try. My scholarship helped cover a lot of the cost, since Naz wants students to pursue experiential learning.
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| 5-star restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam |
Did that trip affect how you see the world?
I was challenged to think differently about how people there live and make a living. People work hard selling snacks, fans, and pop to tourists to earn about $30 (U.S.) a month.
Our homestay family experience stuck with me. The kind woman hosting us for a week had been taken from her home by the Khmer Rouge back in the 1970s, and here she was, decades later, cooking for us and opening her home to strangers.
The trip made me appreciate things back home that I used to take for granted, like clean water and air conditioning. Over there, we couldn't even brush our teeth with the tap water. Some rural areas didn't have A/C at all, when it was 100 degrees. There were bug nets over the bed since there was no glass in the windows.
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| Visiting rice fields in Cambodia. |
Beyond study abroad, what else have you gotten involved in?
I did Naz Partners for Learning and Partners for Serving (paid, weekly roles with community partners). I worked with the Boys and Girls Club my freshman and sophomore years. I've always worked with kids — I coached basketball in middle and high school — so that came naturally. Through Partners for Serving, I also tutored adults working toward their GED at Rochester Educational Opportunity Center, and I worked at a home for families dealing with domestic violence, helping kids with homework and playing games to give them a break. It all raised my awareness and connected me to local people.
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| Group photo of us on Sokha Farm in Cambodia, which is being developed as an organic permaculture farm. |
How has that combination of study abroad and community service nearby affected you?
Between my two study abroad experiences and the two community partner programs, I’ve gotten out of my comfort zone, met people from different backgrounds and cultures, and become more confident and open-minded. All of these experiences have given me a broader perspective and helped prepare me for the future.
Have you faced challenges during college?
Coming in, I thought I would become a physical therapist. But I hit a road block in terms of grades and had to find a whole new route. Professor Wendy Norris was helpful; in her class, I realized I love data science and creative coding projects. Figuring out a new major and struggling that first year was tough, but it made me more determined to work harder, get a better GPA, and go after experiences.
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| Royal Palace in Cambodia |
What makes Naz a good fit for you?
At Naz, there's a real connection between the staff/faculty and students. That’s one of the main things I love. My friend at a bigger school has 200 people in a class and never gets to talk to his professors; they don't even know if he's struggling.
I also just love the area — walking and running the canal, checking out the little gift shops. Naz is really beautiful in the springtime.
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| My roommate (Michael Chau) and I run on the canal path in Pittsford, New York, near campus. |
Any advice for a high schooler thinking about college?
Study abroad, even if it’s uncomfortable. College is about learning new things and discovering what you like and what you don’t. Most people won’t ever get to spend a month in a different country. Learn about the country before you go, visit the temples and museums, learn the history. It's 10 times better than going on vacation to the beach, because you're seeing things you'll never see again.
Denim Powers graduated from Churchville-Chili High School.
