Looking Back on KWEST Peru '24

By: Aniruddh Singh

In my first impression of Kellogg, I stood 14,000 feet above sea level in Cusco, Peru, with twenty strangers clutching coca tea to fight altitude sickness, forbidden from sharing our last names or jobs. By the time we descended Rainbow Mountain five days later, we weren’t just friends—we were family. That’s the alchemy of KWEST Peru '24.

Slotted (mostly) between CIM and the start of pre-term, KWEST felt less like a trip and more like a jumpstart into Kellogg life., For Peru KWESTees, the week was defined not just by Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain, but by the rituals and small moments: late-night conversations, shared snacks on long bus rides, and laughter made lighter by thin air. It wasn’t just travel; it was the prologue to our Kellogg story.

For Will Lehmann '25, one of the trip leaders, planning KWEST with close friends was deeply rewarding. “I got to know my co-leads even better, and at the same time, I was forming close bonds with the first-years,” he said. Orchestrating the Big Reveal—the night everyone finally learns who they have been hiking and eating with—was an “insanely fun” highlight. Days of anonymous introductions gave way to bursts of laughter as real stories and unexpected backgrounds came out.

Sanjana Gupta '25 echoed that sentiment, reflecting on how special it was to both co-lead with friends and watch new friendships blossom. “In the end, it was exhausting but so fulfilling,” she said. The trip had its share of logistical hurdles but seeing genuine connections made it all worthwhile.

KWEST Peru group picture at Machu Picchu, Peru

The KWESTees themselves brought back stories that will stick for years. Lucy Green 2Y '26 summed up the Rainbow Mountain in a quippy one liner: “Rainbow Mountain was sick.” Allie Bernstein 2Y '26 shared, “Seeing the beauty of Machu Picchu with 30 new friends was truly amazing.” Emily Saperstone 2Y '26 still remembers the cooking classes: “Authentic Peruvian food was delicious!” And Nishant Patel 2Y '26 reflected on the bigger picture: “Meeting new people while exploring an unknown country is a bonding experience like no other, and I know I made some of my best lifelong friends from the bonding on that trip.”

Each memory captured something different—scenery, food, adventure, or reflection—but all pointed to the same truth: KWEST is less about where you go, and more about who you go with. It’s about building a support system before the whirlwind of the first year truly begins. Conversations about career goals and cultural differences, jokes over pisco sours, and moments of vulnerability on long bus rides became the threads that tie us together.

In the short term, KWEST friends are the ones you lean on during the chaos of orientation and the uncertainty of recruiting. In the long term, they become the foundation of our Kellogg experience—people to plan social events with, host small group dinners alongside, and celebrate milestones together. Our own Fine Dining crew has already made plans to reunite at the famous restaurant, French Laundry, for graduation week, proof that KWEST friendships only grow richer over time.

For many of us, KWEST Peru was the first time we felt the rhythm of Kellogg: adventurous, community-driven, and always anchored in people. From the highs of mountain treks to the lows of altitude headaches, what mattered most was going through it all together.

They say Kellogg is about the people. KWEST Peru taught us that before we even found our classrooms. Somewhere between Machu Picchu and our first Finance class, twenty strangers became the foundation of our MBA experience.

If KWEST is the prologue, then the chapters ahead at Kellogg have been bound to be even better. Here's to this year's KWESTs finding the stories they want to write.