United States of Adventure with Will Soiland

When Will Soiland was 24 years old, he took a leap into the unknown and discovered the joys of solo travel. Growing up, he had always traveled extensively with his family to places like Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Jordan, and Peru. While those experiences were impactful, he had never traveled alone. He knew there was more to life than what he experienced daily in his own country. By immersing himself in a completely different environment, he hoped to create a life-changing experience, so he completed the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile, 32-day trek across Spain.

That pilgrimage profoundly shaped Will’s worldview. From climbing mountains in beautiful countryside to eating the best homecooked meals with locals, he felt as if he was in a truly special place. Each day, he interacted with locals as well as fellow travelers from all over the world. What surprised him most was how rare it was to meet other young Americans on the trail. In fact, many travelers and locals told him he was the first American they had ever met. They shared how Americans are often seen as people who rarely travel abroad and, as a result, don’t fully understand the world. This was shocking to Will, especially considering how powerful and accessible a U.S. passport can be. That realization sparked a conviction in him: something needed to change.

Will’s experience inspired him to create opportunities for other young Americans to explore the world in a meaningful way. His goal is to help them not only learn about different cultures but also discover more about themselves, growing as individuals through the challenges and rewards of navigating unfamiliar environments, inspiring them to be more than just mindless tourists snapping photos of landmarks and quickly moving on to the next attraction. Instead, Will wants them to dive deeply into foreign cultures, to truly engage with the people, traditions, and daily life around them outside of America. It is in this deep immersion where the most profound learning and transformation take place that he knows will change their lives forever.

Along with his best friend, Bradford Holladay, Will Soiland went on to co-found United States of Adventure (USOA), a nonprofit dedicated to funding international travel experiences for college students who might not otherwise have the chance. The mission of United States of Adventure is to strengthen communities by transforming young Americans into global citizens through self-directed international journeys. To date, USOA has sent three students from across the U.S. on five-week pilgrimages along the Camino de Santiago, where Will began his own journey. Together, they believe that true international travel, when done deeply and intentionally, is one of the most transformative experiences a young person can have. It fosters independence, adaptability, and, most importantly, leadership. So, their lifelong mission is to ensure this program continues to grow and thrive to outlive them, inspiring generations of young Americans to discover the world in order to discover themselves.

Will Soiland attended Pepperdine University for a BA in Natural Science, where he then transferred to University of Southern California for a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Green Technologies. He completed all of these programs with a cumulative GPA of 3.87. Since then, he has worked as a Body Quality Engineer at Rivian and Cell Manufacturing Engineer at Tesla. He has a strong academic and professional interest in renewable energy and the development of sustainability programs within the United States. He is currently a Commissioning Engineer at WSP Global Inc and the Co-Executive Director of USOA.

This program was organized by Lance Miller #1222.