Meet Nava Berwick ’27 Berwick embraces other cultures through her Japanese major and performing classical Indonesian dances.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs
December 3, 2024

Nava Berwick ’27

Major: Japanese
Minor:  Middle East and South Asia Studies Program
Hometown: Falls Church, Virginia

Why did you choose to come to W&L?
I would say the two most impactful instances that drove me to come to W&L was meeting a recent grad of the school, Aislinn Niimi ‘24, through a summer program, Governor’s Japanese Language Academy, and then subsequently going on a tour of the school.

Upon meeting Aislinn, I related so well to her, and she shared positive details about her experience at W&L. I then toured the school with my family and saw that W&L was a place of warmth in the vibrant liberal arts environment I craved.

And while touring, a deep-rooted feeling emerged. It was a sense of pride. Even the school’s complicated history did not diminish the importance the school now holds in my mind. I felt an unexpected sense of pride, feeling the past, yet seeing the future.

Now a sophomore, I have absolutely no regrets about my decision to attend W&L.

What are your hobbies/interests? How has W&L helped you develop and pursue them?
Since the age of 4, I’ve been a highly trained classical Indonesian-style dancer, who performs professionally.

At W&L, the Around the Globe Club has been essential in helping me spread the joy of classical Indonesian dance to the W&L community. I had the honor of performing at both the 2023 and 2024 Parents and Family Weekend dinner ceremonies and for Around the Globe’s annual Spring Festival.

Now, I’m working toward organizing a dance workshop for Around the Globe and hoping to do the same as a masterclass for the W&L dance community.

Have you studied abroad during your time at W&L? Where did you go, and how was your experience?
I have! Last Spring Term Abroad, I traveled to Nepal for the ECON/REL 246 class with professors Shikha Silwal and Timothy Lubin. I traveled around the country learning all about Nepal, through an economics and religion angle. I even got to trek part of the Australian Base Camp! My time there was amazing, and experiencing it alongside my classmates and professors made it a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Also, this past summer I traveled to Malang, Indonesia, as a Critical Language Scholar to study Indonesian. Having the chance to finally go to Indonesia and learn the language was surreal and deeply gratifying.

Fun fact: I can speak, read and write Japanese. And I’m currently the sole Japanese language tutor for the Harte Center’s Peer Tutoring Program.