NC State’s WolfTreks Young Alumni Travel Program has long encouraged alumni to engage with their curiosity, drive and willingness to learn. 

One young, 27-year-old alumnus encapsulates all of those values and will be headed out on his third journey this summer. John Wallace ’20, an electrical engineering graduate who has traveled with NC State Alumni for several years, has been to Greece, Peru and, this spring, will travel to Portugal. He continues coming back to travel with WolfTreks to see the world, meet new people and strengthen his connection to NC State. 

WolfTreks is offering young alumni, ages 22 to 35,  eight destinations in 2026, beginning with Egypt in April and ending in Iceland in November. One of the trips is tailored for NC State’s newest alumni as a graduation celebration trip to Europe. Beginning in London and ending in Rome, it includes all of Europe’s must-see sites: Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Heidelberg Castle, the Alps, St. Mark’s Square and the Colosseum. Plus the new graduates can add an extension to Greece.

Kathy Hart, WolfTreks Travel Director, says 2026 is off to a strong start. “The trips are specifically designed to meet the needs of a younger audience: less expensive, shorter duration to accommodate limited vacation days and more adventurous.”

WolfTreks Young Alumni is one component of the NC State travel program that includes 65 upcoming trips in 2026.

Making Wolf Tracks

Wallace never enjoyed planning complicated trips on his own, especially to unfamiliar destinations. WolfTreks eliminated that burden with preplanned itineraries, professional guides and the added bonus of meeting alumni from NC State and other universities.

“It’s the perfect cocktail of meeting new people, making friendships, exploring places I had always wanted to see and being able to spend time at locations I would have never had access to otherwise,” he said.

Wallace praised the convenience of the program’s organization, saying it removed a huge source of stress.

“I met a few people on both of these trips who had never even left the United States before,” he said. “Odds are you’re not going to be the only person who has never done anything like this, and there are plenty of people who can help you out — especially the wonderful tour guides.”

Friendships have become one of his favorite aspects of traveling. On his Greece excursion, Wallace met a Mississippi State alumnus who later joined him on the Peru trip when his own university didn’t offer the opportunity.

“We became such good friends that I invited him as my guest to Peru,” Wallace said. “About 80 percent of the people on that trip came from the University of Minnesota, and later, when I was on a work trip up there, I met up with them. We still have a group chat going. With the small group sizes, you’re bound to find someone you’ll hit it off with and maybe go on future adventures with.” 

The tours often include alumni from multiple universities, making the trip even richer. Wallace praised the diversity of the groups. 

“Diverse backgrounds are so great because you might notice something or appreciate things you wouldn’t have considered otherwise,” he said. “You’re constantly creating your own adventures with other passionate alumni. Some of the most fun I had was simply wandering the streets of Cusco, Peru, because someone in our group really wanted to find authentic empanadas.”

Making Memories

Living more than 2,000 miles from Raleigh, Wallace said the trips help him stay connected to NC State. On that same Greece trip, he met an alumnus who graduated only a year after him — someone he likely brushed shoulders with on campus.

“We might have crossed paths back then without realizing it, but now here we are, thousands of miles away in a foreign country talking face to face,” he said. “Interactions like that helped rekindle my connection to the Wolfpack community. NC State will always have a special place in my heart.”

Certain moments leave an even broader impact, like finally seeing Machu Picchu after an eight-mile hike.

“We crested the mountain range in the Andes, came up to the Sun Gate and looked down on Machu Picchu for the first time,” he said. “Seeing things you’ve only heard about or seen pictures of your whole life — in person — is indescribable.”

He also shared memories of the Acropolis lit up at night, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea and walking among the ruins of the Parthenon.

“These things are unforgettable,” he said. “Mixed with those moments are communal dinners, personal adventures, practicing another language with locals and eating some of the best food you’ll ever taste.”

Wallace has never traveled to the Iberian Peninsula, making his next trip uncharted territory.

“Each country is so different,” he said. “Even if Portugal doesn’t have a world wonder, I’m looking forward to experiencing the culture and enjoying the journey with other NC State alumni. I’m eternally grateful I was able to go to Greece and Peru, and I’m so excited for Portugal and whichever country comes next.”

For Wallace, the value of WolfTreks Young Alumni Travel is impossible to fully capture due to the memories that will last him a lifetime. He’s eager to make more discoveries, stronger alumni connections and thousands more wolf tracks all across the globe.