Finding Purpose Through Service
A recent graduate of the College of Liberal Arts spent a year abroad supporting local revitalization efforts – and then created a similar program on the Forty Acres.
In Kyoto and remote areas across Japan, recent College of Liberal Arts graduate Julian Vaca (B.A. ’26) spent 11 months of his junior year volunteering alongside rice and vegetable farmers, supporting local revitalization efforts, and traveling to small towns where local leaders worked to sustain rural economies.
Along the way, during his reciprocal exchange year at Kyoto University, Vaca immersed himself in spaces that exposed him to innovative agricultural practices and the challenges that face rural communities experiencing population decline.
“Those ended up being some of my favorite memories,” Vaca said. “I met best friends through a student group that works in community revitalization. They go to different small towns, find an artisanal product, and sell it at larger markets in urban areas.”
He added: “We found one medicinal plant called kuromoji that, when ground down, smells like vanilla. We ended up baking a lot of goods with it, which we sold at different markets around Kyoto. It was a really unique experience that connected me to the rural communities outside of Kyoto.”
Vaca’s year in Japan intertwined three interests — service, cross-cultural exchange and agriculture — and exhibited how locally driven solutions can create lasting impact. His time there also clarified the type of impact Vaca hoped to make upon his return to the University of Texas campus and for the rest of his life.
Turning Experience Into Action
As Vaca’s year in Japan came to an end, he began looking for ways to continue the community-focused work that had become one of the most meaningful aspects of his experience abroad. An opportunity emerged through a longtime friend and fellow Longhorn who volunteered with Foundation Communities, an Austin nonprofit that provides affordable housing and support services for residents.
After learning that Foundation Communities needed additional volunteers, the pair decided to create Foundation Communities on Campus, a student organization that connects Longhorns with volunteer opportunities.
“I wanted to see if I could create a version here of those same volunteering opportunities I had in Japan,” Vaca said.
As the group searched for ways to support Foundation Communities, Vaca found himself drawing techniques directly from the organizations that had shaped his experience abroad.
Community revitalization groups in Japan frequently hosted bake sales to raise funds, while children’s cafeterias emphasized bringing people together through shared meals and community engagement.
“I basically took those two groups I was involved with in Japan and blended them together,” Vaca said.
The students organized bake sales throughout the year, eventually raising funds to host a communal meal for the nonprofit’s clients. Working alongside other student groups, they brought volunteers together to prepare food and serve residents while creating opportunities for conversation and connection.
“That ended up being really fun, and it was a good goal for us to set because it gave us an end point to reach,” Vaca said. “Because of that, we were much more cohesive as an organization.”
He added: “We actually did good enough of a job for it to survive and continue the next year. We have a new officer team, and I handed off my role as co-president.”
For Vaca, the project became an example of how ideas, relationships and lessons learned abroad can create meaningful impact wherever he calls home.
After graduating with degrees in economics and political science in May 2026, Vaca heads to Fiji, where he will begin his service as a Peace Corps volunteer later this month.
