When they met during their freshman year—1985—at then-Cabrini College, neither Bruce nor Terrie Kidwell (both ’89) knew their Cabrini experience would lead them across the globe. Both were very involved during their four years on campus, and their common interests and a shared friend group helped them meet. As freshmen, they both played basketball, and Terrie played softball while Bruce helped on the team as a student coach. Bruce—a Political Science major with a minor in Business—was also a part of the Delta DJs—a group of guys who would DJ at on-campus parties—and he took part in the Irish Minstrel Show. Terrie, an Education major, spent a lot of time with the Council for Exceptional Children and, during her senior year at Cabrini, she chose to be a resident assistant (RA) and was placed in Woodcrest Hall. 
Bruce and Terrie began dating halfway through their sophomore year, and married on July 7, 1990—one year after graduating.
During his sophomore year, Bruce began loading packages for United Parcel Service (UPS) part time, and six months later was promoted to a part-time supervisor. He continued to work for the company post-graduation, including while he was earning his master’s certificate in project management from George Washington University, which he completed in 2002. Bruce held various roles and responsibilities within the company, from his part-time supervisor job through middle management in Engineering and Operations teams, climbing the ladder and taking advantage of opportunities to travel all over North America, Europe, and Asia. “UPS has been an outstanding global organization to work for the last 29 years,” said Bruce.
In 2015, coming off of what was one of his largest achievements at UPS by being on a team of directors that led to the turnaround of a business unit’s profits of nearly $80 million, Bruce was given the opportunity to be UPS’s Vice President of Customs Brokerage & Trade Management Services for the Asia Pacific region—a three- to five-year assignment. But to do so, the Kidwells had to move to the other side of the world, to Singapore. Because it was a great career move for Bruce and provided a good opportunity for the family to explore somewhere new, the couple ultimately decided to make the move, but four of their five children—Kyle, 25; Kierstin, 22; Kaitlin, 22; and Kelsey, 20—remained in the States to finish out their schooling. Kyle was in medical school, and Kaitlin, Kierstin, and Kelsey were working on their bachelor’s degrees in teaching, political science, and nursing, respectively. Kara—then a junior in high school—went to Singapore with Bruce and Terrie. Kara attended the Singapore American School and played high school basketball for the school, playing in several countries and achieving all Asia awards. Kara finished her senior year in the United States to further her basketball career, and ultimately received a full scholarship to play Division II basketball at the University of North Georgia.
Today the couple’s children are as active and hardworking as Bruce and Terrie. From school to playing sports and studying abroad to community service, the Kidwell children stay busy.
“All of our children were able to come to Singapore for three and a half weeks in December of 2016,” Terrie said. “We explored Singapore and spent a week in Phuket, Thailand.
“Living in Singapore has allowed us the opportunity to travel to places we never would have thought and has given us the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world,” Terrie said. “For business, Bruce travels to China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, and Taiwan. We have also had the opportunity to sightsee in Australia; New Zealand; Hong Kong; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Cambodia; and Bali, Indonesia.”
Despite the move’s positive impact on the Kidwell family, it has also come with its challenges.
Getting used to the cultural differences in Singapore has been a bit challenging and being so far from family and friends can take a toll, Terrie said, but “we have grown personally and as a family.”
Another challenge? The Kidwells now live in one of the most expensive countries in the entire world.
“There are definitely not as many conveniences as there is in the U.S.,” Terrie said. “For example, it costs $150,000 to have a car, and $50,000 for the license plate to drive it.” Terrie utilizes public transportation—trains, buses, or taxis—to get around.
The heat is also a major adjustment.
“Living on the equator in Southeast Asia, it’s always 88 to 95 degrees, and it feels like 90 or 100 [degrees],” Terrie said. “The humidity is always between 80 to 100 percent, and typically you have air conditioning units in each room instead of a whole house system which with the costs would be very expensive in a large home here.”
The Kidwells see their Cabrini education and experience contributing to the driving factors that have gotten them to where they are in life and helped them to appreciate the vast world around them.
“Cabrini helped Bruce prepare for the professional career he has had at UPS,” said Terrie, “but more importantly, the people and the experiences at Cabrini helped Bruce realize the potential that was out there and gave him the confidence to go after it.”
Terrie is also using her Cabrini degree, working as a substitute teacher at the Singapore American School following a very successful 20-year career teaching in the U.S. in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Georgia.
“Cabrini was a wonderful experience for us,” Terrie said. “We both feel that the teachers we had invested in us. They truly wanted us to succeed.
“We will continue living in Singapore for the remainder of this assignment and look forward to returning back to Georgia where our children are,” Kidwell said. “We are always open to more adventures, but truly miss our kids, families, and friends.”