The Global Scholar experience has three pillars:
- Exploring what it means to be a global citizen. We believe that being a global citizen includes both striving to understand global issues, and taking action to address them. The experience starts with deep thinking about how we can show up, speak out, and get involved, with the assumption that we all have a role to play in designing our shared future.
- Understanding the greatest global challenges facing our generation. Global Scholars take a deep dive into the greatest global challenges facing us today through seminars with experts working on the front lines of these issues. We’ll explore: climate change; the global economy and inequality; global security; immigration and refugees; human rights, including the rights of women, LGBTQ+ and indigenous peoples; and key challenges facing youth including access to education and unemployment. We also unpack the global system and key actors including the United Nations, the G8, the World Bank, corporations, foundations, civil society, social movements, and of course: youth!
- Building skills to be bold and visionary leaders. This is the glue to the Global Scholar experience. Our Action Lab workshop series offers Scholars the tools, space and support to explore what it means to be a leader, build skills to engage others around issues they care about, and expand their skill set for taking action, whether through engaging a decision maker, organizing an event, launching a campaign or social enterprise, and more. Scholars put these skills into practice through daily challenges and a final project, and have access to ongoing coaching and small-grant funding to support that project throughout the coming year.
Our programs prioritize:
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- Seminars with experts
- Small group discussions
- Interactive workshops that emphasize hands-on activities, critical thinking, and problem solving
- Building lifelong learning skills including the importance of reflection, dialogue, self-care, and creative expression
Check out these summer highlights!
Summer Power Up Virtual Global Workshops
We are convening three virtual, global Power Up Workshops this summer, bringing together youth from around the world to network, learn from youth leaders, and dream big about the power of the youth voice. This will be a great opportunity to meet Global Scholars from other sessions (and around the world). In 2024, the Power Ups included a session on climate change and youth in Brazil, a session on global security and youth in Syria, and a session on gender in East Africa. All of the Power Ups are led by youth leaders and experts. These are free additional workshops, and not required as part of your main program.
State of Global Youth Report: Launch and Action Planning this Summer
This summer we are launching research on our second State of Global Youth Report. Led by youth researchers, the report explores what issues youth care about the most, how they are being involved in addressing them, and skills and supports they need. This summer, all Global Scholars will have the option to help craft the Action Plan, which puts the Report’s recommendations into motion for youth leaders, organizations and allies. They’ll also have the chance to sign up for the State of Global Youth Report: 2025 team!
Alumni Programming
On that note, we also want to highlight our amazing alumni community. In addition to opportunities like writing the State of Global Youth Report, we offer year-round leadership roles for alums. For example, three alums are helping with outreach for this summer’s programs. Five more are returning as Peer Mentors or Training Fellows this summer. Two are leading our virtual spring workshop series. And all are welcome to join us for monthly coaching and community calls throughout the fall, as well as our winter and summer reunions. We truly believe Global Scholar is just the beginning of a lifetime of connection.
Option for DC Extension, and our new program in Atlanta, GA
Scholars joining us in Washington, DC can add a six-day extension to their experience. During this time they will work on a project of their choosing, intern in the office of one of our partner organizations, or conduct original research for the State of Global Youth Report.
We’re also thrilled to announce our newest session, based at Emory University in Atlanta, GA and visiting the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, AL. We will explore the connection between slavery and current issues including mass incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline. Our workshops will focus on how to apply these lessons to our work as youth leaders and changemakers in our communities. Please reach out if you’re interested in joining this special experience!
