Global Scholar | International Relations Summer Program for High School Students

Join us in July: Online!

• Session 1 (Grades 11-12): June 28-July 10, 2020
• Session 2 (Grades 9-10): June 28-July 10, 2020
• Session 3 (Grades 11-12): July 12-July 24, 2020
• Session 4 (Grades 9-10): July 12-July 24, 2020

Global Scholar is an international relations intensive program that builds the knowledge and skills high school students need to make social change on a local and global scale. Through hands-on learning and meetings with leading policy experts, Global Scholar empowers young and emerging leaders to become change makers on their campuses and in their communities.

Following the decision of our host campus American University, we are offering Global Scholar 2020 as a virtual program. The virtual format will include the same seminars with issue experts, very interactive skills training, small-group conversations, group projects, mentoring, and fun activities as our in-person program. See program details below.

Recent graduates of the program have gone on to lead student organizations; work for international organizations, the UN, the State Department and more; participate in prestigious gap year and language programs; and enroll at top institutions like Harvard, Columbia, the University of Chicago, McGill University, and more. Most importantly: they’ve developed a deep understanding of their power as leaders, the importance of their voice, and the many pathways for having an impact on their world.

Apply to be a Global Scholar! Spots are limited and applications will only be accepted until the program is full. Check out tuition and scholarship information here.

Key Program Elements:

• Explore urgent global challenges including security, poverty, climate change, refugees, immigration, global health, and human rights through seminars with experts working in government, think tanks, non-profit organizations, academia and more. Scholars also meet with embassies and Senate offices.
• Build skills to be a bold and visionary global leader. Our popular Action Lab workshops give you advanced training you won’t get anywhere else, focusing on: Systems Thinking and Complex Problem-Solving; Diversity and Inclusion; Strategic Action Planning; Activating your Story, Values and Vision; and Empathy and Dialogue.
• Do big things, now. The world can’t wait for your brilliance, and neither can we. Throughout the program Scholars apply knowledge and skills to craft and launch a meaningful project around a timely and critical global challenge, including voting, climate change, immigration, and more. 
You’ll refine valuable skills, build your resume, and make a difference.
• Launch your global career. Discover careers, schools and opportunities in international affairs through career panels, career mapping, and 1:1 conversations with professionals working in the private, public and nonprofit sectors, as well as representatives from scholarship, fellowship, and study abroad programs. We also with with admissions staff of D.C. universities.

Snapshot of the Virtual Program:

The virtual program will include the same content as our in-person programs. We are using the best of online conference tools and platforms to ensure the program is highly interactive, engaging and fun. Highlights include:

• Seminars with issue experts, with lots of time for questions and conversation. 
• Very interactive Action Lab workshops. We will mail Scholars a “program kit” which includes a variety of hands-on items (craft papers, special markers, modeling clay, etc.) we use during workshops.
• Small-group breakout sessions to work on daily challenges and group projects. Each group of 5-8 students will have a dedicated facilitator who works with them throughout the program.
• Small-group mentoring sessions. Each mentoring group of 2-4 students will meet several times with their mentor to talk about career planning, personal goal-setting and more.
• Individual and small-group project work. We continue to stand out from other programs because we don’t just flood you with information. Scholars learn new information, then put that knowledge into practice through applied challenges they’ll complete individually and with peers throughout the program.
• The program culminates with Scholars crafting and launching a program or project around an issue they care about. Past projects have included educational campaigns around energy conservation, efforts to pass school and state policies, and much, much more.
• Scholars meet with the offices of their U.S. Senator or Representative to share their views around issues they care about. While we normally do this in Washington, D.C., this summer Scholars will instead visit their representatives’ local offices (often located in or close to their hometown).
• Sessions meet for 11 days, and participants can select between cohorts beginning at 9am or 12pm ET each day. There will be approximately 6 hours of programming and activities each day and — very importantly — lots of interactive work, creative work, small-group conversation, movement, and breaks. This is not a program where you will sit and listen to people talking at you all day. We will work with any Scholars who need additional accommodations to facilitate their participation and learning in a virtual environment.
• We are also going to host an optional long weekend in Washington, D.C. in early 2021 for Global Scholars to meet in person, visit Capitol Hill, share project updates, and more. This will be an optional and additional expense, and of course contingent upon our ability to travel and meet in person.

Learn more:

• Our curriculum: we are the only program that combines robust learning with powerful skillbuilding. Learn more about our curriculum here, and see a snapshot of recent speakers below.
• Our alumni go on to lead successful careers and be engaged and thoughtful global citizens. Check out alumni testimonials and our impact.
• Find many more details on our FAQ page. And parents: we’ve answered some of your top questions here.
• Contact us at any time to learn more about the program! Email: GlobalScholar@AMPGlobalYouth.org

Last year’s speakers and sessions included:

Global Scholars learn about the biggest global challenges from experts working in a variety of sectors.

New York City Program

• Access to Education. Jennifer Rigg, Executive Director, Global Campaign for Education
• Unifying the Playing Field: Local and Global Movements to Advance the Right to Education. Ford Foundation
• Understanding the United Nations and the Sustainable Development Goals. Charlotte Platt and Johan Rifai, UN Foundation
• Challenges to Global Health. Doctors Without Borders
• Water Access. Annalise Bourgeois, Charity: Water
• Financing for International Development. Oliver Schwank, Senior Economic Advisor, United Nations
• Global and Nuclear Security. Karim Kamel, Carnegie Corporation
• Careers in International Affairs. Sampson Oppedisano, The New School and Aisha Mitchell, Global Health Corps
• Understanding Immigration Challenges. Ella Nimmo, Cabrini Immigrant Services
• Protecting and Promoting Human Rights: Women’s and indigenous Rights. Fadimata Walet Inorene, Save the Children and Grace Fernandes, STAND Now
• Journalism and Digital Privacy. Jennifer Valentino Devries, The New York Times
• Interfaith Organizing and Action. Frank Fredericks, WorldFaith

Washington, D.C. Program

• Perspectives in Human Rights. Bama Athreya, Brookings Institution
• Youth & Global Health. Nicole Gill, Advocates for Youth
• Conversation with Ambassador Liberata Mulamula. Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, Former Tanzanian Ambassador to the US
• Protecting and Promoting Human Rights: Women’s and indigenous Rights. Fadimata Walet Inorene, Save the Children and Grace Fernandes, STAND Now
• Embassy of Cameroon
• Nuclear Security. Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, Brookings Institution
• Access to Education. Jennifer Rigg, Executive Director, Global Campaign for Education
• The United Nations and Sustainable Development Goals. Taylor Gates, UN Foundation and Anna Mahalak, Youth Engagement Manager, United Nations
• Understanding the World Bank. Nadia Merdassi, Program Officer, World Bank
• Embassy of Belgium
• Immigration and Refugees. Josh Utter, Jesuit Refugee Services
• Global Poverty and Inequality. Ken Patterson, RESULTS JRS
• Climate Change. Tan Copsey, Climate Nexus
• Careers in International Affairs Panel I. Mo Alem, Young Invincibles, Parul Agarwal, World Bank and Briana Suarez, APSIA
• Careers in International Affairs Panel II. Brionne Dawson, US Chamber of Commerce, Mariya Ilyas, US Department of State, Gordon Wong, ONE Campaign and Briana Suarez, APSIA
• Climate & Security. Neil Bhatiya, Center for a New American Security
• International Development in Africa. Kwaku Nuamah, American University
• Global Poverty and US Foreign Assistance. Gordon Wong, ONE Campaign
• Visit to the US Department of State. Deborah Schneider and Jasmine White Gibson, US Department of State
• Global Security. Greg Gershuny, Energy and Environment Program, Aspen Institute, David Forscey, Cyber and Technology Program, Aspen Institute and Jonathan Price, Aspen Strategy Group, Aspen Institute
• Supporting Children and Ending Hunger. Rachel Merker, First Focus
• Embassy of Colombia
• Embassy of Niger. Ambassador Abdallah Wafy, Embassy of Niger
• Mexican Cultural Institute. Sebastian Corrales, Public Relations Officer, Embassy of Mexico
• Frederick Douglass House

Meet our program directors, Vanessa and Karen

Contact us to learn more: call 202.709.6172 or email GlobalScholar@AMPGlobalYouth.org.