Students, faculty and alumni describe how through Global Volunteers’ exceptional service opportunities, they’ve gained career and personal life skills, insight into cultures and global systems, and confidence as global citizens.
Juliet Cooke from Wellington New Zealand said teaching at St. Joseph’s School in Rarotonga was a unique way to learn about the Cook Islands culture from the “inside.” In the classrooms, she helped students improve their reading and literacy skills and supported their teachers. In an interview with Marketing Assistant Millie Pinakoulaki, Juliet describes the highlights […]
Vietnam Volunteer Diana Swansen notices the “simple things” in life that remind her of humanity’s goodness. She offers her optimistic perspective with us, and her teammates, when teaching conversational English on a Vietnam Service Program in Hanoi. What is good taste? For most people, taste is simply a matter of flavor. But how do we experience goodness? For me, […]
Throughout her childhood, Cassidy Richardson was interested in learning about different cultures and languages. The more she learned, the more she felt drawn to help others while putting her growing understanding to work. When Cassidy turned 18, she decided to get out of the comfort of her home and volunteer in the Cook Islands. In […]
20-time alumni Steve Fox is a retired teacher from Washington State who participated on his first Global Volunteers program in Minnesota in 2003. 15 years later, as a retiree and octogenarian, Steve has contributed 1360 hours of service on 20 service programs worldwide. Here he shares his reflections on volunteering in retirement. (pictured here with […]
First-time Global Volunteer Denise Nelson Nash has always had a passion for volunteering. In Hanoi, Vietnam, she accomplished a long-held goal – teaching conversational English at the Vietnamese Institute for Development Strategies (VIDS). She shares her story here: “As a young adult, I lived and worked in Venezuela. Living in another country taught me the value […]
Zach, a Central Michigan University student, shared his journal reflections from his Global Volunteer summer service-learning experience. “If I’ve learned anything on this incredible trip with Global Volunteers, it’s that stepping out of your comfort zone every once in a while can lead to friendships, new skills, and memories that are simply impossible to forget.“ […]
In the second part of her essay excerpted here, Nilusha Jayasinghe talks about why she believes schools should include international service in high school curricula. Read the first part of her essay here. Student Volunteering Abroad: One Of the Best Decisions Of My Life With every graduate school application, job opportunity, or volunteer opportunity that comes […]
Global Volunteer Jedd Waason said a desire to help others led him to the Cook Islands with Global Volunteers. What he gained, he said, was a clearer focus on a career in education. Read on to learn how his teaching assignment became a glimpse into his future. My volunteer trip to the Cook Islands was […]
International Student Volunteer Nilusha Jayasinghe explains why high school volunteering and international service was useful in shaping her career choices and worldview. My International Service Beginnings In May of 2010, at the age of 19, I departed the United States to Ghana, a country that I had never been to before. For two weeks, alongside three […]
Jed Pettit, a Montana volunteer and recent University of Alberta graduate, sent us this letter to students who are considering joining a Global Volunteers student volunteer program. Read on to learn what motivated him to offer this advice to other college students. Many young people today face challenges in getting into their college or university program […]