Global Citizenship Project

Explore the world as you travel to one of five destinations around the globe during spring break 2019!

Apply for GCP

Since its inaugural year in 2005, the Global Citizenship Project has sent 820 members of the university community to 65 different destinations on all-expenses-paid trips abroad during spring break.

The application process is open to all full-time members of the SU community, with a selection focus on campus members who have had no or limited international travel opportunities. Five groups for five destinations are selected and are limited in size to maintain intimacy of experience, 10 to 12 participants, composed to represent the diversity of Shenandoah and result in the unexpected benefit of cross-disciplinary networking. Undergraduate and graduate students from all schools within the university have traveled in a mixed group with administrators, including the president and vice presidents, deans, faculty, maintenance workers, housekeepers, accounting personnel, and even members of the board of trustees.

The GCP program experience was designed to be a limited travel experience, approximately 10 days during spring break, and utilize a group oriented and faculty led approach. Its purpose is to whet the appetite of learners for longer-term learning abroad. The program removes the boundaries associated with first-time travel, mainly time and financial restraints.

Applicants must sign on without prior knowledge of the destination to which they might travel and study. Participants must be willing and able to travel anywhere in the world with the intent to examine a theme, such as global citizenship, power, time or sustainability. Participants share their international experiences with the rest of the community in unique ways upon return.

GCP Frequently Asked Questions

The GCP selection committee — composed of university students, faculty, staff and alumni who have previously participated in GCP — thoughtfully read hundreds of essays written by applicants from across campus. Essays, without any identifying information, are carefully reviewed by the committee. Those individuals who were not selected this year are strongly encouraged to apply again next year.

GCP has traveled to locations on six continents.