Shenandoah Magazine Fall 2013 | Page 17

global citizenship project DENMARK SWEDEN WALES LITHUANIA IRELAND GERMANY NETHERLANDS ROMANIA SERBIA BULGARIA TURKEY MOROCCO JAPAN NEPAL JORDAN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES EGYPT MALI MYANMAR INDIA CHINA TAIWAN OMAN VIETNAM THAILAND ETHIOPIA GHANA RWANDA INDONESIA SINGAPORE TANZANIA MOZAMBIQUE AUSTRALIA SOUTH AFRICA YEAR OF TRIP 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 for the places you’ve seen and a head full of memories with the people you met along the way. You then tell your stories to many other communities — your religious community, some old friends from high school or even a stranger you meet in the grocery store who mentioned they were going where you once went. Community is the reason why I celebrate GCP. I celebrate the relationships I made through this opportunity, whether they were on campus or in Ethiopia.” Looking back on the original goals set by the founding committee for GCP, it’s clear the program has achieved the original intent for which it was created. A global network increases the value of the experience for each participant. When a group returns to campus and makes a presentation, its experiences are brought to life for the entire campus community, and it invigorates and instills a passion for discovery and international understanding. While every individual’s experience remains unique, the sharing of these experiences creates a true sense of unity across the university. In fact, when one meets a person who has been on a GCP trip, their eyes light up as they excitedly share story after story and experience after experience. This dialogue is what keeps the spirit of learning 2011 2012 2013 alive on campus and will surely fuel the effort to keep GCP alive for years to come. “I think GCP is worthy of celebration, because it was a commitment and a risk the university took for the right reasons,” said Good. “It was about learning first, and it continues to pay off. When you ask people to describe a hallmark of a Shenandoah University experience, so frequently they will say the GCP. It’s a mark of who we are now. It’s part of our DNA, our identity, and who we’ve become. You can’t find this program anywhere else; nobody does it how we do it,” said Good. Clearly, there is no program quite like the GCP, and Shenandoah University has Dr. Nancy Larrick Crosby, the founding committee of faculty and staff, President Tracy Fitzsimmons, and the board of trustees, as well as the countless travel guides and participants to thank for keeping the tradition alive for the past 10 years. While it cannot be easy to sustain a program of this caliber for 10 years, the GCP has not only thrived at Shenandoah University, it has grown as time has passed. Happy 10-year anniversary to the GCP program — and here’s looking forward to the next 10 years! magaz ne m a g a z iin e 15 15