BUILDING CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS & ATTITUDES THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD

college, which surprisingly led to being awarded a Fulbright lectureship to teach for a year at the Sorbonne in Paris. That Fulbright pivoted my career aspirations toward how best to foster better mutual understanding between people who are different from one another.”

In recognition of his dedication and achievements, Phil has been awarded 12 honorary degrees. His career spans university teaching and leadership positions at foundations, non-profits, and educational institutions.

“My migration from leadership positions in non-profit education to giving shape to transformative philanthropy was a realization that the greatest impact comes from fostering synergies between meritorious causes and creative philanthropy,” continues Geier. “As a consequence, I’ve had the privilege of creating the world’s largest international scholarship program for undergraduates from all over the world while helping make American college and university campuses into more global communities.”

When asked if he had any advice for today’s students, his response was to “be adventuresome, explore. It’s far more important to listen than to talk. Once you latch onto some appealing pursuit, be persistent and stay focused. The best thing about your education is not what you are learning but that you are learning to learn. With that foundation, you can be a lifelong learner. I would be remiss if I also didn’t say that each of you should try to make a positive difference in the world, each in your own way.”

CCDX is an experiential learning week that takes place every March. Offering developmentally appropriate courses for all students, CCDX Week promotes learning through exploration. From playing and designing games and puzzles, to imagining cities, to grappling with technology’s ethical challenges, and to diving into canoe building, the arts, or global cultures, students from the ECC through Upper School explored their interests and engaged in meaningful learning.