Global Vision Program Fully Funds Life-Changing Travel Experiences By Jace Uchtman, Public Relations Undergraduate Student
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tudents working hard to afford their higher education may only ever dream of traveling abroad. But at the University of Central Missouri, those who dare to dream can have that transformative opportunity without incurring a single expense, thanks to one anonymous “ It is so donor’s vision. Since 2015, UCM students have been traveling across the globe to help lift up impoverished communities through the Global Vision Endowment. Thanks to a $5 million estate gift this past year from the donor whose generosity has funded the program, Global Vision will expand to multiple trips annually, sending more students to volunteer and changing more lives.
“For many of our students, this will be their first time to ever leave the country, and for some the first time to go on an airplane,” says Michael Sawyer, dean of UCM’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. “It is so impactful for them to see that even prior to graduation, they can use the skills impactful for they have right now and get out and make an them to see appreciable, meaningful that even prior difference.”
to graduation, they can use the skills they have right now and get out and make an appreciable, meaningful difference.”
The Global Vision program has sent more than 100 UCM students to serve in St. Lucia, Cuba, Peru and Tanzania. On average, about 10 students are selected for each trip, with at least one representative from each of the university’s four academic colleges: — Michael Sawyer the College of Arts, Dean of UCM’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Global Volunteers is an Humanities, and Social Sciences Sciences; the College of international nonprofit Education; the College that helps facilitate of Health, Science, and service learning trips Technology; and the Harmon College connecting volunteers to communities of Business and Professional Studies. All in need of assistance. In partnership with full-time UCM students — including Global Volunteers, UCM’s Global Vision undergraduate, graduate and international program finances the service learning students — are welcome to apply, trips for students, covering 100% of their regardless of their major. expenses, including airfare, housing and meals. The generous endowment provides an extraordinary opportunity for students who might not otherwise have the means to travel abroad.
With increased funding through the estate gift, nearly 50 students will participate in a total of three trips this academic year. In addition to the annual trip to Tanzania,
From left, back row: students Sarah Paulsraud, Stephanie Boan, Joshua Brosnan, Ryan Hall, Moeryae Smith and Salma Sahnoun serve in Tanzania with professors Henry Wambuii and Akis Kalaitzidis (seated) in July 2019.
From left, a Global Volunteers caregiver shows UCM students Anna Kasindi and Kaitie Correll around the village in Tanzania this May. East Africa, students will be volunteering in Nepal and Peru. “I’ve been in the Midwest most of my life, so I thought that this opportunity would be a really good experience, both helping others and also helping myself grow,” says Kaitie Correll, a Speech-Language Pathology graduate student from Gretna, Nebraska, who volunteered on the May 2023 trip to Tanzania. Correll serves as a graduate assistant in UCM’s Office of Outdoor Education and was excited to see the African wilderness on a trip that included an excursion to Ruaha National Park. Making the World Your Classroom A Global Vision trip is a transformative experience that leaves an unforgettable mark on each participant. It exposes students to different cultures, valuable lessons, opportunities to forge new friendships and the chance to create lasting memories.
University of Central Missouri Magazine
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