Today the team is talking with Abby Falik, the founder and CEO of Global Citizen Year.

Abby grew up with parents committed to traveling the world — and never the usual tourist traps. After high school, she wanted to get close to the issues that she really cared about but couldn’t get into the Peace Corps without a college degree. Abby quickly realized there just wasn’t a good option for high school graduates to learn and serve abroad, and soon, it became her life’s mission to fix that. Ten years ago, Abby started Global Citizen Year to expand access to life-changing global immersion experiences between high school and college. She knew these experiences were uniquely well suited to unlock courage, shape identity, and develop leadership. Every year, Global Citizen Year places about 150 learners in an international internship. They live with a local family and are a part of a regional cohort. The results are transformational and lifelong.

We live in a world where there’s an urgent need for kids of all backgrounds to connect with themselves, their peers, and the context around the world to shape values, identity, and build the courage to change the world — and Global Citizen Year strives to assist in that goal. Listen in as Abby describes her journey, the program that has transformed a thousand lives, and all of the incredible opportunities that Global Citizen Year provides.

 

Key Takeaways:

[:14] About today’s episode with Abby Falik!

[1:14] Tom welcomes Abby to the podcast.

[1:20] Abby speaks about her education.

[7:18] Abby tells the story of Global Citizen Year.

[9:47] The mission of Global Citizen Year.

[11:35] How Global Citizen Year works and how to get involved!

[14:21] How Global Citizen Year impacts learners’ language acquisition.

[15:28] How much choice do the students have in choosing the place they would like to travel to and the type of learning experience they would like to have?

[16:20] Do the fellows get the opportunity to travel freely in their host country?

[17:33] Are fellows ever placed together? Or do they all get placed individually?

[18:05] Abby highlights some of the important qualities fellows gain from this experience.

[19:40] Abby speaks about the ever-increasing importance of the outcomes that Global Citizen Year provides for young people.

[22:03] Abby’s thoughts on how to begin blending informal learning experiences (such as those that Global Citizen Year offers) with formal classroom learning.

[26:55] How can colleges incorporate Global Citizen Year or programs like it?

[29:44] Is Global Citizen Year seeking financial partners for the program?

[30:44] How many students are there in Global Citizen Year’s upcoming cohort?

[30:55] Where to learn more about Abby and Global Citizen Year online!

[32:02] Tom thanks Abby for joining the Getting Smart Podcast!

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Peace Corps

Global Citizen Year

Rosetta Stone

Duolingo

 

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