Erin Lewellen is the CEO of Global Citizen Year, a non-profit that is addressing our current global challenges by changing the composition, operating system, and impact of the next generation of changemakers. She joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about how transformative experiences abroad can shape the pathways and perspectives of rising leaders.
Erin tells of her origins in the logging culture of rural Oregon that led to her time as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon where she studied abroad for a year in Capetown, South Africa. From there, we hear what’s happening at Global Citizen Year coming off a successful pivot to a virtual program during the pandemic years. We learn how she’s come full circle with the launch of the Take Action Lab program Global Citizen Year is running in Capetown this year. Erin describes how surprising insights from recent research have led to new directions for the program and how much of that has been driven by student voice. We hear why she is inspired working with the rising generation and how important it is to both challenge students and provide the right support to ensure we are truly developing global citizens. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of what it takes to foster a meaningful passage into adult life through global awareness, a sense of purpose, and local connections with the community. Don’t miss it!
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