Global Ambassador Program

Are you interested in exploring diverse cultures? Do you want to better understand global problems? Do you wish to prepare yourself to live and work in an increasingly interdependent world?

If so, then the Global Ambassador Program may be right for you!

"The Global Ambassador program and the support of the Center for Global Citizenship at Drake truly makes the university rank among the very best in terms of international education. Through the assistance of a grant from the CGC, I was able to participate in the Japan-American Student Conference, the oldest student-run exchange program in the U.S. This experience, along with many others I was fortunate to have as a Global Ambassador at Drake, helped to raise my awareness of what being a global citizen truly means and how important it is in today’s world."

—Brenna Gannon, Drake graduate, 2006
Investment Product Associate, Principal Global Investors, Des Moines, IA

"Enough cannot be said for the value of a study abroad experience through Drake. Yet a semester in Jordan and a semester with a three-week course trip to South Africa and Mozambique were merely the culmination of the highest quality international relations education I could have imagined. The IR curriculum, Global Ambassador program, Center for Global Citizenship, and Arabic language training... have each prepared me to be an actively engaged, global citizen working toward a career in international reproductive health."

—Brittany Buchholz, Drake graduate, 2006, Fulbright Scholar, Jordan

Global Ambassadors also engage in campus activities as a group - screening and discussing short films on international topics together; meeting visiting speakers over lunch or dinner; inviting local professionals with interesting international backgrounds for informal discussion, etc.

‌Global Ambassador Application

Purposes:

The Global Ambassadors Certificate Program is designed to complement a student's central program of academic study, Undergraduate students from any school or college are eligible to apply. The purposes of the Global Ambassadors Program are to:

1. provide students with a combination of concentrated study, personal experience and reflection that will inform their understanding of global issues and perspectives,
2. provide students with the intercultural skills that will allow them to make the most of future international opportunities in business, the professions or public service.

Certificate:

To accomplish these goals, students will meet a set of requirements combining academic and co-curricular experiences. Upon completion of the program, students will receive a certificate that recognizes their achievement and lists the activities in which they engaged. A notation acknowledging their successful completion of the program will also appear on the student's academic transcript.

Requirements:

To qualify for a Global Ambassador certificate, a student must complete the following requirements:

• Take WLC 148: Intercultural Communication An equivalent course from study abroad may be substituted.
• Complete two semesters of language study through World Languages and Cultures or an equivalent amount of training through study abroad or college transfer credits. Pre-college training (e.g., high school) in a second language other than English may not be substituted for this requirement.
• Complete any credit-bearing study abroad experience. This may include semester- or year-long programs, summer international study seminars or an internship experience abroad that has been accepted for Drake credit.
• A minimum of 50 work hours (not credit hours) of service learning. This requirement will most often be met by volunteering for a local community group or organization that has an international focus. The Center Director will make available a pre-approved list of such organizations. Students may also propose their own volunteer or internship experience. These may include experiences in other cities or countries (e.g., internship or volunteer experiences connected to study abroad may also count).
• Regular attendance at CGC-sponsored events, other internationally-oriented events on campus or in the community (at least four events per semester) and regular participation in the activities of the Global Ambassador program.
• Global Ambassador Capstone Experience (2 credits) As a culmination of the Global Ambassador program, students will participate in a group learning experience designed to put the concept of global citizenship into practice by educating the campus and/or community about a global issue or a cultural perspective. The capstone project should be completed in a student's senior year. Students will register for the capstone as independent study credit (2 credits). As an alternative to the group project, students may fulfill the senior capstone requirement by taking (when available) SCSS 173: Global Citizenship and POLS 123: Grassroots Globalism.

Application Process:

Students must apply for the Global Ambassadors Program. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. The number of students accepted will vary depending upon the availability of staff and instructional resources.

Applications may be downloaded (see above) and submitted via email to CGC Director David Skidmore or as a hard copy to Professor Skidmore's mailbox in Meredith Hall, Room 227.