The Trailblazer

Conformity? No thanks. You’ve never been one for following the crowd.

You’re stepping off the conveyor belt from high school to college and forging your own path.

During your gap year you’ll seek out unique opportunities in your community – learn an indigenous language, pick up samba, or advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

You might not have your whole life mapped out, but choosing your own adventure is half the fun!

During your gap year you’ll discover new interests and passions that can help give you new direction for college.

Stories from Global Citizen Year Fellows like you!

Live life to the fullest!

Maybe like Ariel Vardy (Senegal ’14, University of Washington) you’ll live life to the fullest in Senegal – starting a bakery, harvesting honey, and immersing in the local culture. At college, Ariel continued “exploring, questioning, and immersing,” by daring to try new things like circus arts, joining a gospel choir, and teaching philosophy to kids. Now he’s joining Teach For America.

Find a new sense of purpose and direction.

Maybe, like Alana Poole (India ’16, Tsukuba University), you’ll find new clarity during your bridge year about what your next steps should be. During her gap year in India, Alana decided to change her college plans and is now studying at Tsukuba University in Japan where she’s connecting with her heritage.

Further Resources

Hear From Gap Year Fellows And Parents

Fellow / Senegal

New Continent, New Family

— Erik Oline

I turned around to the open arms of my host family (yes, all 23 of them)! The family farm is a little slice of heaven…

Parent / Brazil

Maturity & Perspective

— Shih-Hung Shieh

The Fellows mature into intelligent, compassionate, cosmopolitan citizens of the world, able to converse about global issues…

Photo by: Joseph Hansen, Ecuador '18, St. John's University

Fellow / Ecuador

Why I Came to Ecuador

— Henry Yeary

I wanted the world to slap me silly, sweep me up like a tornado and crash me down. I needed to live.

Indi Nunez, India '16, College of the Atlantic

Fellow / India

This is How I Will Save the World

— Indi Nunez

The world does not need us to save it; it needs us to understand it. Perhaps to help is not to give after all, but rather to empower…

Parent / Senegal

Real World Skills

— Pam Ricker (Jordan Ricker)

I am so glad my son has had this experience. It has given him more than the acquisition of two new languages…

Elise Leise, Senegal '18, Middlebury College

Fellow / Senegal

Ndanke, Ndanke

— Elise Leise

In a world filled with complex global challenges, I hope to be part of a generation that refuses to give up so easily.

Read their stories