This summer, the Global Citizenship Program (GCP) concluded with an immersive learning trip to Mexico City and the Sierra Norte of Puebla—marking the second consecutive year that students engaged in this experience as the culmination of their first-year journey. As one of the program’s facilitators, I had the privilege of co-leading and co-designing this experience, which brings the program’s central themes into direct dialogue with grassroots realities on the ground.
The Global Citizenship Program is a two-semester, first-year Ampersand course designed to introduce students to the literacies of life and careers relevant to Global Studies. Through interdisciplinary coursework, critical readings, local engagement in St. Louis, and an international experiential learning component, the program encourages students to think holistically and critically about global interconnectedness, positionality, and the meaning of global citizenship in the contemporary world.
The international trip serves as a space for students to explore solidarity, organizing, and alternative models of citizenship—particularly as envisioned and enacted by communities most impacted by systemic inequality. This year, returning to Mexico with a new cohort brought a different kind of depth to the experience. Relationships formed last year were strengthened, and many of our hosts remembered us. That continuity translated into greater trust—confianza—and created new possibilities for dialogue and exchange.
One of the most powerful moments of the trip emerged from that trust. Our group was invited into an Indigenous assembly focused on community security, where students had the opportunity to speak about their experiences and concerns within the current U.S. context. The students’ presentations were met with solidarity and affirmation from Indigenous organizers—underscoring the power of transnational connection and mutual learning.
Experiential and intercultural learning is inherently challenging. It requires humility, openness, and a willingness to engage with complexity. This year’s cohort demonstrated all of those qualities. They listened deeply, asked thoughtful questions, and navigated difficult conversations with care and integrity.
As the year draws to a close, I find myself deeply grateful—for the community leaders, organizers, and educators who shared their time and knowledge with us; for our colleagues from Augsburg University who accompanied us; and for the students, whose engagement and growth continue to inspire.
Among the most important lessons we carried home is that global citizenship and social justice are built not only through large-scale mobilization or from top-down institutions, but also through the everyday practices of care, friendship, and collective responsibility. That meaningful change requires collaboration—not uniformity, but solidarity grounded in mutual respect and shared commitment.
If there is one question that grounds our program, it is: What does it mean to be a global citizen? This year, our students explored this question not only in theory, but through lived experience. And what we witnessed is that global citizenship involves caring for one another and for the land; being willing to unlearn and relearn; and choosing to lead lives that prioritize collective well-being over individual achievement.
We are immensely thankful to all who made this journey possible and look forward to continuing this work together in the years to come.
