UC Davis Students Share How They’ve Embraced Global Learning During Summer 2020

Committed to educating the next generation of problem solvers and change makers, UC Davis is working towards Global Education for All—a goal aiming to provide 100% of our undergraduate, graduate, and professional students with global learning opportunities that change their lives and our world. Here are some ways students engaged in remote global learning this summer.

Team4Tech

The Team4Tech Virtual Ed Tech Internship is a remote summer internship that is focused on supporting African non-profit organizations working to improve education in their local communities. Students from UC Davis, Middlebury College and Dartmouth College worked 8-10 hours per week, in teams of five, on interdisciplinary projects that enhance the education of youth in Africa. Interns were matched to projects identified by NGOs that align with their skills and interests. 

Genna Weinstein, International Relations and African American and African Studies

“I learned not just about myself, but about the different career paths I would like to take in the future. This internship helped me realize how crucial education is to realizing one’s dreams, and has actually inspired me to work on education policy in the future!  During the pandemic, much has changed for everyone financially, and I am no exception. The scholarship really increased my ability to partake in this internship, and I am grateful.” 

Melody Sie, International Relations

“This internship helped me prepare for professional virtual work. The program emphasized and relied heavily on time management and quick adaptation to online resources which we could also pass to our NGO partners. Participating in this program also granted a better understanding of the different ways COVID-19 has affected others around the world, particularly the challenges experienced by our international partners in regards to wifi accessibility and opportunities for education and health care.” 

Raziel Hillary Ramil, Community and Regional Development

“My experience at Team4Tech allowed me to see that despite the situation we’re living in right now, technology has allowed me to teach, mentor, and support many students from the Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology (GGAST) located in Rwanda. I’m not going to disregard the fact that there were some hardships along my journey in Team4Tech. When trying to collaborate there were difficulties such as time differences and connectivity issues. However, the usage of technology has allowed me to see past the communication barriers and successfully execute the goal as an intern for these students at GGAST. The power of Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google Drive/Gmail seemed like an accessory to us before the COVID-19 pandemic, but truly we have taken it for granted because it has provided me a gateway to mentor and learn from the students at GGAST.”

Global Student Leadership Summit

The Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS) is a premier leadership conference for students from underrepresented backgrounds who have participated in study abroad or other international programs. The summit brings together a diversity of students from colleges and universities nationwide to develop the skills essential to being a successful leader in a global society.

Evan Pearson, International Relations

"The 2020 Global Student Leadership Summit helped me so much holistically, but I think mostly in my drive and motivation to be successful. I will never forget what this program has taught me and given to me because it will benefit me in my education and career significantly by being able to map my internationally focused career and what I need to do to reach my goals. 

Despite being online, this program was certainly worth it and almost made the experience more intimate with breakout rooms and 1:1 session with my peers and professionals, building those close relationships. I would like to extend my most gracious thank you to the donors for allowing me to participate in this program because it has motivated me to keep working hard, keep making connections and continue to make positive impacts on those around me.”

United Nations SDG Internship

Committed to fueling awareness and implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the university, UC Davis Global Affairs created an SDG Internship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this internship is currently taking place 100% remotely.

Christal Juarez, International Relations and Anthropology

"Many of the conferences, webinars, and gatherings that were happening outside of Davis have gone virtual, which means I’ve actually been able to participate in events that may have otherwise been limited to me geographically. So I’m grateful for the new opportunities that arise even during periods of hardship.

I am a first-generation college student and soon to be a college graduate, so I intensely understand and recognize that the opportunities to pursue education are not always available, and in some places, they are scarce. Even in cases where education at all levels is available, it is evident that even the best educational systems have a long way to go to provide quality education for all students and families across gender, race, language, and economic lines.”

Jeanett Lor, Human Development

“Due to all that is happening right now with COVID-19, I think this goal [SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages] is really important because the whole world is affected by this pandemic, both physically and emotionally. It would be a lot more effective right now for the world to come together and try to solve the issue together instead of placing the blame and responsibility on one another. In order for societies to prosper and for the world to continue harmoniously, people have to promote and protect the health of not only themselves but everyone around them. 

One of the most important things I’ve learned from having a remote internship is that it requires you to manage your time well. Although I discuss projects and ideas with the internship coordinators and my fellow intern, it is my responsibility to decide how and when I complete my tasks.”

Preparing Global Leaders and Change-Makers

The world is replete with complex, interconnected challenges and opportunities. And they call for a reimagined paradigm in higher education—one that equips students to build global awareness, collaborate ethically across cultures, and take action that is equitable and sustainable.

Our vision is expansive: Global education is not limited to a particular type of experience or found only in remote locations. It can take place anywhere and at any time. Aggies will learn about the international dimensions of their chosen field, become more broadly aware and engaged, and understand their local contexts in new ways.

Robust courses, experiential learning opportunities and internship programs are key components of our plan to extend this type of education into all aspects of our students’ experiences.

With your support for scholarships, grants, stipends and experiential learning initiatives, we will immerse every undergraduate, graduate and professional student in a global education and prepare them to make a difference in their local community and around the world 

Learn more about how you can invest in the future of global education

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About Global Affairs at UC Davis

Global Affairs brings the world to UC Davis, welcoming more than 10,000 international students, scholars and leaders, and hosting programs that inspire global curiosity, understanding and engagement. Compelled by the valuable outcomes of thinking globally, we make transformative opportunities a reality by supporting the thousands of students and faculty learning and researching globally—and by facilitating collaborations that tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through more than 150 global partnerships.

Putting our vision of a UC Davis community that engages, thrives, and leads in this interconnected world into action, Global Affairs is in pursuit of an ambitious goal: Global Education for All.