Lifelong Friendships
The bond that forms among participating students and their host families transcends geographic distance and cultural differences. It transforms their understanding of themselves and their world. At the conclusion of the program, host families on both sides of the Atlantic often express that they feel they've gained another child, and they shed tears as their international guest boards the flight home. Students are similarly emotional during the farewell. What starts as an awkward introduction with some uncertainty frequently gives way to meaningful friendships and lasting bonds.
Global Competency
Can you navigate a public transit system in a foreign country? Can you order from a menu in a foreign language? Can you learn the laws and social norms that organize a society? Can you open your mind and broaden your lens to see the world through the eyes of another person? SSEP students will be challenged to move beyond their frame of reference, leave their comfort zone, enter an unfamiliar landscape, and all the while demonstrate an openness to new ideas and perspectives. They will come to appreciate the beauty of diversity and the perseverance of the human connection.
Experiential Learning
SSEP invites students to participate in an immersive cultural experience and meaningful project collaboration. For the 2023-2024 exchange, our young scholars will examine the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals and various nations' transition to renewable energy sources. While visiting their respective countries, student participants will investigate the ways in which the United States and Germany have implemented environmental reforms, promoted energy efficiency, and explored new options for powering our world's future.
Personal Growth
SSEP participants often learn as much about themselves as they do about another country. Living with a host family in a distant place is not for the faint hearted. It requires trust, courage, flexibility, and an eagerness to learn and grow. Fortunately, our students are not alone. They have close allies -- dedicated partners who are eager to guide them as they experience the world outside Stevensville/Baroda. This alliance, of course, is reciprocal; each partner takes his turn as a local ambassador. Working together, they demonstrate the transformative power of cross-cultural teamwork and human connection.
