GIP APPLICATION ESSAY

    One of my most memorable experiences with the Global Initiatives Program at Poly was when I went to the South Africa trip in the summer after freshman year. During this trip, I got the privilege to meet students from iThuba Innovation Hub and the LEAP high school and Siviwe, our tour guide who we got to know throughout the two-week trip. This experience widened my interests in global perspectives because I had the opportunity to explore the diversity of South African culture by learning types of music, dance, tradition, food, and the history of the country.

I was able to meet so many incredible people that I would not have been able to meet if I had not gone on this trip. I spoke to students and other South African citizens, learning about their culture, and specifically, the perspectives of South Africans, which I found so interesting and amazing to learn about. The home tours, where each iThuba student would show a Poly student their home and their family was one of the most unique experiences I would ever get to have. This experience was my first experience with iThuba and the GIP travel program, but definitely not my last. After this experience, I was interested in learning about global education and economic differences in other countries.

    The Narrative 4 Story Exchange also awakened my interest in global perspectives as well. Ishmael Beah’s story was so powerful and captivated so many emotions throughout his story. When I left the assembly, I was able to empathize with his story in a way that I could not before. Following the assembly, I wanted to learn more about storytelling and drawing empathy from experiences told in the perspectives of others, so I facilitated the school-wide N4 story exchange. Although I have attended GIP events in the past, this experience was unlike any other since I was able to play an active role in the process as a leader and listen to stories told from my fellow peers. Through hearing the stories and also participating in the previous “training story exchange, ” I discovered how stories allow people to understand the feelings of one another. Since this exchange went so well, I hope to continue working with Narrative 4 in Poly events and story exchanges outside of Poly as well so I can expand my understanding of global connections. I believe that through the Global Scholars program, I will become more knowledgeable and less dependent on my own perspectives, and therefore, will be able to learn from other people around me. Global issues and human rights have always been areas of interest to me, and the Global Scholars Program will be a great guidance to understanding these issues and how to tackle them.