Two students will take on Rwanda this summer
Andrea Padamonsky
Issue date: 3/14/07 Section: News
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Senior Ryan Trout and freshman Josh Bowers have been selected to attend the 2007 Global Youth Connect (GYC) program in Rwanda from June 16 to July 14. They will be training along with other 18-25-year-olds to build relationships across cultural boundaries and to become effective human rights leaders through working with young Rwandans, human rights defenders, government representatives, and other college age students.
"I am really going into the whole program with fresh but weary eyes," Trout said. "I have been overseas before but never to the third world, never to a society crippled by AIDS, never to a country with nearly 70 percent of the population under the poverty line, recovering from a mass genocide in 1994, and still carrying on border wars."
According to the GYC's online description, the program will focus on: exploring the roots of the 1994 Rwandan conflict and its impact on Rwanda, its people, and way of life; examining ethical issues and rebuilding strategy; and working on collaborative projects with local organizations and people helping to rebuild present day Rwanda.
"I am compelled to do this because I can already see that Africa is a continent that needs help, aid, and caring individuals that will go over and do anything they can to make life a little easier," Trout said.
The program is selective because it is designed to develop youth leaders around the world. There was a two round application process including a paper application with two teacher recommendations, followed by a personal phone interview with a representative from Rwanda.
"I'm really looking forward to going to Rwanda and it was really neat being able to speak with the phone interviewer from Rwanda," Bowers said.
Both students have the support of the Mount community, especially Dr. Kristen Urban, of the Political Science department, who introduced them to the program in class. Both came to her with interest after the announcement.
"Ryan has seen a lot of videos about Africa and is very accepting of differences. I don't know Josh as well as he is a freshman, but he has definitely made some very insightful comments in class," Urban said.
"I wish I was 18-25 again to study abroad like this," she commented.
For more information on this trip and other Global Youth Connect trips to Bosnia, Cambodia, Guatemala, or Venezuala, visit GYC's website at www.globalyouthconnect.org.
"I am really going into the whole program with fresh but weary eyes," Trout said. "I have been overseas before but never to the third world, never to a society crippled by AIDS, never to a country with nearly 70 percent of the population under the poverty line, recovering from a mass genocide in 1994, and still carrying on border wars."
According to the GYC's online description, the program will focus on: exploring the roots of the 1994 Rwandan conflict and its impact on Rwanda, its people, and way of life; examining ethical issues and rebuilding strategy; and working on collaborative projects with local organizations and people helping to rebuild present day Rwanda.
"I am compelled to do this because I can already see that Africa is a continent that needs help, aid, and caring individuals that will go over and do anything they can to make life a little easier," Trout said.
The program is selective because it is designed to develop youth leaders around the world. There was a two round application process including a paper application with two teacher recommendations, followed by a personal phone interview with a representative from Rwanda.
"I'm really looking forward to going to Rwanda and it was really neat being able to speak with the phone interviewer from Rwanda," Bowers said.
Both students have the support of the Mount community, especially Dr. Kristen Urban, of the Political Science department, who introduced them to the program in class. Both came to her with interest after the announcement.
"Ryan has seen a lot of videos about Africa and is very accepting of differences. I don't know Josh as well as he is a freshman, but he has definitely made some very insightful comments in class," Urban said.
"I wish I was 18-25 again to study abroad like this," she commented.
For more information on this trip and other Global Youth Connect trips to Bosnia, Cambodia, Guatemala, or Venezuala, visit GYC's website at www.globalyouthconnect.org.
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