2025 Global Gateway Summer Program Participants Celebrated at Pre-Departure Reception
On April 21, the 2025 Global Gateway Summer Programs cohorts, their faculty program leaders, and campus partners gathered together in the Pyle Center to celebrate and commemorate departure onto some of the most enriching and unforgettable study abroad/away experiences.
The pre-departure reception held in the students’ honor promised a night of good food, engaging conversations, and memorable words of wisdom and encouragement from campus partners, study abroad staff, and returned Global Gateway students. By the end of the event, the Global Gateway students were able to connect with their cohorts and program leaders who they’d be spending plenty of time with over the summer, as well as learn about all of the support they have waiting for them back on campus upon their return.
Nikki Davis, Chief of Staff of the International Division, opened up the reception with words of encouragement to the students about to embark on their programs. “Global Gateway is more than just a study abroad and away experience—it is a transformative journey that will shape the way you understand the world, the way you think about your role in it, and the way you engage with new cultures, histories, and communities.” She went on to say, “The world is vast and complex, and you have the opportunity to step into new cultural spaces where you will learn not just about others, but about yourself. Let yourself be awestruck, ask questions, and lean into the discomfort of the unfamiliar.”
Three students who had participated in the 2024 Global Gateway Summer Programs in Botswana, Singapore, and Washington, DC also presented about their experiences abroad and illustrated how their participation in Global Gateway affected their involvement on the UW campus, future career goals, and personal growth.
Samantha Flores, a participant on the 2024 Botswana program, encapsulated this message perfectly, stating, “When you come back, don’t tuck the experience away like a souvenir. Let it shape the way you lead, advocate, and dream. Use it to fuel your curiosity, inform your studies, and push for change in your community.”
Representing the 2024 Singapore cohort, Gueda Daff emphasized the importance of “immersion,” illustrating the concept with an acrostic poem-style presentation that centered around the word “immerse”: Intention, Make connections, Meet locals, Experience things outside your comfort zone, Recognize differences and dig deeper, Seek creativity, and Embrace the challenges. With these seven points, soon-to-depart students were given an idea of what they can do to be active participants in their programs and make the most out of their time abroad.
Marissa Rueda, who participated in the Global Gateway Washington, DC program in 2024, highlighted just how much her time abroad positively impacted her life back on the UW campus and drove her to get more involved. “What had allowed me to cope with that fear was channeling my newfound passions and experiences into my day to day life. So, when you return, I recommend using your experience to join clubs, putting yourself in slightly uncomfortable experiences, and remaining true to your studies and yourself.”
The Global Gateway Summer Programs started in 2014 in China and have since been hosted at different locations across the globe. This year, 47 students divided into three cohorts are taking their studies to Ghana, Singapore, and Washington, DC where they will be led by a UW faculty member through riveting discussions, excursions, and cultural experiences centered around topics and perspectives unique to the host location. As part of International Academic Programs’ (IAP) Global Gateway Initiative, the Global Gateway Summer Programs are fully-funded study abroad opportunities created to make study abroad and away more accessible, particularly to students with demonstrated financial need.
“I am always inspired by the words of the past participants at these events—the impact that these experiences have on their professional and academic development, particularly how they share out what they learned back on campus,” says Dan Gold, Director of International Academic programs and Assistant Dean of the International Division. “I am excited for the growth of the program next year, with 5 locations (Chile, Estonia, South Korea, Ghana, and Washington, D.C.) and linking two of the programs specifically with RISE AI and Sustainability initiatives, respectively, to even better support campus values and activities upon return from the programs.”
Interested in learning more about the Global Gateway Initiative? Visit the Global Gateway page on the UW Study Abroad website for details about the various programs. Follow this year’s Global Gateway Summer Program students on their abroad journeys through their blog posts on Study Abroad Student Stories.