Just over two months ago, many of us gathered at Clemson University for GSL6: Inclusion and Transformation in Global Service Learning. We hosted 32 concurrent sessions and shared 20 posters presented by colleagues from internationally diverse institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, and NGOs. The Summit attracted 280 participants representing 69 separate institutions from 27 countries. You can find many of the session and poster materials posted here.
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The opening plenary presentation and discussion, led by Natalia Valenzuela Swanson (Mary Black Foundation), Sandra López (Wofford College ‘21), Araceli Hernández-Laroche, Ph.D., (University of South Carolina Upstate), and Laura Barbas-Rhoden, Ph.D., (Wofford College), invited attendees toward inclusive, asset-based community-building through the insights of the local-global inclusivity network in which they have all led: Alianza Hispana of Spartanburg.[/caption]
Aligned with our values - access, inclusion, and the importance of diverse voices and insights - we (Globalsl Network and Clemson University) were able to offer over $17,000 in scholarships to enable participation of 15 representatives from community-based organizations and residents of the Global South. Additionally, restructuring Globalsl membership benefits to incentivize partners and sponsors to encourage community partner participation allowed five Globalsl partner/ sponsor institutions to invite their partners to the Summit (and support additional costs).
Thanks to the 66 attendees that completed the GSL 6 evaluation survey to help us distill lessons learned and provide information for future planning for the Globalsl Network. In the interest of transparency, you can access the GSL 6 evaluation overview here. In the evaluation overview you will find:
The opening plenary presentation and discussion, led by Natalia Valenzuela Swanson (Mary Black Foundation), Sandra López (Wofford College ‘21), Araceli Hernández-Laroche, Ph.D., (University of South Carolina Upstate), and Laura Barbas-Rhoden, Ph.D., (Wofford College), invited attendees toward inclusive, asset-based community-building through the insights of the local-global inclusivity network in which they have all led: Alianza Hispana of Spartanburg.[/caption]
Aligned with our values - access, inclusion, and the importance of diverse voices and insights - we (Globalsl Network and Clemson University) were able to offer over $17,000 in scholarships to enable participation of 15 representatives from community-based organizations and residents of the Global South. Additionally, restructuring Globalsl membership benefits to incentivize partners and sponsors to encourage community partner participation allowed five Globalsl partner/ sponsor institutions to invite their partners to the Summit (and support additional costs).
Thanks to the 66 attendees that completed the GSL 6 evaluation survey to help us distill lessons learned and provide information for future planning for the Globalsl Network. In the interest of transparency, you can access the GSL 6 evaluation overview here. In the evaluation overview you will find:
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- The majority (66%) of attendees were first timers!
- The majority of attendees are based on campus - faculty/ administration/ staff (83% of evaluation respondents vs. 66% of attendees).
- 79% responded “absolutely” & 100% reported absolutely or somewhat when asked if GSL 6 met its goals to explore:
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- (1) The work and challenge of supporting global learning at home and abroad and the connections that apply in both settings and
- (2) Best practices, program models, and ethical approaches for global service-learning and community-campus partnerships.
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- Practical tools vs. theoretical/ academic/ critical discussion
- Introduce ideas/ concerns vs. dig deep/ edgy/ push the limits
- Who is present and leads/ drives & how much focus should be on higher education and community organizations