Leadership Collective
Developing Global Citizenship Through Travel
Fully funded international experiences that transform high school students into engaged global citizens and change agents.
Since 2015, the Leadership Collective has provided fully funded opportunities for high school students from the United States to engage in transformative international experiences in India. Our immersive programs foster global citizenship, leadership skills, and cross-cultural understanding.
Our Approach: Explore + Experience + Express
Leadership Collective itineraries are immersive. They are designed and built by a team with deep roots in local communities and a multi-dimensional understanding of the places visited and from which we learn.
Bringing together:
- Cultural sites
- Community organizations
- Businesses
- Civic leaders
We work in a peer-based setting to explore, understand, and challenge students’ place in the world.
We use a model of Study, Serve, Share to engage students, enabling them as critical thinkers and engaged global citizens.
What the Leadership Collective Entails
There are three parts to the Leadership Collective:
Pre-Departure Classroom
A two-month virtual prep period that focuses on:
- Remotely engaging the student cohort in conversation and collaboration
- Building a common foundation for the trip theme and time in India
In-Country Experiential Trip
Three-plus weeks of experiential learning in India where students:
- Learn hands-on skills
- Interact with host families and youth
- Study various facets of youth citizenship and leadership
Post-Trip Engagement
Beyond the four-month formal engagement, students:
- Share their learnings with their home communities
- Connect their experiences in the Leadership Collective with their lives at home
- Continue alumni connections
Who We Serve
The Leadership Collective is geared toward students who otherwise face restrictive barriers to experiential education and international travel.
Whether it be financial, social, or personal, we create support systems necessary to help a student
thrive in an international experience, preparing them for a lifetime of global leadership.
The program is fully-funded for all students participating.
Program Components
Immersive Learning
Leadership Collective itineraries are designed and built by a team with:
Deep roots in local communities.
Multi-dimensional understanding of the places visited.
Peer-Based Setting
Students work together to:
Explore their place in the world.
Understand different perspectives.
Challenge their assumptions.
Student Profile Videos
To gain a deeper understanding of the transformative experiences offered by the Leadership Collective, check out our Student Profile videos.
The Leadership Collective is fully funded for all students participating. This includes:
- All program fees
- International travel to India
- Accommodations (homestays and other lodging)
- Meals
- In-country transportation
- Activities and site visits
- Pre-departure virtual programming
- Post-trip engagement
Financial barriers should never prevent talented, motivated students from participating in transformative global experiences.
Ready to become part of the Leadership Collective?
We’re looking for students who are:
- Leaders and change agents
- Curious and eager to learn
- Critical thinkers
- Persevering through challenges
- Excited about their role in shaping the future
- Currently facing barriers to international experiential education
Academic Partnership
In 2019, Dr. Tera Meerkins from Boston College accompanied the Leadership Collective to India as part of a study in counseling psychology.
Evaluative Report Available pdf
Dr. Meerkins’ team analyzed data from 2016-2018 cohorts and produced:
“Leadership Collective Outcomes and Facilitators of Change for Learners: An Evaluative Report for Cohorts 2016 to 2018”
This research provides evidence of the program’s transformative impact on participating students.
