Global Leadership in Peru Pilot

Almost every summer, there is a Michigan Tech study abroad group that travels to Peru...but this is different. Two students, Nic Walli and Lexi Steve, are heading to Peru to volunteer and create a base for future cohorts to return to and continue learning. There are many things we think Lima may need, but do Peruvians think they need it? The U.S. also needs a lot of things, so who are we to just give them things we consider important?

The benefits of studying abroad are to force ourselves out of our cultural comfort zones and learn from others. We have been taking two years worth of Pavlis Honor Courses to prepare not just for this moment, but for the rest of our lives. When we are here in the states, it's easy to get caught up in all the things we are already involved in and are comfortable with, but going to another country segregates us from our friends and family and forces us to put the Pavlis teachings into practice. We aren't sure of what's ahead, but hopefully, we can empower those around us to make differences they see in their community and change it. Then, maybe we can also be empowered by those around us to make a change back on campus. We are not going to Lima, Peru to fix them, we are going to fix ourselves. There are many stories involving groups that volunteer abroad that go to change physical things, like building houses, but that's not sustainable. We need to change the mindset.

The money you donate will be used for materials to teach design thinking, teamwork activities, and potentially help Peruvians start up their own company or service of sorts.