Travel experiences both in the U.S. and abroad provide students with unique opportunities to engage with students, faculty, and community leaders across the world around issues that students care most about. The Aleshire Center is committed to enhancing students’ international perspective through a unique study abroad experience that blends leadership development with meaningful community engagement.
The Aleshire Center is launching our first Study Abroad course titled Global Cities, Local Communities: Vancouver. This course explores the global and local communities in one of North America’s most diverse and sustainability-focused cities. Through ethnographic fieldwork, community-engaged learning, and engagement with local people and organizations, students will examine how issues such as health, housing, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights shape everyday life in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
This study abroad experience takes students on a 20-day adventure across Canada, starting in Vancouver but expanding to Whistler and ending in Victoria, the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia on Vancouver Island.
The experience is open to all Washburn students, but it is critical the cost of attendance is not a barrier for participation. The funds raised for the Day of Giving will be equally divided among student attendees to offset travel costs. In addition to Day of Giving funds, the Aleshire Center has committed to providing $1,000 scholarships to all registered students.
We appreciate your support in helping students explore community-driven solutions to community problems that we all face, at home and abroad, while expanding their cultural awareness through experiences they will remember forever!
*Note: The World Cup may influence our ability to travel in summer 2026 as originally intended. If the course is not financially feasible this year, we will run it in summer 2027.
Donations to this project will support the Leadership Institute Travel Fund
Campaign Pillar: Real-World Learning
