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Global Education and Trip Experiences

Global Education

Photo above: Students enjoy an authentic meal on the 2019 trip to Costa Rica.

Global education is an important focus at Saint Ursula Academy as it aligns with our mission-based programming across all four years, as well as across curricula. Our Global and Service Learning Department works from a lens of equity, inclusion, and global competence and supports students, teachers, and whole school initiatives to bring this to life. For SUA, Global education, or Global competence, does not just mean traveling or even interacting with someone from a different country, (although we do and will continue to develop these aspects) it is understanding the link between our lives and those of people throughout the world. It is about being able to connect and problem-solve with people who have different attitudes, skills, and values. Global competency skills are connected to our mission of building a better world as students recognize different perspectives, learn to problem solve, practice communication skills, and take action for change.

Global Scholars Program

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, SUA students will be participating in our Global Scholars Program.

Saint Ursula Academy in collaboration with The Ursuline Education Network (UEN) offers the Ursuline Global Scholars Certificate to graduating high school students across the country who have demonstrated a strong interest in global citizenship by successfully completing curricular studies with a global focus and engaging in co-curricular activities and experiences that foster the development of global competencies.

The Global Scholars distinction validates a student’s deliberate pursuit of a global education. This distinction aims to:

Encourage students to recognize the value of and emphasize global aspects of their education, understanding the links between their own lives and those of people throughout the world
Enable students to increase their understanding of the economic, cultural, political and environmental influences which shape our lives
Develop the skills, attitudes and values which enable people to work together to bring about change and take control of their own lives
Work towards achieving a more just and sustainable world in which power and resources are more equitably shared.
Serve as a distinctive selection criterion in the admissions process to colleges and universities
Serve as an important competitive distinction for prospective employers

Trip Experiences

Immersion/Mission Trips:

While immersing students in a different culture, mission trip experiences foster a sensitivity and appreciation for the struggles of the poor and the disenfranchised. This appreciation is becoming more and more critical in our increasing diverse and global world. Mission trips help to broaden the scope of community service and global awareness to which our students are invited. Summer mission trips focus on service to our local, national, and international communities. The trips are usually for one week during the month of June. In the past, we have had trips in inner-city Cincinnati, Ohio; Pine Ridge, South Dakota; McKee County, Kentucky; Shirati, Tanzania; and San Jose, Costa Rica.

Justice Trips:
We offer two Justice Trips during the school year. We take students in October/November to the Ignatian Family Teach-In in Washington, D.C. to learn about advocacy and activism. We also take students to the United Nations for the Commission on the Status of Women in March in New York City.

School Exchanges:
Saint Ursula will be offering school exchanges as part of our trip programming. These exchanges will be mostly with Ursuline Sister schools and will be focused on service, justice, or cultural competence.

Open to rising Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors; application and interview required.

Photo left: Students on the Appalachia trip take a break in front of the house they helped side.