Through APEX at Ursinus College, students step out of the classroom and into the world in March of their sophomore year—traveling nationally or internationally for a week-long exploration of professional pathways and career fields from a global perspective.
Ursinus sophomores will have the chance to expand their horizons through Go Global, an exciting new weeklong experience dedicated to global career exploration.
Guided by faculty mentors, students will connect their experiences to the Innovation Hubs, gaining a deeper understanding of how their academic and personal interests translate to opportunities worldwide. Best of all, Go Global is part of the tuition-inclusive APEX experience.
Go Global builds on students’ experience in their first three semesters. During that time, students are given a foundation for connecting their interests and values into action through:
- Ursinus’s nationally recognized liberal arts curriculum
- A framework for career exploration through career coaching and experiential learning week in their first year
During Go Global, students then learn – by witnessing and by doing – how professionals and communities collaborate across differences and distances.
Global travel experience guaranteed
While locations will vary year to year, a wide range of immersive experiences that highlight how global challenges and opportunities play out in different professional and cultural contexts will be offered. For example, students may:
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Travel to Dublin, Ireland to explore one of Europe’s most dynamic centers for research and innovation while building on their work in the innovation Center for Parlee Science and the Common Good or the Hub for Civic and Global Leadership. . Before departure, they’ll examine how science and policy intersect across industries—then see it firsthand through visits to biotech hubs and urban planning forums. The experience could culminate with time spent shadowing an Ursinus alum living in Dublin, giving them a real-world glimpse of how their college journey can launch a global career.
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Travel to Puerto Rico to connect their studies in Sustainability Solutions, Civic Spark, Global Leadership, and Arts in Action to real challenges facing island communities. In Puerto Rico, they might explore how engineering and environmental strategies for a resilient energy grid are shaped by history, culture, economics, and politics., and see how art and music amplify social causes—returning to campus inspired with new ideas for the impact they want to make.
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Travel to Manchester, UK to dive into the global world of sports through the lenses of the Sport & Humanity Hub. In Manchester, they might explore the contrast between powerhouse professional franchises and grassroots programs that use sports to strengthen communities and prevent violence. Conversations with financial experts and community leaders could reveal how sports investments shape both global industries and local lives.
- Travel to West Virginia & Appalachia to see global issues at work on a local scale. Building on their studies in the Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good, and The Center for the Humanities in Action, they’ll meet community health providers and sustainability leaders working on the front lines. This immersive experience will highlight how resilient communities respond to economic, political, and environmental change—and how they can be part of solutions that matter.
Go Global Goals
Students will collaboratively analyze and address complex issues, and emerge as future-ready leaders who have demonstrated that they:
- Gain initial experience communicating with a global audience
- Recognize the importance of including different cultural and societal viewpoints
- Begin to develop the skills and competencies necessary for career fields of the future
- Learn to take actions for collective well-being
This global exploration week will provide students with the opportunity to broaden their perspectives, discover new career possibilities, and truly go global.
