By Sojung Park 1. How long have you been part of GES and what was your favorite part about the experience? I joined GES (it was IYVS at the time) when I was a sophomore (2006-2007). At the time I knew very little about international development, so GES became my teacher--the people, the experiences, the summit, and the opportunities. My favorite part was that everyone and everything shaped one another, pushing and pulling until something smarter, more responsible, and more beautiful emerged. ...

By Maryam Adamu 1. What was your experience like with the GES? Did you have a project in mind when you came in? I found GES as a platform to meet youth social entrepreneurs around the world and to build a stronger network with various like-minded organizations and individuals. It was also an idea lab where people with varieties of experiences and background come together and discuss freely. Furthermore, the online connection made GES community more beautiful. When I was in GES ...

By Tadelech Mengesha How long were you in GES and what was your favorite part? I was in GES for three years (sophomore through senior year). My favorite part was by far the people I met and the friendships I developed. The people in GES became some of my closest friends at NU, and both the staff and the delegates were among the most driven, passionate people I've ever know. Aside from that, I also just loved throwing down at Ethiopian ...

By Kristin Coveney Off the top of my head, GES allowed me to pursue my deepest interest in international affairs that the university’s academic offerings did not fully support. Separate from the bureaucratic and static course offerings, the Summit lets us run with our natural curiosity and I think therefore I learned more as a member of GES than as a student at Northwestern. This meant we learned about topics underrepresented at NU but also about processes and skills that traditional ...

By Hyun Kim (Kimmy) Northwestern Class of 2009 GES 2006-2009: 2007- Co-Chair of Open Shutter, 2008-09 Co-Director of GES Studied abroad at the London School of Economics during Junior Year, Studied abroad in India after Freshman and Sophomore Years Masters Degree in International Development at London School of Economics Currently working at a non-profit strategy consulting firm in Washington D.C. (FSG) Rajni described GES as an incredibly meaningful experience because it emphasized hard work and a commitment to more thoughtful ways to make change. GES influenced her future ...

By David Chase Background History When I was in Cairo studying abroad during my junior year, I ended up spending most of my time tutoring Sudanese refugees in English. The experience was on the one hand more captivating than any other sort of volunteer work I'd ever done -- these people would literally line up for hours for 15 minutes that might help them improve their lives and the lives of their families -- yet on the other, demonstrated what little capacity ...