Mission Statement
The Global Education Office (GEO) serves as the focal point for international experiences and intercultural learning at Washington College. GEO coordinates international opportunities for Washington College students to participate in overseas academic and experiential learning-based programs, and provides on-going support and guidance to international students studying at Washington College. An academic experience overseas has far-reaching benefits for students of all majors, expanding their world perspective as it opens their minds to political, social, cultural, and economic traditions different from their own.
As a resource for students, faculty, and staff, GEO has a three-fold mission. First, to encourage all Washington College students to participate in an overseas educational experience, in a setting most appropriate for each of them. This experience could be either in-person or in a virtual environment, but both with GEO’s guidance and support throughout the entire experience. Secondly, GEO encourages international students to spend a semester or more at Washington College and works to smooth their entry into—and to engage them in—the curricular, cultural, and residential life of the College. Finally, the Office encourages and supports interaction between international students and our continuing students, faculty, and staff to promote mutual learning and enjoyment.
Through ongoing collaboration with international partner institutions, GEO actively promotes one of the College’s core values of “engagement with cultures and communities locally and around the world.” Learning to effectively communicate, collaborate, and work across cultures empowers both domestic and international Washington College students to be citizen-leaders in an ever-changing, globalized world.