Global Vision at UCM
Go beyond the ‘Burg!The University of Central Missouri’s Global Vision program offers any UCM student the opportunity to travel either domestically or internationally while giving back to the community you visit. If selected to go on the trip, students will receive a scholarship that covers airfare, meals, room and board during this service learning trip!
This exclusive opportunity gives students who haven’t studied abroad the advantage to be selected first. UCM is the only university offering this scholarship to student travelers. Expanding the possibilities for those who wouldn’t typically consider an abroad trip. The opportunity to serve those who need it most will not only impact your educational career, but it will leave a lifetime impression.
Costs and fees covered by scholarship:
- Airfare to and from the location
- Fees on site
- Room and board
Travel costs not covered:
- Passport (required)
- Local excursions (optional)
Scholarship Application and Information
Scholarship covering fees, meals, room and board, and airfare
Credit for program related coursework One hour course is required. Options for more credit hours can be arranged through faculty chaperones.
Education for Service
2 week international programs over Summer and Winter, 1 week domestic programs during Spring Break
Any UCM student with a 2.5 GPA can apply.
Scheduling Information
Trips are scheduled to occur three to four times per year, with the actual dates changing from year-to-year. Trip scheudling incorporates winter break, spring break and two two-week summer slots to aid in scheduling around class schedules. Contact the program coordinator for exact dates.
Travel Destinations
The global vision trips will take place multiple times a year traveling to different locations. There is one location that will be visited on an annual basis, Tanzania. There is also one domestic trip during spring break each year. Other locations include:
- China
- Nepal
- Peru
- Ecuador
- Puerto Rico
- Cook Islands
- Vietnam
- Poland
- Montana, Blackfeet Reservation
- Texas, Rio Grande Valley
- New Mexico, Espanola
Global Volunteers
From the United States to Tanzania, Peru or China, Global Volunteers connects UCM students to communities around the world in effort to support these locations through volunteer relief. Due to this partnership students can apply to enjoy the unique experience of becoming a part of another culture and making an impact.
“We’re serious about service!”
At Global Volunteers, we take a positive, innovative approach to comprehensive human and economic development. We leverage the world’s endlessly renewable resource – volunteers – to catalyze change while always working under the direction of resourceful local leaders. Our volunteers create, nurture, and sustain the well-being of the world’s children and their families through targeted service in homes, classrooms, clinics, community centers, hospitals, orphanages, childcare centers, libraries, government offices, and farm fields to provide essential services, helping children thrive. We’re invited by community leaders all over the world to serve alongside local people in one-to-three-week service programs; investing in long-term development projects. We support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on safe, meaningful, impactful, service-learning projects, and have earned the highest possible ratings from external nonprofit evaluators, validating that Global Volunteers acts with integrity and transparency, is highly effective, and exceeds industry standards across virtually all areas.
“Safety trumps everything” in international volunteer service. We provide secure, comfortable and clean lodging in all host communities. Meals are prepared by qualified cooks – either in restaurants or community housing. In-country transportation is provided by qualified drivers in commercial vehicles such as taxis, buses, and vans, or in Global Volunteers vehicles. Most important, we monitor and comply with travel warnings issued by the U.S. State Department, even if it means canceling a service program. Further safety measures are:
- CPR and first-aid certified team leaders who are trained in personal and national emergency protocols.
- Emergency medical evacuation insurance for volunteers serving outside the U.S.
- Emergency contact 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Health and safety guidelines in our Volunteer Manual.