GSL, Revisted

Alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends celebrated Nebraska Wesleyan’s Homecoming at the beginning of October. During this time, Alumni Relations hosted numerous events, one of which was GSL, Revisited. The group celebrated 20 years of Global Service Learning.

Discussions between alumni, faculty, and current students brought forth fond memories and hopes for the future. The group also took time to discuss the influence Bill Draper-Finlaw had on Global Service Learning. We thank him for his part in the creation of an impactful and passionate group of world-changers.

Questions that were asked:

1.     When you think of GSL, what two things come to mind?

2.     What impact do you believe you and your GSL companions had? And what surprised you?

3.     When thinking of service and finding balance, did you feel you actually gave back?

4.     How does your GSL experience impact your life today?

5.     What do you wish you would have been able to do?

Small group discussions and one large group discussion led to the following major takeaways. As you will read, the discussion questions also led to even more insightful dialogues.

Major Topics and Takeaways:

•  The students said that GSL has been impactful in many ways, not the least of which is that it has allowed them to learn listening to others’ perspectives while also sharing their own, even if they differ.
• One little thing can have an impact.
• The point of service was to humanize, build relationships and connections, and bring those experiences back to NWU.
• GSL brings people together from different parts of the world and helps change views of both groups. An example is a man they met in Turkey who hated America but came to care about those who visited. GSL can also illustrate how small of a world it is. When in Arizona, a student met someone who was born in the same town as her mom.
• Members felt the language barriers hindered some of what they were able to learn. They wish they had the time to learn the language enough to use it and enhance their experience and better connect with those around them. As the trips progressed, the human connections made were strong. Body language and bits of sign language helped with this.
• What made GSL great was that it was a diverse group of majors. Students learned about themselves and how to rely on other members that they may not have known before.
• GSL affords staff and faculty an opportunity to expand their knowledge as well.
• To this day members of GSL continue to work on diversifying the group—they currently have one adult student who is from Brazil and a woman from Kenya. They look to add as many diverse experiences as possible.
• The group and experiences encourage lifelong learning no matter where you go or who you meet. It instills and fosters the need and the desire to continue to learn and discover how people and places keep connecting.
• GSL illustrates that education matters—it is better to understand why events happen and how viewpoints form. It is important to know the history of a culture or community and see how that affects circumstances today. It’s imperative to understand more than your immediate environment. Many felt the experience of being “internationalized.”
• GSL has an impact even after graduation—when searching for jobs many alumni are conscientious about whether the employer has a service component. What they learned continue to stay with them, and for many, what they did and saw led to their careers today.
• Many members and advisors wish they could bring more people on these trips. The selection process is strenuous.
• Discussed the concept of service in general. Did you actually give back? Do our skills match up with needs? What happens when we leave? Do we make sure to do no harm? We must be mindful of learning what people need, not going in with all the answers.
• GSL is not only international, but also national. The group gives back locally to the Lincoln community.
• Processing was a raw experience that required a circle of trust. Advisors enjoyed watching the students grow during each trip. Processing allowed students to discuss the ethics of service.
• Importance of journaling and looking back on those. GSL can open your mind in ways you didn’t know it was closed. It gave you the willingness to grapple with what was seen and to have conversations that have impact.
• We all have a common humanity.

Direct quotes from the afternoon include:

“GSL was the most pivotal moment of my life.”

“GSL gives you an appreciation for people.”

“I got comfortable being uncomfortable.”

“GSL was the most significant influence in my life.”

“Bill [Draper-Finlaw] always said that service learning experiences are better in retrospect.”

“GSL is what I think about when I think about Wesleyan.”

“The bigger your world, the better person you are.”