Global Citizen Year is a nonprofit organization designed to engage thousands of diverse young Americans in a transformative year of global service between high school and college.

The model was conceptualized by Abby Falik, a social innovator who has dedicated her professional life to changing the way young Americans learn about and act on their roles as citizens of the world. Incubated at Harvard Business School with a team of graduate students from across Harvard and MIT, Global Citizen Year is advised by leading experts in social enterprise, international development, international education and exchange, and higher education.

MISSION
Our mission is to prepare a pipeline of new American leaders to combat global poverty and injustice throughout their lives.  To do this, we will:

• Recruit and train a diverse cohort of high-potential high school graduates as GCY fellows
• Place fellows in apprenticeships throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America during a “Bridge Year” between high school and college
• Build a dynamic network of alumni who remain engaged in global issues during college and beyond

Through these activities participants will develop the knowledge, perspectives, and skills of global citizenship, including fluency in a new language, respect for diversity, and the ability to provide innovative and thoughtful leadership to address 21st century challenges.

VISION
We envision a world in which a “global citizen year” becomes an integral and accepted step for students from all geographic, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Future generations of Americans will better understand that their lives are intimately connected to others across our global community, and will act with conviction and conscience to create a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.

A GLOBAL CITIZEN YEAR REVOLUTION: BY THE YEAR 2020 …

• 20,000 GCY Alumni will speak a second language and bring global insight to leadership across all sectors
• 10,000 host communities across Asia, Africa and Latin America will have direct exposure to the empathy and idealism which characterize America’s “Millennial Generation”
• 5,000 development projects – in education, health and the environment – will have increased capacity to serve their beneficiaries
• 250 US Universities will encourage students to take a global “bridge year”, and will support participation by providing financial aid to low-income students
• Foundations, corporations, individuals and the federal government will recognize global youth service as a strategic investment, and commit new financial resources