Center for Global Engagement

About the Center

Do you have a passion for relieving poverty? Are you frustrated by the denial of rights far away? Whatever your specific interest, if you care about global problem solving, the Center for Global Engagement is for you. As Northwestern’s only program design and student support center dedicated entirely to improving your ability to make a difference in your global world, the CGE offers a variety of opportunities and resources ranging from study abroad programs to student project consulting. We build the capacity of young global leaders like you to cross borders and partner with new communities to produce responsible, sustainable solutions to shared global problems.

The CGE focuses on:

1. Developing critical knowledge and understanding of a complex world

Short term trainings and curricular programs such as the ENGAGE Uganda study abroad program help students think critically about the relationships and processes embedded in development, humanitarianism, and other forms of global problem solving.

2. Enabling student initiative

The Student Project Consulting Center (SPCC) is the one-stop support shop for students with ideas to contribute to the common global good. Strategic planning, financial development, and other types of resources are all part of the SPCC portfolio of student support. The SPCC runs an annual project-based fellowship for graduating seniors, manages the GlobalGiving Partnership challenge, and provides fiscal sponsorship and ongoing resource support for a half-dozen student led projects in Guatemala, Uganda, Mali, China, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

3. Enabling communication and collaboration within the global engagement community

The Center for Global Engagement exists to support and enable the community of emerging, active global citizens at Northwestern and around the world. Through a variety of in-development social and technological initiatives, the CGE provides a hub for communication and collaboration within the global engagement community.

Contact information

The CGE is housed under the Buffet Center for International and Comparative Studies at Northwestern University.

Location:

Office 103 - 620 Library Place , Evanston Campus

Directors:

• Jon Marino - jon [at] nuengage [dot] org - 815.222.9088
• Nathaniel Whittemore - nathaniel [at] nuengage [dot] org - 207.632.3186

Photo Credits:

Front page header photo by Thomas Lee. See more of Tom’s work here and here.

CGE Opportunities

Below you’ll find a sample of the programs run and opportunities supported by the Center for Global Engagement.

Student Led Co-Curriculars

Global Engagement Summit

An annual, week long capacity building training program that enables young change agents from around the world to learn from leaders in development, human rights, and other problem solving work. In two years, the program has had participants from more than 30 countries and 50 global NGOs. Contact Ryan Pederson and Liz Voeller at directors [at] iyvs [dot] org for more information.

OpenShutter Project

An ongoing collaborative media project which creates dynamic, interactive exhibits focused on moving participants from awareness to action. Current exhibits have focused primarily on youth engagement and problem solving in Uganda and India. For more information contact Megha Agrawal at m-agrawal [at] northwestern [dot] edu

Curricular and Co-Curricular Learning Programs

ENGAGE Uganda

ENGAGE Uganda is a three quarter program focused on a ten-week, two-credit summer study abroad experience through which three groups of 5-6 NU students partner with community development organizations in Uganda to design and implement small scale projects.

Youth Leadership in Connective Philanthropy

YLCP is an intensive training program focused on helping Chicago-area youth learn how to leverage their social networks to improve global giving. Run in conjunction with the Chicago Global Donors Network, September-October 2007. See Connectivephilanthropy.org

Freshman Global Problem Solving Immersion Program

The new CGE Freshman program will introduce a group of 25 NU freshman to both the principles of responsible, effective, sustainable global problem solving, while also helping them discover the wealth of resources at NU, in Chicago, and beyond, to help them with their own global endeavors.

Student Project Consulting and Support

Open Student Project Consulting

At the heart of the SPCC is an open invitation to students with ideas for global volunteerism, philanthropy, or social entrepreneurship projects for assistance with strategic planning, team management, resource development, grant writing and more. If this sounds like you, schedule an appointment.

Mind the Gap Fellowship

Mind the Gap is a $10,000 post-graduate fellowship awarded to a Northwestern University senior to work in a specific field of global justice, development, or rights which changes each year according to an annually selected theme. The focus for the 2007-2008 award is HIV/AIDs.

GlobalGiving Project Challenge

The Project Challenge is an annual competition through which Global Engagement Summit delegate projects have preferential access to the GlobalGiving.org fundraising web space to raise resources. These projects receive fiscal sponsorship, resources, and consultative support from the SPCC. To date, more than a half dozen student initiatives have raised over $40,000 through the Challenge.

Looking to the future

During the 2007-2008 academic year, the CGE will be focused on building and supporting the NU community not only through the above programs, but by enabling different groups of globally-active students, faculty, and staff to better communicate and collaborate on shared initiatives. This will involve discussion groups, student coordination meetings, and will culminate with a global engagement community summit at the end of the year. Check back regularly to hear more, and let us know what you need.