Global Partnerships provides students with opportunities for cross-cultural experiences that expand their faith, their views of the world and their commitment to a lifestyle of justice. Through partnership trips that go out over winter, spring and summer breaks, students travel all over the world learning, building relationships and serving. These trips are open to students from all backgrounds, religious traditions and levels of experience. As we partner with various organizations and groups around the globe, we focus on three values:

Education

We want students to learn about the culture and the faith of people who live in different areas around the world. A part of the educational process is for students to understand the socio-economic, geo-political and humanitarian issues others in the world are facing and their responsibility as global citizens. Through Global Partnerships, students will have cross-cultural learning experiences that will change their perspectives and their lives.

Relationships

When we know someone of a different nationality, we read the news differently, think of justice differently and spend our money differently… all because we now have a personal connection. Through Global Partnerships, students will have opportunities to develop relationships with people around the world by traveling to our partner locations. In addition, members from the partner organizations visit the North Park campus. And by keeping the same partners from year to year, we are seeing the relationships between North Park and our partners deepen over time.

Collaboration

By working with our partners, we identify ways to serve one another. When we travel to partner locations, we work under local leadership and serve alongside indigenous people to meet various needs and encourage healthy and sustainable communities. With sensitivity towards some of the limitations of short-term mission programs, our partners help us wrestle with the affects of colonialism, complex economic issues, and common paternalistic attitudes. We work together to support, encourage and challenge one another.

In addition to specific partnership opportunities, this program also sponsors various campus initiatives around global social justice. By raising awareness, encouraging advocacy and hosting events around such issues as AIDS and the environment, this program helps students to learn to pursue a lifestyle of justice.

Scholarships and leadership stipends for our Global Partnership trips are provided thanks to the Making Connections Initiative funded by the Lilly Endowment.