About Us
Our mission
To cultivate global citizen leaders through education, travel and service, increasing mutual respect for people, pleaces, and the planet.
Our Vision
To create a global community in which the world’s challenges and opportunities are met by educated, compassionate leaders and thinkers.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Global Citizens Adventure Corps (GCAC) provides college credit and scholarships for immersive service-learning travel experiences. We serve high school and university students, especially those from underserved, rural communities, equipping them to address global issues with empathy and insight.
Our programs empower students to bring a global perspective back to their home communities, multiplying impact and fostering lasting change for people, places, and planet.
Our Roots
Global Citizen Adventure Corps (GCAC) was born not in a boardroom, but in the wake of a tornado.
In 2011, Stacie Freeman founded the Global Studies program at Bethel University with a simple goal: to take students beyond the classroom – and beyond their zip codes – into the world. That spring, she led a group of 10 students on an alternative spring break to Costa Rica, and something sparked. Year after year, more students enrolled in these immersive, service-focused adventures for college credit.
By 2016, Bethel had approved the inclusion of high school students and community members, recognizing the power of this unique model: academic credit, sustainable, community-identified volunteer experiences, and life-changing perspective.
Then came December 10, 2021
A devastating tornado tore through Stacie’s hometown of Dresden, Tennessee, just as a group of local high school students prepared for a service-learning program at the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center. The students had just enrolled in the course and were preparing to travel but their families had lost homes, businesses, and any ability to contribute another dime toward the trip.
Canceling wasn’t an option – they had already lost so much during COVID. So Stacie began raising scholarship funds.
It worked. Donors stepped up. And several said something that would change everything:
“If you’d start a nonprofit, I’d give more – and more often.”
And so, in 2022, GCAC was born. Stacie partnered with friend and co-founder Dr. Julie Hill to build a nonprofit committed to providing scholarships and opening the door to global service and learning for students who could never afford it otherwise.
What began as a response to disaster has become a mission-driven movement. GCAC continues to make global learning accessible, especially for students from rural communities, underfunded schools, and underserved backgrounds. We believe international education shouldn’t be a luxury for the few. It should be a launchpad for the many!
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY
GCAC is built on a foundation of diversity and inclusion. By bringing together travelers of different races, religions, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds, our programs foster organic, meaningful conversations. Students gain long-term mentorship, while host communities gain authentic connection with the next generation of changemakers.
WHO WE SERVE
While GCAC is open to all, we prioritize students from rural and economically disadvantaged areas in the Mid-South and Ohio Valley. These communities face limited access to global experiences and cultural diversity, contributing to entrenched social and economic challenges.
We aim to break down those barriers. Nearly 20% of U.S. public school students attend rural schools—often Title I, first-generation college-goers. GCAC creates pathways to global learning that otherwise wouldn’t exist.
Why it matters
Today’s students must navigate a complex, interconnected world. But too many lack access to the opportunities that build cultural competence, leadership skills, and global awareness.
Our solution? Experiential learning that blends academic rigor with real-world service and cross-cultural connection.
According to the SYTA Student Travel Digest:
• 74% of educators say travel positively impacts personal development.
• Employers report that graduates often lack essential soft skills—like communication and critical thinking.
GCAC helps fill those gaps.
IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
COLLEGE CREDIT
High school juniors/seniors and university students can earn 3 hours of transferable college credit through Bethel University. Audit options available.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Need-based scholarships are available for eligible high school and college students.
GLOBAL SERVICE
All volunteer projects are community-identified and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
PARTNER WITH US
Universities, schools, nonprofits, and supporters can join our mission.