Global Pathways Spring Program
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Culver’s Global Pathways Spring Program (GPS) provides students, faculty, staff and patrons from the Culver Academies service-learning, educational and culture exchange opportunities for those who desire to learn about another culture and to live responsibly as global citizens.
The purpose of these trips is for Culver Academies students to connect with the local community by providing meaningful service or by learning about the local culture/history and to provide Culver students opportunities to live, learn and lead globally.
GPS trips have traveled to 34 countries, 15 States, the District of Columbia and one US Territory, Puerto Rico.
The GPS Scholarship application for 2023 is now closed. Scholarship winners will be announced in the coming weeks. For questions, please email Lynn.Rasch@culver.org.
2023 Trips
GPS Blog
From Mexico and Spain to Ireland and India, our students have traveled and served all over the globe though the Global Pathways Spring Program. Read firsthand accounts on the program's student-run travel blog.
Trip Deposits
Click the button below to submit your 2023 GPS trip deposit. The payment portal will open Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at 8:00 AM Eastern Standard Time.
Scholarship Opportunities
There are multiple scholarship opportunities for both CGA and CMA students for the 2023 GPS trips.
- GPS Program Scholarship
- Jerry Ney CMA ’57 Scholarships
- GPS Program Leadership Scholarships
- John and Pam Buxton International Fund Scholarship
- Harry Langenberg ’95 GPS Scholarships
- Lt. Dr. Claire VanLandingham GPS Program Scholarship
- The Leadership Committee for Africa (LCA) Scholarship
- The Angie ‘98 and Jason Strobel (LCA) Leadership Scholarship for $1,000
- Westerman Scholarship for the Mexico GPS Trip
- Stephen B. Woodruff ’65 Endowed Scholarship
GPS Program Scholarship
Jerry Ney CMA ’57 Scholarships
GPS Program Leadership Scholarships
John and Pam Buxton International Fund Scholarship
Harry Langenberg ’95 GPS Scholarships
Lt. Dr. Claire VanLandingham GPS Program Scholarship
The Leadership Committee for Africa (LCA) Scholarship
The Angie ‘98 and Jason Strobel (LCA) Leadership Scholarship for $1,000
Westerman Scholarship for the Mexico GPS Trip
Stephen B. Woodruff ’65 Endowed Scholarship
NOTICE – GPS participants and Parents
All students and adults traveling on the Culver Academies GPS trips must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 without exception.
Culver Academies has the full intention of moving forward with the scheduled 2023 GPS trips. However, if the COVID-19 pandemic or unforeseen circumstances causes us or our travel partners to cancel a trip(s), Culver will be unable to refund payments for these trips.
Parents are highly encouraged to consider trip insurance for the GPS trips. Some of the travel companies we partner with will be able to offer Cancel for Any Reason Trip Insurance, but most of our travel partners do not offer this option. Travel Guard insurance at www.travelguard.com, Insure My Trip (www.insuremytrip.com) and Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) www.culturalinsurance.com) are all options to consider. It is recommended that parents purchase trip insurance for a GPS trip as you could have an unexpected need to cancel your student’s trip due to family emergencies, medical illness, etc.
The $600 non-refundable deposit is what holds a student’s place on a Culver Academies GPS trip. However, many of these trips will sell out quickly once we open the payment site on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at 8:00 AM Eastern Standard Time. If a specific GPS trip sells out, students may transfer their deposit to another 2023 GPS trip. If there is not another trip that your student wishes to transfer to, then the deposit will be refunded by coordinating with the Student Accounts office. Banking information will be gathered through a secure DocuSign form to process refunds. Do not email your banking information to the Student Accounts office. Parents are to be reminded that the $600 non-refundable deposits for the GPS trips are due by December 2, 2022. If there are openings for individuals for GPS trips after this date, deposits will still be collected, and students may be added to the GPS trips that have openings. Parents are encouraged to purchase trip cancellation insurance. After December 2, 2022, students or parents cancelling their son/daughter participation in a GPS trip will be responsible for the entire cost of the trip.
The remaining balance for the GPS trips is due by the close of business on Friday, February 10, 2023.
There will be several GPS trip scholarships offered this year and this info will be sent out to students separately. Students do not need to pay a deposit if they can only travel on a GPS trip if they win a GPS scholarship.
For More information on GPS trips contact Dean Lynn Rasch at Lynn.Rasch@culver.org.