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.
2025 GPS details will be shared in the September Academy Road (parents), via schoology announcements (students), and at the September 1st Activities Fair. This website will be updated with trip details and pricing information by early September. Please email GPS@culver.org with questions or for more information.
2025 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 Payments
NOTICE – GPS Participants and Parents: Please read carefully
Parents and Students - Please note that that the US Passport Office states that standard passport processing can take up to 11 weeks, expedited processing is taking 6 to 8 weeks. Students that need to apply for or renew their passport must plan to do this no later than during Thanksgiving Break. Passports must be valid until at least September 2025 for international trips.
Culver Academies has the full intention of moving forward with the scheduled 2025 GPS trips. However, if COVID-19 or unforeseen circumstances cause 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 GPS trips. You should consider Cancel for Any Reason Trip (CFAR) Insurance. Some options to consider are Travel Guard insurance at www.travelguard.com, Insure My Trip (www.insuremytrip.com), Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) www.culturalinsurance.com), and Allianz Travel Insurance www.allianztravelinsurance.com. 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, trips may sell out quickly once we open the payment site on Wednesday, September 25th. If a specific GPS trip sells out, students may transfer their deposit to another 2025 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 Friday, November 22nd. 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 November 22, 2024, students or parents cancelling their student’s participation in a GPS trip will be responsible for the entire cost of the trip.
The remaining balance for the GPS trip is due by the close of business on Friday, January 31, 2025.
There will be several partial 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 are awarded GPS scholarship. We will reserve spots on each trip for GPS scholarship recipients.
Please note that all 2025 GPS trips end prior to conclusion of Culver’s Spring Break which ends on Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 7:00 pm. Students may travel from Chicago O’Hare to visit friends or family in the USA or abroad after this trip ends or may attend a program in Boston with Cogito at their own cost. https://cogitoworldeducation.org/school-break-programs/
For More information on GPS trips email GPS@culver.org.