\tBy Markus Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tFor the third time since 2011, UW Bothell hosted a cohort of students and their faculty mentor from the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, South Africa. They were part of Leadership for Change, an ambitious and visionary program intended to provide leadership education and training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tThe partnership between UW Bothell and UFS is built on mutually enriching student and staff exchange activities. Most recently, Diversity Director and Global Initiatives Director Natalia Dyba, led a Summer 2015 study abroad program to South Africa for the second annual Global Leadership conference. Both institutions have a common commitment to expanding access and increasing equity in higher education, as well as taking advantage of opportunities to improve diversity on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tThese exchange opportunities have proven to be an effective way to learn from one another and for our students to gain a global perspective on social issues that both groups have in common. \u201cThis experience has helped me understand that privilege and equity contribute to the systematic oppression of marginalized communities, and it\u2019s not limited to one country,\u201d says Cruz Garibay, a senior who served as a UW Bothell student ambassador for the visiting students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tStudents from UFS explored diversity in the U.S. They also learned how UW Bothell\u2019s commitment to diversity is evolving along with an increase in student-led equity initiatives. Sifiso Mgaga, a UFS student, says it\u2019s time for a change when it comes to diversity and social justice in the US and South Africa. \u201cNow we are moving ahead. We were born in a different circumstance than people who are leading us,\u201d says Mgaga. \u201cWe have a different mindset now and we should change. Everything is changing around us and I just want people to see that. Let\u2019s change with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tDuring the two week program UFS students had the opportunity to meet with student organizations on the Bothell and Seattle campuses, host a South Africa table at the Global Student Welcome event, participate in a service project for MLK Day, and visit UW Bothell classes. They also got to know the families of several UW Bothell faculty and staff. The program was organized by Global Initiatives and the Office of Diversity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\n\tUW Bothell welcomed students from the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein, South Africa this month. They were part of Leadership for Change, a global partnership that teaches the value of diversity and builds leadership skills.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_is_archived":false,"_archived_contact_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[202,204],"tags":[],"school":[],"class_list":["post-2430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-campus-news","category-students"],"acf":{"related_links":{"toggle_visibility":false,"link_1":"","link_2":"","link_3":"","link_4":"","link_5":""},"highlight_box":{"toggle_visibility":false,"title":"","content":"","button":"","button_style":"angled-purple-button","button_screen_reader_text":""},"contact_type_1":{"toggle_visibility":true,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"contact_type_2":{"toggle_visibility":false,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"social_media":{"toggle_visibility":false,"facebook_url":"","instagram_url":"","linkedin_url":"","twitter_url":"","youtube_url":""},"blog_archive_sidebar_visibility":false},"yoast_head":"\n