It comes with a lot of responsibility: Creating social change in Ghana

SIT Study Abroad alum Peter Glidden in Ghana

As a student on the SIT Study Abroad Ghana: Social Transformation and Cultural Expression program, Peter Glidden  was placed with a homestay family in Beposo village. Though Peter’s time in Beposo was short, he made some amazing friendships, and the leaders of the community asked Peter to be Beposo’s Chief of Development. 

Before accepting, Peter consulted with SIT’s program coordinator Kwame Prince Osu, who told him, “It comes with a lot of responsibility…If you’re sure that you can handle that, then you can hold this position.” Glidden thought long and hard, and finally accepted.

A few years later, Glidden returned to Beposo to begin construction on a new school. Half a dozen friends and colleagues, inspired by his connection with the community, decided to come along to volunteer their time. Glidden even brought along his childhood friend Ted Alcorn, who produced a documentary about the experience.

Though Glidden provided many of the resources for the school, he is hesitant to take credit for the project. “It’s really something that they’ve been doing themselves,” he said. “It’s their project at this point, and that has been, I think, the coolest part about it.”

Glidden is an example of the impact that SIT and World Learning have on tomorrow’s global leaders. Glidden is just one example of how our alumni work towards social change in communities around the world. Watch his story below or click here to watch the full documentary.