From Student to Leader: How a Bethel Global Studies Program Came Full Circle in Colombia

In global education, the deepest impact isn’t always measured in miles traveled or hours served; it’s measured in who comes back to lead.

This spring, Bethel University returned once again to Cali, Colombia, continuing a service-learning partnership that began a decade ago. But these days, the program carries special significance: the Colombia experience is now led by Garrett Burns, Bethel’s Chaplain and Director of Community Engagement, and one of the very first sociology majors I ever taught.

What began in 2015 as a new Global Studies initiative is now being carried forward by a former student who once sat in my classroom and later stepped into the world as a learner himself.

Garrett Burns leads an enthusiastic group of students in the Cali, Colombia program, capturing a moment of joy and unity.

Where the Story Began

The Bethel–Colombia partnership has deep roots. The relationship with Colegio Americano dates back to 1928, when Bethel alumni Mary Ethel Roa Brintle and Bernice Barnett helped establish what was then known as the Colombian School - an institution founded on principles of service, inclusion, and faith.

That legacy took on new life in 2015, when I worked with Angelica Poveda, Coordinator of Student Well-Being at Colegio Americano, to launch the first modern volunteer program through Bethel University’s Global Studies program. The goal was simple but ambitious: to create an experience rooted in relationship, reciprocity, and ethical service, not tourism.

A Former Student Turns Leader

Fast forward ten years.

Just days after the Spring 2025 semester ended, Bethel students and community members arrived in Cali under the leadership of Garrett and Jessica Burns. Garrett returned for his sixth service-learning experience in Colombia - but this time, not as a student, but as the program’s leader.

Now mentoring his own students, Burns guided participants into Colegio Americano’s English classrooms, where they worked alongside Colombian teachers and engaged students - many of whom rarely have opportunities to interact with native English speakers.

For me, watching Garrett lead this program was a powerful reminder of why global education matters. The work doesn’t end when students come home. Sometimes, it grows roots - and returns.

Learning, Faith, and Cultural Immersion

The week balanced meaningful service with deep cultural engagement. In addition to daily work at Colegio Americano, participants explored Cali’s history and landscape, including:

• The Cauca Valley

• Cristo Rey (affectionately known to our students as “Big Jesus”)

• The Cali River and Parque del Gato

• La Ermita, one of the city’s most iconic churches

  
  

Students shared meals, drank Colombian coffee and fresh lulo juice, and sampled every variation of cheese bread - especially pan de bono - while learning about Colombian art and daily life.

Reflecting on the experience, Burns shared:

“The work that began in 1928 with Bethel students is continuing today through Bethel students. God calls students, teachers, and professionals back to Colombia every year - where we experience hospitality, culture, and Christ’s call to love our neighbors.”

Impact That Extends Beyond the Trip

Between daily service at Colegio Americano and a visit to Universidad del Valle, Cali’s largest public university, participants volunteered more than 32 hours each, contributing a total of 480 service hours and an estimated $16,699 in economic impact.

But the most meaningful outcomes weren’t numeric.

Students returned home with a deeper understanding of Colombian history, cross-cultural relationships, and global responsibility. They returned with faith strengthened, perspectives widened, and—for some—the quiet realization that one day, they might return as leaders too.

A Model That Multiplies

Today, Bethel University partners with Global Citizen Adventure Corps (GCAC) to provide scholarships, ensuring programs like this remain accessible to students from rural and under-resourced communities.

But the true measure of success lies in stories like Garrett’s.

When former students return to lead, mentor, and teach - when they carry forward the values of ethical service, humility, and global citizenship - the work multiplies.

This is what sustainable global education looks like. Not just trips abroad - but leaders shaped, and leaders returned.