Voices

The Power of Education and Opportunity

The moment my purpose as an international educator felt whole.
Amy, left, and her sister, Kate Sorenson, on the balcony of Samir Omerefendic’s home in Sarajevo in 2012. Photo: Courtesy Amy VanSurksum
 

It was 1994, and I was living the American high school dream. Oblivious to the world around me, I reveled in the excitement of the moment and the opportunities that lay ahead. I was a senior in high school in a small town in Minnesota. My summer plans included spending time with my friends, working as a lifeguard at the beach, and traveling the state with our prize-winning marching band. College on the horizon, nothing could bring me down. 

Image
Amy VanSurksum head shot
Amy VanSurksum

I was completely unaware of the world beyond me. I didn’t know that the lives of young people across the globe were being shattered by unthinkable wars. Somalia was in the throes of civil war, Rwanda was in the midst of genocide, and Bosnia and Herzegovina was being torn apart by ethnic cleansing that turned friends and neighbors into mortal enemies in a brutal conflict that divided a newly recognized country post-Yugoslavia. 

Flash forward 10 years. My study abroad experience in college set me on a clear career path as an international educator. I thought I had developed empathy, introspection, and cultural awareness after spending nearly a year in Russia. I applied those skills every day in my professional life as I recruited and supported international students from around the world. In 2004, I was working as an academic adviser at the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University (CSB/SJU) in central Minnesota.

A Life-Changing Experience

In 1999, an alum-turned-philanthropist, Dan Whalen, had found it in his heart to help rebuild Bosnia and Herzegovina (often referred to as BiH) through youth leadership development focused on peace building. Whalen launched a program called PeaceTrails, which ran for 14 years. (Read more about the program.) He met so many promising young people whose lives were disrupted by war and saw their potential as leaders, peacemakers, and rebuilders of their nation. In collaboration with CSB/SJU and other colleges and universities in the United States and around the world, he helped fund the higher education of 99 BiH students. About 30 of these students earned their bachelor’s degrees at CSB/SJU, where I had the opportunity to get to know many of them.

The dichotomy between our experiences during our teenaged and college years was immeasurable. To this day, I cannot fully grasp the grit, determination, and tenacity of each BiH student. Every student´s story is different, with each bringing a unique light to the world, and their impact is like mycelium spreading, touching, and bringing together a more peaceful and connected world. They are artists, diplomats, authors, peacekeepers, researchers, teachers, entrepreneurs, business owners, animal rescue activists, humanitarians, mothers, and fathers. Each of them makes the world a better place.

Coming Full Circle

I have had the opportunity to stay in touch with some of the students, even visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina twice. The first trip was funded by the Whalen Family Foundation. Barb Novak, associate registrar at CSB/SJU, and I spent about 10 days traveling from Sarajevo to Banja Luka and Mostar to visit universities and learn about the education system firsthand. Many—if not all—of the BiH students came to CSB/SJU with a year or more of transferable coursework taken before or shortly after their lives were disrupted by war. Our goal was to better understand the similarities and differences between the U.S. and BiH education systems to better advocate on behalf of the students for transfer credit back on campus. We gave a presentation at the EducationUSA office in Sarajevo, visited the site of the 1984 Olympics, and learned about the history of the land and people along the way. We were treated to meals with the families of our students and met with graduates who had already returned home to establish their new lives and careers.

The rebuilding of structures is easy to see, but the rebuilding of community—and the pure defiance to ensure that nothing like the war that tore their country apart will ever revisit their homeland—is what struck a chord in me.

The second visit was of a personal nature. I took my younger sister on an archaeology dig in the city of Visoko, where we worked with a team of volunteers from around the world to uncover pyramids hidden under the earth and overgrown vegetation for centuries. We woke up each morning to the Islamic call to prayer—a sound of resilience in a country previously torn apart over religious differences. Both times I visited BiH, my companions were new to international travel, so it was an added delight to observe them taking it all in and transforming their worldviews through the experiences we shared.

It was when I had the opportunity to travel around this beautiful country, visibly scarred by war and marked by remembrance, that my purpose as an international educator felt whole. That same resilience and determination the students put into their studies in the United States is hard at work back home now—and around the world. The rebuilding of structures is easy to see, but the rebuilding of community—and the pure defiance to ensure that nothing like the war that tore their country apart will ever revisit their homeland—is what struck a chord in me. The power of education and opportunity came full circle.

International education has always been about developing empathy for others, engaging in cultural relativism, reducing the space that separates us physically and philosophically, and bringing us together to make the world a better and more peaceful place. What started out as the PeaceTrails project continues its legacy today through study abroad programs to Bosnia and Herzegovina, career mentorship, guest speakers, and, of course, peace building and youth leadership programs that continue to thrive. And, so, the cycle continues; every life touched by international education is a life changed—for the better.


Amy VanSurksum is the senior vice president of business development for North America at StudyPortals.

About International Educator

International Educator is NAFSA’s flagship publication and has been published continually since 1990. As a record of the association and the field of international education, IE includes articles on a variety of topics, trends, and issues facing NAFSA members and their work. 

From in-depth features to interviews with thought leaders and columns tailored to NAFSA’s knowledge communities, IE provides must-read context and analysis to those working around the globe to advance international education and exchange.

About NAFSA

NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. NAFSA serves the needs of more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide at more than 3,500 institutions, in over 150 countries.

NAFSA membership provides you with unmatched access to best-in-class programs, critical updates, and resources to professionalize your practice. Members gain unrivaled opportunities to partner with experienced international education leaders.