GAP YEAR IN with the WORLD ACADEMY FOR THE FUTURE OF WOMEN

At Sias International University through collaboration with Global Interactions

“Discovering your passion and purpose enables you to find your voice, take action and create a life you never dreamed possible.”

Jerrie Ueberle

“探索激情和目标，能让你发现自己的心声，行动起来，创造一个梦想不到的人生。”

——杰瑞·尤伯利

www.wafw.org

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WHAT IS A WAFW GAP YEAR?

A Gap Year is an opportunity for high school graduates and/or university students to experience another culture and to widen their perspective while advancing their aca- demic careers. The World Academy for the Future of Women (WAFW) partnered with SIAS International University to make this experience even richer for Gap Year students. WAFW enables student members to find their passion, purpose and path to success. Members practice leadership in action and learn what it takes to become a global citizen and leader. Students will gain a broader perspective for what is possible in choosing their major and potential careers to envision their future and the path to get there. Why CHINA? One in four people on the planet are Chinese. SIAS International University is an ‘East meets West’ campus where students speak English and are eager to learn more about the west. The exchange with American and western students is ro- bust with real time learning and relationship building in the fastest growing economy in the world. Immersion in Mandarin accelerates and deepens learning and the ability to connect authentically with this ancient and dynamic culture.

LEARN MORE: World Academy for the Future of Women: www.gi-wafw.org

Sias International University: www.en.sias.edu.cn

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Why a WAFW GAP YEAR?

BEING a Global Citizen with a Gap Year in China EMBRACING the opportunity you have as a Millennial to set a new course for global relationships and leadership RECOGNIZING that leadership is the single most important ingredient to creating sustainable change in the world ACHIEVING proficiency in Mandarin through coursework and daily interactions with Chinese teachers and students ACCELERATING action and leading impactful projects on social issues as a member of an international team AQUIRING unique and value added experiences that will provide a competitive advantage to your college and job applications. MAXIMIZNG career opportunities with bi-lingual and bi- cultural experiences.

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WORLD ACADEMY FOR THE FUTURE OF WOMEN

The World Academy is a bold and daring leadership program focused on developing young women and men for leadership roles that will address and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The purpose of the World Academy is to advance and accelerate women’s leadership worldwide addressing gender equality, social justice and human dignity. The World Academy classes are taught in English with Chinese translation.

THE WORLD ACADEMY ACTION LEADERSHIP PROGRAM The World Academy action leadership curriculum involves seminars, interactive labs, coaching, open forums and projects designed by students to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. World Academy projects include strategies for assisting children to stay in school, for parents to support their children in reading and learning, for promoting and knowing about HIV-AIDS in the most impacted areas of China and the World, connecting with and advocating for Left Behind Children, supporting women to find their voices and make choices in their lives, providing factory workers with opportunities to see a bigger brighter future, and to develop strategies and ideas for solving problems of poverty, education and health!

Travel will include trips into urban communities to implement projects and to the countryside to engage with village women and children. Additional travel to cultural and historical sites in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian will be available throughout the 10-month program. 5

STUDYSTUDY ININ CHINACHINA ANDAND BECOMEBECOME AA GLOBALGLOBAL CITIZENCITIZEN

SIAS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY , Province, CHINA

Sias International University www.sias.edu.cnwww.en.sias.edu.cn is an is an East meetsMeets West campus in rural China. Sias has more than 27,000 Chinese students and 200-300 interna- tional students. Sias has the largest number of foreign faculty200-300 of any international university students.in China. Sias has the largest number of foreign faculty of any university in China.

SIAS UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL CURRICULUM

SIAS INTERNATIONALThe World UNIVERSITY Academy Gap YearLAN- includes GUAGELANGUAGE AND AND CULTURALthe CULTURAL opportunity CURRICULUM forCURRICULUM students to enroll in Sias courses for , The World Academyculture, Gap Year history, includes geography the opportunity and travel to for students to enroll inhistoric Sias and courses cultural for sights Chinese to language, gain a culture, history, geographydeeper understandingand totravel travel to andtohistoric historic experience and and cultur- of alcultural sights sights to gain to again deeperthe a deeper country understanding understanding and culture. and experienceand Gap Year of theexperience country ofand the culture. countrystudents Gap and’ Chinese Year culture. students language Gap’ language ability Year willstudents ability be ’ inlanguage Chinese ability will be in determinedChineseevaluated will to determineto be select determined thethe best best toplacement placement select the in the program and will be assigned to frombest placementbeginning to from advancedclasses beginning based levels. on to They theiradvanced will knowledge be levels. assigned and They to classeswill be based assigned on theirto performanceclasses knowledge based level. and on performance their knowledge level. and performance level.

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Longmen Grottoes

Yellow River Scenic Sight Sias University

Shaolin Monastery HENAN PROVINCE

 SIAS International University is located in Henan Province, the most populous province in China with 100 million people.

 SIAS is located in Xinzheng, near the capital city of Zhengzhou, the home of The Yellow Emperor (Huang Di 黄帝), China’s first ruler whose reign began in 2599 BC.

 The main economic drivers are agriculture, manufacturing and coal.

 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Henan include the , the and School of Martial Arts, “The Centre of Heaven and Earth” Monument in , the , and Yinxu, the site of one of the major historical capitals of China.

 The climate at Xinzheng is similar to the Midwest USA with warm summers and moderately cool winters and some snowfall each year. 7

LIVING ACCOMODATIONS

Gap Year students will reside in the international student dorms with other international students and will have opportunities for home stays in villages, rural and urban communities with families. Students may choose either two or four person dorm rooms.

Meals are inexpensive and may be purchased in cafeterias of choice in many campus locations.

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THE WAFW CHINA GAP YEAR PROGRAM

Gap Year students will reside and dine in the international student dorms with other international students and will have opportunities for home stays in villages, rural and urban communities with families.Literacy Students maySunshine choose Angelseither two Give Voice to Women or four person dorm rooms.

A.

LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP

The World Academy Gap Year Program is designed to deliver content to the Gap Year students and to provide multiple opportunities for the students to move the content into action through activities that allow them to learn, follow, and lead. Paired with C. ChineseB. and other international students, they will design a personal plan and embark on a year of fulfilling the possibilities they see for themselves and others. WAFW projects focuses on developing leaders to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, bringing gender equality, social justice, and human dignity to women worldwide. World Academy facilitators, mentors, and other World Academy team members will support them in reaching and exceeding their goals. D.

A. Campus walkway; B. Dorm foodcourt; C. ; D. International Student Dorm

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GAP YEAR CURRICULUM: Global Leadership

Chinese Language and Culture

The World Academy Global Leadership content includes:

 Discovering Your Purpose and Passion  Widening Your View of the World and What is Possible  Creating a Personal Plan that Inspires and Engages You and Others  Organizing and Balancing Your Life to Achieve Your Goals  Designing a Plan that is Bigger than Yourself  Producing and Engaging Others in a Team with a Specific Outcome  Developing Presentation Skills to Express Your Purpose  Measuring and Evaluating Your Success and Celebrating Your Achievements

The Chinese Language and Culture content includes:

 Comprehensive Chinese – , vocabulary and grammar  Oral Chinese – Speaking  Chinese Listening – Understanding  – Writing  Chinese History  Chinese Philosophy  Chinese Geography/Travel  Chinese Culture—Including marital arts, music and art

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GAP YEAR CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Students can count on a full 10-month program of extraordinary, challenging and amazing activities. The year is designed to provide new opportunities, introduce Gap Year students to experiences and possibilities that will allow them to know more, grow more, and discover new things about themselves and the world they live in! The calendar below is just a sample of the events planned for the Gap Year!

August 23-24 Orientation in Phoenix, Arizona, prior to departure August 25 International departure to Zhengzhou August 27 Arrival and transfer to Sias International University August 28-31 Orientation on Sias campus September 2 Opening Ceremony and Welcome to the World Academy for the Future of Women September 3 First Day of classes. First Module of the World Academy for the Future of Women September 15 Candlelight Ceremony for New Students October 8 Second Module of the World Academy for the Future of Women October 1 National Holiday – One week for home stays and travel October Moon Festival October 29 Third Module of the World Academy for the Future of Women November Sias Cultural Week November Fourth Module of the World Academy for the Future of Women December 22 End of Fall Semester January 5 Final Week January 11– February 25 Semester Break, Spring Festival, home stays, travel and special projects February 24 Welcome Second Semester World Academy for the Future of Women February 25 Start of Second Semester and Fifth Module for the World Academy for the Future of Women March Sixth Module for the World Academy for the Future of Women April Spring Sports Meeting April Seventh Module for the World Academy for the Future of Women May Twelfth Annual Women’s Symposium May Eighth Module for World Academy for the Future of Women June 22 End of Second Semester June Final Week

CELEBRATE COMPLETION of the World Academy for the Future of Women and Language and Cultural Curriculum at Sias International University and BEGIN creating new possibilities as a GLOBAL CITIZEN!

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DETERMINE YOUR ELIGIBILITY

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Students (female or male) who have completed high school, ages 18-23, and have a strong desire to be engaged in issues that impact world conditions. Successful applicants will be students who are committed to taking action on 1) social issues throughout the world, 2) gender equality, social justice; and human dignity. Gap Year students are also committed to learning Chinese and to im- mersing themselves in accelerating their ability to communicate and embrace cultural diversity. College credits are available.

HOW TO APPLY Enrollment is an easy two-step process. FIRST: Send the completed WORLD ACADEMY GAP YEAR INTENT TO ENROLL form and your $40 application fee by mail or email to:

[email protected] Global Interactions 14 W. Cheryl Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85021 Dead line: April 23, 2018

SECOND: If accepted you will receive the World Academy Gap Year Application and information for obtaining your Chinese Visa. You must return these documents by May 1 with a deposit of US $1000. (US$600. is non-refundable should you choose to withdraw). Pay by credit card online at our US website www.wafw.org or by check to Global Interactions - 2018-19 Gap Year addressed to:

Global Interactions 14 W. Cheryl Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85021 You must obtain or hold a passport valid for 6 months following the last day of the Gap Year Program and pay the balance of your account by May 31, 2018.

The INTENT TO ENROLL APPLICATION FORM can be downloaded and completed at www.gi-wafw.org or you may complete and mail or scan to addresses above. 12

GAP YEAR COSTS

US$15,000. all inclusive year includes:

• International airfare from Phoenix to Zhengzhou and return

• Chinese Visa

• World Academy for the Future of Women program fees

• All Chinese Language and Cultural Classes (Gap Year students may select courses they wish to take for credit at no additional expense)

• Lodging

• Free WIFI and internet services

• Medical clearance and coverage

• Residential fee for staying in China

• Books

• Student trips

NOT INCLUDED:

• Obtaining passport

• Meals

• Domestic travel for US students to Phoenix, Arizona, orientation

• Extended travel over semester break (options available to students include remaining on Sias Campus)

• Personal items

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2018-19 World Academy Gap Year Intent to Enroll

Complete the Form below and return to Global Interactions, World Academy Gap Year Program, 14 West Cheryl Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85021 by April 23, 2018 with the $40 application fee (non-refundable) or scan application and send to [email protected].

Name as it appears on passport:

1. First ______Middle ______Last ______

2. Date of Birth Month______Day______Year______

3. Current grade in school: ______Date of High School Graduation: ______

4. Attach a one-page essay (not to exceed 500 words) describing why you want to be in the World Academy Gap Year Program

5. List 3 references we may contact to know more about you.

1) Name ______Relationship ______

Phone ______E-mail ______

2) Name ______Relationship ______

Phone ______E-mail ______

3) Name ______Relationship ______

Phone ______E-mail ______

6. Check the language(s) you speak. Indicate 1 for fluent, 2 for moderate, 3 for beginning

English ______Mandarin ______Other(s) ______

7. Home Address______

City ______Zip______State______

Phone______E-mail______

Parental Permission

8. I agree for my (daughter/son) ______to apply for the 2018-19 World Academy Gap Year Program

9. Parent Signature______Date ______

10. Student Applicant Signature ______Date ______

Attach a jpg headshot photo

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SIAS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY WORLD ACADEMY PARTNERSHIP

Sias International University in Xinzheng, Henan Province, hosts the World Academy for the Future of Women and serves as the global hub for World Academy activities and programs. The partnership with Sias began in 2009 when University founder and chairman, Shawn Chen, and Jerrie Ueberle, former Sias Foundation Board President and founder of Global Interactions, a U.S. 501(C)(3), non-profit corporation, created a partnership to house the World Academy on Sias campus. The generous in-kind support given by Sias in providing office space, classrooms, and accommodations for the World Academy facilitators, has provided the stability to develop and expand the Academy. The original one-year program for 100 women in 2009, has grown to a multi-level three year program for women, and a Men’s Academy for the Future of Women, which replicates the women’s program and prepares men to support the advancement of women. Over the past 8 years more than 870 Sias students have been selected for this bold and daring leadership program. In addition to their Sias academic coursework, Academy members are required to volunteer a minimum of 8-10 hours per week in seminars, labs, coaching, open forums, and to be a leader in a project aligned with one of the United Nations Sustainable Goals. This rigorous action leadership curriculum ensures that members can implement the skills they have learned and are able to be a leader on campus, in their community, their country, and the world. A World Academy in Action Alumni Association maintains the strong bonds developed in the Academy and extends the relationship following their completion of the Academy program to embrace post graduate studies, internships, and employment in careers that enable them to demonstrate their passion and purpose as global citizens. The East meets West philosophy of Sias aligns with the intent and outcomes of the World Academy to advance and accelerate women’s leadership worldwide. Sias also supports the Annual Women’s Symposium each May, engaging 5000 participants who connect, exchange, and are inspired by speakers from China and around the world committed to gender equality, social justice, and human dignity. Begun in 2006, the Symposium is open to those seeking to expand their global network and broaden their world vision. Students from more than 45 Chinese universities attended the 2017 Symposium.

We are privileged to work with the administrative leadership at Sias International University as we expand the World Academy to campuses throughout China, Nepal and around the world. Their confidence in the work of the World Academy and their support to young women and men exemplifies their vision for world peace and their generosity to building the next generation of leaders.

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For details contact the WAFW at:

Phone:For details 602.505.7888 contact the WAFW at: Email:Phone: 602.505.7888 [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.gi-wafw.org

www.wafw.org

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