GEO Week is back!

The Global Education and Outreach Department, GEO, will have its annual GEO Week Oct. 4^th through 7^th. To promote their study abroad, global, and local outreach programs, they will have numerous informative events and fun activities around campus for all students to participate in.

This week leads to the opening of the applications for the mission trips that will take place during 2022 spring break and 2022 summer. They will also remind students that the Study Abroad deadline for Spring 2022 is Oct. 15^th.

Vanguard has been putting on Mission Trips Week since it was founded in 1920. It changed to GEO Week when the Global Education and Outreach office was established six years ago. The GEO office incorporated study abroad and local outreach programs providing students more opportunities.  

GEO is hosting a kick-off event at the Waugh Student Center lawn on Oct. 4^th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Vanguard students will be able to ride a camel and take pictures with it. GEO will provide beverages, snacks, and information on all events.  

Associate Dean of International and Experiential Education, Kayli Hillebrand, mentioned, “A few years ago we brought in the camel and now it is like a tradition.” 

There are several ongoing events throughout the week. There will be a prayer space in the Price room from Oct. 4^th through 7^th starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. This room will let students, staff, and faculty take time out of their day to be with the Lord. For an hour every day of GEO week, there will be a prayer subject including Hunger, Homelessness, Human-Trafficking, and Refugees. 

There will be a photo expo open all day in the Heath Academic Center from Oct. 4th through 7th. This will display students’ work and students can vote on their favorite pieces.  

 To get commuters involved, GEO is hosting a Commuter Coffee event in the lot between Scott Academic Center and Heath Academic Center on October 5^th and 6^th from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. This time is meant for commuters to enjoy coffee, donuts, and meet new people.  

Oct. 4^th through 6^th at 5:30 p.m. there will be team competitions on the Waugh Student Center lawn. The first competition will be a Survivor-themed puzzle where players race to gather puzzle pieces and assemble them.

The second activity will be Capture the Camel which is similar to capture the flag. The last team competition is a video scavenger hunt. Teams will record themselves completing specific actions, from a provided list, around campus. These team competitions encourage students to meet new people, work together, and earn prizes.

The Plugged-In event will be on Oct. 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Waugh Student Center lawn. GEO Outreach Intern, Rachel Russell, Junior and Psychology major, described it as a, “Ministry fair where vendors from different local and global outreach organizations will have information booths and volunteer opportunities.”  

Students will be given a stamp card to track which booths they attend, and this event will connect students with opportunities in community service and international programs.  

 On Wednesday, Oct. 6^th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. is the Navigate event. This is a fair-like event where representatives and study abroad alumni will be prepared to connect with current students.

Study Abroad Intern, Sophie Garret, Senior, and Nursing Major, said, “Students will learn more about program specifics such as estimated cost and program suggestions based on major.”  

On Thursday, Oct. 7^th there will be a World Market event from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. In this event, booths will have different mission trip opportunities. Students can ask the booth-workers questions and decide where they want to go. Each table will have a snack from its region for students to try.  

The Global Education and Outreach team hopes to see you there!