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• Michelle Obama Calls For Global Awareness

  published May 18, 2010

  At Abroad101 we are very passionate about international education and study abroad (duh!). Nothing makes us happier than to hear figureheads discuss how important it is to be a globally conscious citizen of the world.

  
  

  On Sunday, May 16, Michelle Obama spoke at George Washington University's commencement. Over the past year, the first lady challenged this year's GW graduates to perform 100,000 hours of community service. In return, she agreed to speak at their graduation. She spoke of the various types of community service the GW students pursued but also discussed how to spread those efforts globally:

  
  

  "I’m just asking you to keep being you, to keep doing what you’re doing. Just take it global.

  Yes, that can mean serving in the world’s most broken places. Or it can simply mean surfing foreign news sources to get an idea of how other young people see things in other parts of the world.

  It can mean continuing your own personal and professional growth by traveling far and wide. Or it can mean reaching back to convince the students behind you to try study abroad programs, especially students from communities and backgrounds who might not normally consider it.

  It can mean seizing that overseas opportunity with a company. Or it can mean staying here and fixing the world by doing business with the world, and, at the same time, creating opportunity in your own community."

  
  

  You can read the rest of her speech here.

  
  

  

  posted by Danielle101