Global Studies Program

Students Can Now Earn a Global Studies Diploma

Archmere Academy’s Global Studies Program prepares lifelong learners for every good work by building cultural competence and by fostering personal growth and professional success through travel and study. This multidisciplinary academic program provides cross-cultural, experiential learning opportunities that cultivate empathetic leadership, effective communication, and a global mindset.

Students will earn a Global Studies Diploma for meeting all five program requirements. Students who complete all of the minimums except for international travel will earn a Global Studies Certificate.

Global Studies Diploma Requirements

List of 5 items.

SPEAK
Achieve at least one of the two following standards:
- Four (4) years of Chinese, French, or Spanish with no semester grade falling below a B
- Three (3) years of Chinese, French, or Spanish with no semester grade falling below a B + the Delaware Certificate of Multiliteracy
STUDY
Enroll, and earn no less than a semester grade of B, in at least three (3) of the following classes:
- Norbertine Spirituality
- World Religions
- Honors Theology Seminar
- Faith in History
- Christian Service
- Social Justice
- Cultural Perspectives
- Cultural Geography
- Civil Rights
- Contemporary Global Issues (CGI)
- Conflict and Culture
- AP World History: Modern
- AP European History
- AP Capstone, focusing on global issue in either AP Seminar or AP Research AP Environmental Science
ACT
Complete at least two (2) of following:
- Host a visiting international student
- Present a TEDxYouth talk on an approved global studies topic
- Demonstrate a commitment to an Archmere club that
  cultivates a global mindset (Model UN, Anime Club, DEI, Habitat for Humanity, International Club, etc.)
- Log 10-15 hours in Archmere’s Community Service program
- Fund-raise for a humanitarian (social, medical, environmental, etc.) cause through participation in (or leadership of) a sponsored activity (e.g., The w Project)
- Participate in the St. Norbert College Leadership Corps
- Achieve intermediate proficiency of a new language through an accredited program outside Archmere
- Compete in a writing or speech contest focusing on subjects related to global studies
- Earn the Delaware Certificate of Multiliteracy in any language
- Represent Archmere’s GSP mission-based ideals through
  course-based artistic expression (sculpture, painting,
  graphic design, short story, poetry, etc.)
- Engage in independent programs, initiatives, fund-raising,
  etc., outside Archmere that focus on global initiatives
- Participate in the University of Delaware World Language Showcase
- Propose your own global studies “act” to the Global Studies
  Coordinator and negotiate its requirements
- Engage in organized international travel outside Archmere to meet goals related to culture, spirituality, athletics, service, etc.
- Participate/present at one of the DEI-sponsored Culture Nights
- Enroll in the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) online or overseas
TRAVEL
Join at least one (1) Archmere-sponsored international travel opportunity:

World Language and Culture Department exchange:
- French exchange visit and host
- Spanish exchange trip visit and host
- Chinese exchange trip visit and host
Any Archmere-based curricular/cultural/spiritual/service travel opportunities available through the Global Studies Program:
- Nicaragua, India, England, Costa Rica, Belize, Norbertine heritage, etc.
SHARE
Complete a shareable capstone project for a GSP Library or participate in an Oral Interview:

the GSP Project must:
- Be approved and supervised by the Global Studies Coordinator
- Feature GSP Mission-based personal growth and learning
- Articulate a focused theme or message
- Demonstrate the student’s unique/personal talents or skills
or
in a recorded Oral Interview the student will:
- Prepare and read a 75-100 word statement that defines their GSP experiences
- Take questions, posed to them by an assembled panel, about their GSP experiences
- Through a comprehensive review, share the insights they gained through their GSP experiences

Travel Opportunities

Nicaragua Thanksgiving 2026
Students will travel with the Wilmington-based Neighbors to Nicaragua to provide tutoring services to children in the village of Nueva Esperanza with the intention of lifting them from poverty through education. Students will visit local cultural sites and hike a volcano.
Japan Easter 2027
In Tokyo, Kyoto, Saitama and the Mount Fuji area, students will visit magnificent, ancient temples, shrines, and traditional architectural gems. They will participate in a Japanese tea ceremony. STEM experiences in Tokyo include the National Museum of Emerging Science & Innovation, a robotics manufacturing site, the riveting Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and a High Energy Accelerator. Students will visit a state-of-the art recycling facility, and attend a Japanese paper-making workshop. At the Maglev Exhibition Center in Yamanashi prefecture, students will explore magnetic levitation technology before a thrilling ride on the Shinkansen bullet train.
Greece Thanksgiving 2027
Starting in Athens, Archmere’s Global Studies Program will be traveling for 9 nine days in the footsteps of Odysseus and Achilles from the mountains of Delphi, site of the famous oracle, to shores of Hydra. The trip will include lots of trekking through archaeological sites and sailing on the wine-dark seas to various islands, such as Poros and Aegina. In addition to seeking the past, we will be learning about modern-day Greek culture through food, music, and dance. Opa!

Past Travel

Madrid, Spain, Summer 2026
Continuing our long history of exchange programs with Spanish high schools, students from Colegio Virgen de Europa visited Archmere in September 2025, and their Archmere hosts will visit them in Madrid in June 2026. Students will experience high school life in Spain for two weeks, staying with Spanish host families and getting to know Madrid through its world-class art museums, architecture, and vibrant culture. Students will also travel central Spain to learn about the Roman, Visigoth, Islamic, and Catholic influences that created modern Spain.
Italy Summer 2026
Archmere's Global Studies Program is traveling the Italian peninsula from top to bottom. Starting in Venice, our group will walk through the ancient city and then experience a glass-blowing demonstration on the island of Murano. Next, we travel to the heart of the Italian Renaissance, Florence and visit the Uffizi Gallery. In Sorrento, where we will tour a mozzarella farm and ancient Pompeii. Finally, the tour will stay in the Eternal City of Rome to see the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
Belize 2023
Students traveled to Belize over spring break 2023 for an educational experience! On this trip, students participated in environmental activities such as coral reef conservation, as well as explored Mayan ruins, snorkeled the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, and zip-lined through the rainforest!
India 2023
Returning to India for the first time since 2017, Archmere students and faculty traveled from Bangalore to Bandipur and back, visiting (among other places) two Norbertine schools, a primitive Indian colony, a tiger reserve, and a silk factory.
British Isles 2024
On this interdisciplinary excursion, Archmere students explored the geographical, social and literary histories of the British Isles to enhance their understanding from a humanities perspective. The trip began in Dublin, then traveled north to Belfast and Derry, and then to Edinburgh castle, ending in London with a tour of Windsor Castle.
Taiwan 2024
Students embarked on an enriching educational and cultural exchange program with Yanping High School in Taiwan! Students were immersed in dynamic classrooms, honing language skills while exploring the island’s rich history and diverse traditions. Connecting with local communities, and forging cross-cultural connections made this trip a unique and unforgettable experience.
Senlis, France 2025
Through our long-standing exchange program with the Lycée Privé St. Vincent, Archmere students hosted a brother/sister in the Spring of 2025 and traveled to Senlis in June of 2025. Students stayed primarily with host families and participated in excursions with their host brother/sister, and also took an overnight trip to Normandy to learn about WWII history.
Iceland Easter 2025
On Archmere's first venture to Iceland, students traveled among four primary regions: Reykjavik, Klauster, South Shore, and Fludir. Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, this trip took them to waterfalls and lava tunnels, canyon hikes and hot springs. Plus eco-farming, Icelandic museums, and geothermal bread-making.
Eastern Europe Thanksgiving 2025
Experiencing Norbertine history and community, students traveled to abbeys and schools in Prague, Kosice, and Budapest. Performing service with the nuns at Zsámbék, attending Mass at Gödöllo's new cathedral, taking a night cruise on the Danube through Budapest, and shopping in Prague's Old Town are a few of this trip's highlights.
Costa Rica Easter 2026
Students explored Costa Rican ecology on this exciting expedition! Students learned about rainforest biodiversity and conservation while participating in activities like white water rafting, zip lining, guided wildlife hikes, and participate in wildlife research and rehabilitation projects.