"We prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be."
Student Life
Global Education
Global Education Mission Statement
In keeping with our Quaker mission to “prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be,” a global education at Friends Seminary empowers students to lead intentional lives of meaning and impact in our complex, interconnected, and dynamic world. At Friends Seminary we guide students to engage in a culture of curiosity that encourages them to seek multiple perspectives and take courageous action for others. Through wide-ranging curricular offerings, as well as through varied co-curricular opportunities, community engagement, and purposeful local, national and international experiences, students grow the knowledge, essential skills and empathy necessary to understand and address shared global challenges.
Adopted February 2024
Global Citizenship
Friends Seminary encourages students and faculty to see themselves as active participants in shaping an ever-evolving world. The Friends Global Education Program fosters real-world engagement through strategic partnerships and immersive experiences rooted in mutual respect, cross-cultural understanding, equity, and justice.
At Friends, global education extends far beyond travel. Beginning in Lower School, students engage in curriculum and experiences that integrate culture, language, and service, laying the foundation for global citizenship. Our goal is for every student to encounter multiple meaningful global education opportunities—both locally and internationally—before they graduate.
The CPEJ team supports this mission by providing students with experiences through classroom learning, community engagement, and diversity, equity, and belonging initiatives, as well as through purposeful travel. These opportunities cultivate the knowledge, skills, and empathy students need to “help bring about a world that ought to be.”
Friends Seminary’s Global Education programs are grounded in the four global competencies outlined by the United Nations’ Organization for Economic and Cultural Development. These competencies define the essential knowledge, skills, and mindsets students need to navigate and contribute to an interconnected world. At Friends, globally competent students are equipped to:
- Investigate the World – They are curious, engaged learners who seek to understand global issues and how the world functions.
- Recognize Perspectives – They acknowledge their own viewpoints while appreciating that others may see the world differently.
- Communicate Ideas – They can effectively express themselves, both verbally and non-verbally, across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.
- Take Action – They apply their knowledge and skills to effect meaningful change in their communities and beyond.
Global Education in Each Division
List of 3 frequently asked questions.
Spanish Language Exchange Program
CPEJ and the World Language Department are excited to offer the opportunity for Upper School students to participate in the Friends Seminary—Colegio Sant Ignasi Barcelona Exchange Program! The program is open to rising tenth and eleventh grade students currently studying Spanish. Applicants must be taking or have completed at least level 2 Spanish with a B+ average or higher and have the recommendation of the Spanish teacher. They must also be in overall good academic standing, have solid disciplinary and attendance records, and demonstrate leadership in their contributions to our school community. An interview in Spanish is part of the application process.
Up to six students are selected each school year to travel to Barcelona in March. While it is not a program requirement, if families are able to *host a student from Barcelona in the fall (organized around the Thanksgiving holiday), it is expected that theywill; this is a very enriching element of the exchange, and is strongly encouraged.
Friends stuends in the program travel to Barcelona in March, including the two weeks of spring break plus an additional week prior to the break. Selected students attend school with a host student and reside with a host family in Barcelona—a hub of Spanish and Catalán culture, art, and design. Applicants can expect to have a Spanish immersion experience, as well as learn about the Catalán region and language. This program is intended as a linguistic and cultural exchange, rather than strictly an academic one. Students attend a variety of classes in Spanish, but not for academic credit.
Upper School Global Education Trip 2024-2025
The Center for Peace, Equity, and Justice is excited to offer a global education opportunity for students in Grades 9-11 titled "Windows and Mirrors: A Journey through South Africa" in June 2025.
In partnership with Edu Africa, this immersive program will explore South Africa’s diverse cultures, cosmopolitan cities, and breathtaking landscapes, all within the context of its history of Apartheid and ongoing efforts toward racial equity. Students will examine the connections between South Africa’s anti-Apartheid movement and the U.S. civil rights struggle, exploring how leaders, ideas, and cultural expressions influenced one another across the Atlantic.
Beyond this historical lens, the program will introduce students to South Africa’s rich and complex past, from early indigenous societies to its modern identity as the “Rainbow Nation.” Students will also experience the country’s extraordinary biodiversity, including a visit to Pilanesberg Game Reserve, where they will take part in game drives.
The program includes time in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Bakubung Bush Lodge.
Dates: June 7 - 17, 2025
Open to: Students in Grade 9-11 are invited to apply. Accepted students will be students who regularly demonstrate good citizenship in our community, as well as deep curiosity about other cultures and perspectives.
Capped at: 18 students
Approximate cost: $5,200 (final cost depends on number of participants and airfare & taxes; total cost includes roundtrip airfare, domestic air travel and ground transportation, travel insurance, meals, lodging, all activities, local guide throughout; costs not included: airport snacks & meals, personal ancillary expenses)
Financial Assistance is available for this program; After being notified about acceptance to the program, accepted students and their families will be contacted by Sam Margles, Director of Financial Aid and Affordability, with details.
Travel partner: EduAfrica
Contact
Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer.
Friends Seminary — the oldest continuously operated, coeducational school in NYC — serves college-bound day students in Kindergarten-Grade 12.
