The Global Leadership Certificate seeks to prepare scholars who successfully engage in the intellectual and project-based pursuit of language acquisition and cultural understanding as imperatives to becoming a global citizen.

The Global Leadership Certificate recognizes students who have pursued an interdisciplinary program at Westtown School that focuses on the application of language acquisition and the acquisition of a panoramic cultural acumen. The end result will be an authentic and action-based experience that approaches global issues through linguistic and cultural perspectives as a way to attain cultural exchange, social justice, and stewardship of a global society.

Required Course Work (at least 2 of the following 3 areas) earning a grade of B or above:

Proficiency in one World Language through level four or five. Westtown’s international students may fulfill this requirement based on their proficiency in their native language.
Two years of continued study in a second World Language
Two History or Religion electives (Peace & Justice, US History, World Religions 1 and 2 do not fulfill this requirement)

Required Project Work (at least 4) – Students will focus a project or major assignment in at least four other classes over the junior and senior years on a global citizenship topic, in consultation with the course teacher and the Global Leadership Certificate Coordinator. At least one project will involve a collaborative, group effort. Projects must earn a B or above.

These will be developed and accomplished in other disciplines, for example:

In an economics or mathematics course that requires a project, research, and complete analysis of the impacts of hunger in Mumbai, develop a programmatic approach to mitigate this burden, and calculate the benefits of the proposed program.

These projects will be planned by the student in consultation with the certificate director, approved by the relevant teacher (when appropriate), and approved by the certificate director. Once graded by the teacher, the project work is forwarded to the director, who will review with the student and approve the work as a submission to the certificate portfolio.

Off-campus immersion:

Create an independently designed off-campus project, or take part in an existing school-sponsored international programs, OR
Summer and/or weekend research, service, or work experience in global citizenship, involving two weeks or 10 weekend days (for instance: two weeks at Las Cañadas in Mexico, or volunteer work for an international organization or research center).

Extra-curricular opportunity through campus-based organizations (one required):

Service Network (service at an appropriate site and using the target language)
Head or active membership in the International Student Organization, Student Of Color Association, Korean Club, Chinese Club, and other organizations with a global citizenship focus.
Graduation service requirement in a global-focused area or organization

Capstone Project:

The student will complete a Capstone Project that demonstrates authentic action-based learning, ties all of the certificate experiences into a cogent, reflective whole, and connects to the published Westtown School Global Competencies.

The Student will compile all documentation and works created within the certificate program into a portfolio. Examples of Capstone Project are:

a workshop or seminar run by the student that teaches out his or her learning
the creation of an artifact
the collection of the portfolio, with a critical analysis of the scope and significance of the work and its connection to Global Competencies.