Introducing CIEE’s Community Impact Initiative – Building Peace Through Service

CIEE was founded in 1947 to advance peace by building bridges of mutual understanding between people and nations through international exchange programs. For nearly 80 years, we have advanced that mission through hundreds of academic and experiential learning programs that help students learn to speak new languages; embrace new cultures and traditions; appreciate the unique history, art, and cuisine of another country; and, perhaps most importantly, forge relationships with people in the community where they study abroad.

We’re pleased to introduce another opportunity for your students to build bridges of peace by connecting with the local community wherever they study abroad. Beginning in spring ’26, the CIEE Community Impact Initiative will launch at all 45 CIEE Centers, providing opportunities for your students to engage with their host communities through CIEE’s global network of Community Impact Partner organizations that address local needs like food insecurity, public health, and youth development. 

In the same way that we help your students enroll in academic classes at world-class international universities and secure internship placements at over 3,000 international organizations, CIEE will introduce your students to leading NGOs and community service organizations for an extraordinary and authentic opportunity to enhance intercultural learning while building bridges of peace, understanding, and respect.

Students Building Bridges of Peace Through International Community Service

The CIEE Community Impact Initiative has three components. Students will be able to choose the experience that is best for them. 

•  CIEE Academic Study Abroad Programs - Students can enroll in a formal CIEE study abroad program for academic credit. Programs like our Community Public Health in Botswana, Buenos Aires, and Santiago, Dominican Republic, or our Community Development and Social Justice program in Cape Town, South Africa, combine academic theory with practical hands-on experience supporting and promoting community-based initiatives.
• CIEE Volunteer and Extra-curricular Abroad Programs - Students can participate in volunteer or service opportunities with hundreds of CIEE Community Impact Partners, including:
  • Comedor Zarigüeyas, in Merida, Mexico, which prepares and serves food to children in the Mayan community.
  • Our Big Kitchen, in Sydney, Australia, which provides thousands of meals each year and teaches about food sustainability and its importance to the environment in Australia.
  • Fontallerta Fields, in Florence, Italy, which works with children at a learning farm and teaches youth development work through workshops and service.
• CIEE Community Impact Week - A celebration of student contributions to advancing peace through service will take place at every CIEE center during the same week each fall and spring semester. During this week of thanks and appreciation, we will celebrate local projects and organizations, share best practices of building bridges of peace through community service, and showcase the work of students and community service partners across the CIEE network.

In short, students on any CIEE program and in any CIEE location will have the opportunity to enhance their international experience and truly make a difference by working with best-in-class international service organizations around the world.

Poster Competition Celebrating CIEE’s Community Impact

To celebrate building bridges of peace through service, students engaged in the CIEE Community Impact Initiative will be able to “pitch” the impact and importance of their service work and their favorite international service organization. They will compete each semester to present their posters at CIEE’s Annual Study Abroad Conference. The community organization where the winning student served will receive a $10,000 donation from CIEE. The first student community impact service competition will be in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 2026.