Abby Falik
Ashoka Fellow since 2014   |   United States

Abby Falik

Global Citizen Year
Abby Falik is preparing a globally-minded generation of leaders by embedding the bridge year into the American higher education system, transforming the way young people transition into college and…
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Check out this video on Abby's work:

This description of Abby Falik's work was prepared when Abby Falik was elected to the Ashoka Fellowship in 2014.

Introduction

Abby Falik is preparing a globally-minded generation of leaders by embedding the bridge year into the American higher education system, transforming the way young people transition into college and approach higher education and careers. By partnering with universities to both favor and developRead more

The New Idea

As American higher education struggles to stay relevant in a changing society, Abby is pushing colleges and universities to rethink learning priorities and traditional course sequencing that have remained largely unchanged for decades. By re-imagining the traditional “gap year” to be a structuredRead more

The Problem

The transition between high school and college presents an especially powerful developmental opportunity that many – including students, their parents, college administrators and teachers – believe fails to direct students’ next steps with focus and clarity of purpose. For college students atRead more

The Strategy

The Global Citizen Year core program model is a ten-month, intensive leadership training and full immersion in developing and emerging countries across the world. It begins with a one-month orientation in the United States with a curriculum revolving around three key themes: personal growth andRead more

The Person

Abby grew up in Berkeley, California, the oldest of three children of parents who believed that the experience of travel, if structured well, unlocked deep empathy and awakened a sense of global citizenship. Traveling since childhood to developing countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, AbbyRead more

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