Program Reviews

What an incredible program! I became interested in LEAPYEAR because of the travel aspect, along with the fact that you can get college credit for such an amazing year. And it delivered, but the year was so much more than that as well. LEAPYEAR equipped me to begin relating to the world as an adult, and helped me begin the journey of self-awareness and growth.

I went to India for my group travel time, and I've recently been back with LEAPYEAR's second year program. Its not a country that everyone will enjoy, but it is one of my favorite places on earth. The people are friendly and welcoming, there's always so much chai, and the culture is so different from my own that there was always learning taking place! LEAPYEAR did an amazing job setting up a variety of experiences so I got to volunteer, take classes, experience cultural events, and see the tourist sights. My leaders were amazing too, giving us enough guidance and structure to feel secure in, while at the same time giving us enough responsibility to gain confidence traveling internationally.

For my solo internship I went to Brazil to study Portuguese and work with at-risk young women. It was amazing to become part of a small local community on the coast of Brazil and feel like I was really making a difference, not to mention the great beaches and seafood!

I would highly recommend the program to anyone who is looking for something more or something different out of their college experience. It has changed the way I think about education and the world, and I never want to go back.

LEAPYEAR is an incredibly full program. Looking back on my time there, every day contained so much that it's hard to believe it was less than a year. On campus during the retreats, days were filled with workshops, cooking, and working on the land, and we were always pushed to bring awareness and intention to what we were doing. During my three months in India, the incredible outward experience of being in a place of such extremes (poverty and opulence often nestled side by side) was fuel for my journey of self-discovery. I remember specific moments of sitting next to Tibetan monks in prayer and debate, or looking up at the crystal night sky from the peaks of the Himalayas that are etched onto my memory forever. It's been nearly a decade since I started my journey, and I can see the branching paths of what could have been, and I realize that no alternate present that I can see is as good as the one LEAPYEAR has provided me.