European Travel Expert Headlines Roc Your Future Global Conference

Roc Your Global Future, a collaboration of the study abroad offices from area colleges and universities, will host a series of events during ROC International Education Week (ROC IEW), held Monday, Nov. 15 through Friday, Nov. 19.

ROC IEW coincides with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education’s International Education week, which celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange.

Rochester’s events share the central theme of “Becoming a Global Leader to Address Global Challenges,” focusing on how to become a global citizen, reflecting on past experiences abroad, and how to leverage a study abroad experience during job interviews. Events will allow for conversation, reflection, and engagement with students in the Greater Rochester Area.

The capstone event of the week is a keynote speaker, Rick Steves, a television personality and respected authority on European travel. The lecture is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16, via Zoom. Members of the Fisher community are also gathering in Golisano Gateway Midlevel to watch the lecture. Faculty and staff are welcome to attend this lecture and bring a class.

Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. His lecture, “Travel as a Political Act: A Conversation with Rick Steves,” explores how the global pandemic has caused a reckoning of global challenges, shedding light on racial and social disparities in every fabric of society, such as health care and climate change. Steves posits that now more than ever, globally minded leaders are needed to address these global challenges. He will highlight how international travel is more than just sightseeing and trying new foods, but an opportunity for students to be global citizens and make a positive difference in the world.

All events throughout the week are virtual, free, and open to students from area colleges. For a full list of events, visit https://rocyourglobalfuture.com/.