"I am an immigrant to the United States and this has always influenced my view of Global House and the value it has for its student residents.  Firstly, I am quite aware of what it means to separate myself from my culture of birth and the strains and rewards of so doing.  About half of the students in Global House were born outside of the United States and are here for either one or two semesters as an exchange student or to pursue an entire undergraduate degree.  We seek to ensure these students feel welcome at UConn and provide them with a base from which they can explore this country.  We are greatly enriched by their presence and so Global House constitutes a wonderfully diverse environment for US students to learn about the world.

The diverse social environment of Global House constitutes a powerful learning environment by itself but we seek to amplify that learning by offering a range of activities that give students information, perspectives and tools of global relevance.  For example, we hold regular Global Forums that engage with important issues ranging from Arab-Israeli relationships to Global attitudes toward Gay Rights.  Last summer, I led a study abroad trip to Hong Kong and neighboring regions of China.  This allowed students to explore a very different part of the world that has nevertheless been highly influenced by its interactions with Europe and North America.  The trip was a great success and will be repeated again this year."- Dr. Hedley Freake

Dr. Freake will complete his three-year term as Faculty Director of Global House and will be stepping down at the end of this year to return to his departmental obligations.  Dr. Freake has created an environment in Global House where students feel a connection to each other and have the opportunity to engage in experiences they wouldn't be able to otherwise.  Dr. Freake's dedication and commitment to his students and to Global House will be greatly missed.