Creating Access to & Development From
Global Opportunity
“The only way to have a better world and end poverty is by closing the gap between the top and the bottom.”
-Jose Andres
Who are We?
We are World at Hand, a Denver-based nonprofit dedicated to providing equitable access to international education for low-income and underrepresented students. Through scholarships and award winning innovative programs, we aim to connect students with global opportunities, empowering them to become the next generation of leaders. Founded by Denver native Shawn Wall, our organization is driven by local community members who are committed to fostering a brighter, more inclusive future for all.
Our Mission: World at Hand supports low-income and underrepresented students in accessing cross-cultural and global experiences that intentionally develop long-term personal, academic, and professional growth.
Our Vision: A world shaped by locally rooted, globally grown leaders who strengthen their communities with cross-cultural understanding, inclusive leadership, and a commitment to growth.
What do we do?
World at Hand expands Access To & Development From Global Education for low-income and underrepresented students.
We remove financial, informational, and structural barriers that limit participation in study abroad and cross-cultural learning. Through targeted programming, scholarships, passport access, and mentorship, we open pathways to transformative global experiences.
But access is only the beginning.
Global education is most powerful when it leads to growth. We support students in translating international experiences into long-term personal, academic, and professional development. Through re-entry programming, career readiness support, and internship connections, students turn global learning into tangible opportunity.
By building full-circle pathways from exposure to leadership, World at Hand cultivates locally rooted, globally grown leaders prepared to strengthen their communities in an interconnected world.
The US Education Abroad Opportunity Gap
The information in the chart above is based on the 2018/19 data from the Institute of International Education's OpenDoors Report and the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics.
Despite increasing diversity in schools and colleges, participation in study abroad still does not reflect the full student population. Data from the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report and the U.S. Department of Education show that many underrepresented students remain excluded from international education opportunities.
This gap is not about interest. It is about access, preparation, and sustained support.
Many students across Colorado and beyond have had limited access to cross-cultural experiences. For some, even exploring regions outside their own community has not been possible. For others, international education feels distant or unattainable.
World at Hand exists to change that. By combining equitable access with intentional post-abroad development, we ensure that global education is not a privilege for a few, but a pathway to opportunity for many.
Our Global Education Ecosystem
World at Hand operates a comprehensive Global Education Ecosystem designed to expand Access To & Development From Global Education for underrepresented students.
We recognize that equitable participation in international education does not happen through a single program. It requires intentional exposure, preparation, barrier removal, sustained support, and opportunities for growth beyond the experience itself.
Our ecosystem integrates three interconnected initiatives that work together to create full-circle pathways from access to long-term impact.
Global Scholars Pathway (GSP)
The Global Scholars Pathway is our five-step model that removes barriers and builds structured support before, during, and after international experiences.
Through exposure sessions, online preparation, passport access, scholarships, and post-abroad development programming, GSP ensures students are not only able to participate in global education, but are equipped to grow from it.
GSP addresses financial, informational, structural, and transitional barriers that have historically limited participation in study abroad and cross-cultural learning.
Rural Urban Exchange (RUX)
The Rural Urban Exchange strengthens leadership and cross-community understanding within Colorado and beyond.
RUX connects rural and urban students through structured dialogue, collaborative projects aligned with global goals, and experiential exchange. By fostering local-global awareness and civic leadership, RUX reinforces that global education begins at home and expands outward.
Community College Virtual Study Abroad Fairs
Community college students represent a significant portion of the U.S. undergraduate population yet remain underrepresented in study abroad participation.
Our virtual study abroad fair model expands entry points by connecting community college students directly with providers, scholarship organizations, and institutional partners in a format designed specifically for their needs.
This initiative widens access at scale and strengthens equity across the field of international education.
A Full-Circle Model
Together, these initiatives form a coordinated ecosystem that:
Expands awareness
Removes barriers
Builds confidence and knowledge
Creates tangible opportunity
Strengthens leadership and workforce readiness
By integrating access with intentional post-experience development, World at Hand cultivates locally rooted, globally grown leaders prepared to strengthen their communities in an interconnected world.
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Adopted by the Board of Directors on February 23, 2022.
World at Hand is committed to forging and sustaining a community that creates equitable opportunities for all. In aligning with our mission and vision World at Hand guarantees that our work and impact are respectful of the increasingly diverse community of the state of Colorado.
At World at Hand, we respect and affirm the dignity of all the different members that make up our community. We are dedicated to creating and promoting an equal environment by addressing issues of equity and justice in our community. We do not condone activities that, segregate members of our community, intentionally or not. We welcome individuals of all ages, races, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, religions, socioeconomic statuses, and national or ethnic origins. his includes the appointment to and termination from its Board of Directors, hiring and firing of staff or contractors, selection of volunteers, selection of vendors, selection of clients (Scholars and Alumni), and dealings with the general public.
World at Hand is committed to always continue furthering the education of our Board and staff as part of our process of developing and maintaining a community that provides equal opportunities for all. We strive to engage students and apply their input to better serve their needs. We actively seek partnerships with parents, community members, and community organizations in order to forge and sustain a community that allows equal opportunities for everyone.
World at Hand is an equal opportunity employer. We shall not discriminate and will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, Board membership, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, or for any other discriminatory reason.