This summer, EF Study Abroad’s Executive Vice President, Christian Meyer, took a moment to reflect on a powerful theme that lies at the heart of EF Study Abroad: building a sense of belonging.
The power of belonging
The true impact of an experience—be it a summer job, a college semester, or a corporate role—is measured by the connections made and the communities built.
These are topics we think about a lot. As our team at EF Study Abroad continues to infuse belonging, community, and connection into our programs, I found myself reflecting on a few moments that brought these themes into sharp relief.
Connections, common ground, and shared purpose
Over the summer, my youngest son trained as a camp counselor. The session culminated in a camp-wide competition wherein the kids worked together, cheered each other on, and divided into teams to compete in challenges, cheering each other on until they lost their voices. The prize? Bragging rights and some free Twizzlers. What struck me wasn’t the competition itself—it was the sense of belonging and connection it created. These kids were part of something much bigger than themselves, and they felt it deeply.
Not long after my son’s experience at camp, I found myself at Baylor University. While on their campus, I observed a “red thread” of ethics and community that wove through the university’s culture and student interactions. Though each student’s experience was different, there was a surprisingly common thread connecting everyone to a shared purpose—a sense of belonging to a community
Following my visit to Baylor, I heard the former CEO of Ben & Jerry’s speak at EF about the paradox between corporations holding purpose-driven missions and corporations actually embodying them. This got me reflecting on my career and the various chapters where “connection” was defined merely by business success. Here’s the truth: financial success is not a value, it’s an outcome. And outcomes don’t inspire—purpose does. It’s what fuels creativity, humility, and adaptability.
Our EF difference
At EF, we don’t just talk about our purpose—we live it. We place a great deal of focus on group dynamics to ensure our study abroad programs foster belonging while empowering students to explore their individual values and personal authenticity.
In tandem, we emphasize learning outcomes not just as abstract goals, but as the main “why” and throughline of each experience. From teamwork to communication, we focus on outcomes that prepare students to thrive in an ever-changing world. Our emphasis on building community and developing real-world skills ensures students aren’t just growing individually, but are also growing together—connected by a common thread that transcends the boundaries of any single destination or experience.
