“We want to change our university,” was the comment of one of the professors from a partnering university in Afghanistan, who came to Portland, Oregon along with four colleagues for a three-week educational internship hosted by Co-Serve International.
This team of professors came to Portland to learn from professors and students in a variety of colleges in the Northwest. Initially twelve professors planned to come to the US for this internship, however only five were able to secure visas to the USA. These twelve professors plan to implement a new Servant Leadership Center in the heart of their Afghan university, impacting 16,000 students annually. This university was the university that helped to launch Morning Star’s first Institute for Leadership Development in 2004.
Almost 60% of the total population of Afghanistan is college age or younger. These university students are growing up with smart phones, social media and a hunger to be a part of the global community. Caught between modernity and tradition, they greatly desire to change their nation. This is an incredible time in history to influence these young men and women to live purposeful lives.
Morning Star currently has connections to universities in four major cities. These major universities represent tens-of-thousands of students and now professors. With an intentional and strategic impact on university campuses, Morning Star desires to provide transformational and lasting change. Morning Star’s university partnerships continue to grow in other Central Asian countries as well.
