Jia Hui Samantha Van: Three Years, Two Cities, and One Grounding Community

Posted May 7, 2025

When I first joined the Global Scholars Program as a transfer student, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was signing up for, other than that it was a program that champions meaningful change and intercultural leadership. I definitely did not expect to work with Apne Aap, a Mumbai-based organization supporting women and children in marginalized communities, in my very first semester. That experience greatly impacted me in the best way. It made all the abstract topics we learnt about in class very real. I was no longer just learning about inequality from the sidelines, but actively listening, contributing, and trying to understand how we could make a difference.

In my second year, I studied abroad in London, a city completely new to me, once again. While initially intimidated, I started finding comfort in the unfamiliar, building on the lessons of intercultural awareness that GSP had instilled in me. From weekend trips to Cambridge with my best friend (and fellow GSP member) Sara, to wandering through quaint neighborhoods and bookstores, I learned so much simply by observing how people live, interact, and build community around the world.

Coming back to Ann Arbor in my third year, I returned to GSP as a General Member and wanted to root myself closer to home. As part of our required organizing project for the General Member class, my team (Team Cherries🍒!!), planned and carried out a Winter Donation Drive for the homeless in Ann Arbor. It reminded me that the values we talk about in GSP don’t have to be practiced halfway across the world. They start right here, in our very own communities.

Reflecting on these meaningful experiences, two things have stayed close to my heart.

Firstly, there’s no such thing as a small impact when you show up with intention. Whether I was tutoring kids in India, planning for donation drives in Michigan, or just listening to someone’s story, it all mattered. The most impactful moments weren’t flashy, instead, they were the quiet ones where I actually felt connected to the people I was serving.

Secondly, growth happens when you’re uncomfortable. There were many times where I felt out of place in a new country, in a new classroom filled with new GSPeeps, and unsure of how to engage without overstepping. However, I learnt that leaning into that discomfort is what pushed me to grow. It taught me how to ask better questions, listen more, and support the amazing people around me.

So to future GSP members, I am so glad you are here!! I hope you will give yourself a chance to explore and push boundaries in this incredible community. Whether it’s through a Chai Chatter with brand new faces, squirrel-watching on the diag with your roomie, or simply a conversation with someone new at the dining hall, embrace it!

Don’t be afraid to say yes to things that scare you a little. Be open to being wrong. And trust that, through it all, you’ll grow in ways you never expected 🌎