As part of their academic journey, four College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) students traveled thousands of miles from Raleigh to explore what it takes to lead in a global, interconnected world. Through an immersive experiential learning trip to The Gambia, West Africa, the students mentored local girls and gained firsthand experience in leadership, cultural exchange and community engagement.

The trip, launched in December 2025, builds on earlier NC State collaborations in The Gambia and the work of Gambian Girl Power (GGP), founded by international studies professor Haddy Njie. The nonprofit, serving 225 girls, focuses on self-love, character, teamwork, problem-solving and respect, while expanding its reach to cultivate positive, supportive male allies.

Led by Njie, the trip reflects one of the college’s core philosophies: addressing complex societal issues starts with understanding people and providing students with impactful, practical learning experiences.

“In today’s interconnected world, effective leadership requires cross-cultural awareness, critical thinking, interdisciplinarity and compassion.”

“In today’s interconnected world, effective leadership requires cross-cultural awareness, critical thinking, interdisciplinarity and compassion,” said Njie. “These outcomes also directly support our college’s strategic goal: graduating leaders equipped to build a fair, more just and more prosperous global society.”

Njie said she designed the program to expand opportunities for intercultural engagement beyond traditional study-abroad models toward reciprocal exchange. “The immersive program engages participants directly with Gambian communities, fostering meaningful cross-cultural dialogue, knowledge sharing and critical reflection,” she said.

It also builds on previous study abroad trips to The Gambia that Njie co-led with social work professor Kim Stanbury, and even earlier with CHASS alumni, who were among the first GGP volunteers.

The four participants in the 2025 trip — two graduate and two undergraduate students —  are:

• April Aguila is an undergraduate majoring in international studies and Spanish Language and Culture.
• Jaida M. Ellis is pursuing a master’s in social work and is a co-advisor of the Peer Mentor Program, Multicultural Student Affairs.
• Donovan Hopkins is an international studies major and a former Peace Corps volunteer in The Gambia.
• Amanda Manning is pursuing a master’s in public administration.

The goal for these students was clear: create and lead self-directed, hands-on, interactive learning sessions that resonate with Gambian girls and young women while honoring local traditions. They delivered sessions on career exploration and leadership development, visited schools and community organizations and met with educators and civic leaders during GGP’s seventh annual Career Weekend in the village of Njie Kiunda.

In turn, the students linked their academic studies to real-world situations, deepening their understanding of community-led development and cultural empowerment.

“The most meaningful part was being able to ask someone directly about their culture and lived experience versus simply reading about it,” said Ellis.

“The most meaningful part was being able to ask someone directly about their culture and lived experience versus simply reading about it.”

She added that a saying in The Gambia —  the husband may be the head, but the wife moves the neck — offered a powerful lens into the central role women play as cultural anchors and decision-makers.

To shape her presentation, Ellis drew from her academic training, emphasizing key tenets of social work, empowerment and self-determination. “I highlighted the importance of emotional regulation and resilience and created an activity to help the students identify their personal strengths, skills, support systems and dreams,” she said.

The experience reinforced Ellis’ understanding that effective leadership requires humility.

“When you are in a leadership role or engaging with a community, you cannot assume that you are the only expert,” she said. “The community members are the subject-matter experts of their lived experience and their needs, so it is important to listen and make collaborative decisions.”

That philosophy aligns with GGP’s cultural, strength-based approach. Rather than imposing external solutions, the organization works within existing cultural frameworks and in partnership with community leaders to address barriers to girls’ education and broader gender inequities.

And what of the trip’s impact on the CHASS students?

“I hope the experience garnered from this trip will encourage them to continue developing and applying their unique knowledge, skills and talents to lead with empathy and create positive change,” Njie said. 

Ellis said the trip affirmed her belief that everyone should adopt a global-citizen mindset, as learning about others’ cultures reveals shared commonalities.

“We all have the responsibility to demonstrate kindness, respect and empathy toward one another with the hope that even though the world might not look the way we want it to in our lifetime, we can plant the seeds now to make the future better for those who come after us,” she added.