Mission + History
Solving the problems of our complex global community requires a higher level of cultural competency than ever before. Xperitas is a community of lifelong intercultural learners, who believe in a better and more just world built on deeper levels of understanding of others. This is reflected in our mission, staff, alumni, and history.
Our Mission:
Transforming lives through shared global experience and intercultural learning.
Our Vision:
All people connected in one global community.
Our History:
Xperitas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization born from the decades of shared experience of two nonprofit organizations: Intercultural Student Experiences (ISE) and Global Citizens Network (GCN).
Intercultural Student Experiences (ISE) was formed in 1972 by world language teachers who wanted to provide meaningful and educational immersion experiences for their students. The cornerstone of these programs was a family stay experience, whereby students could live with local families in the destination and experience true language and cultural immersion. For more than 40 years, students and families have enjoyed these safe, enriching and educational immersion experiences, which live on in Xperitas' Language Immersion Programs and Hosting Programs.
Global Citizens Network (GCN) was formed in 1992 by a group of globally-minded individuals who wanted a better way to partner with communities around the world on mutually beneficial cross-cultural programs. The programs were guided by the vision of putting partnerships first and emphasizing relationships over projects. This philosophy and programming live on in Xperitas' Community Partnership Programs, through which participants partner with indigenous and marginalized communities in the U.S. and abroad on projects initiated and led by the community.
In 2009, GCN and ISE formed a strategic partnership and moved into a shared office to better manage resources and leverage the strengths of both organizations. In 2016, the two organizations officially merged to form Xperitas.Today, Xperitas is a leader in cross-cultural programs that embody true language and cultural immersion, inspire personal connections with diverse individuals and communities worldwide and provide transformational experiences for our participants.
