Programs

Operation: Global Action

Operation: Global Action (OGA) is a non-traditional co-curricular experience, modeled after the Grand Challenges program at the University of Exeter. OGA is an opportunity for undergraduate students to produce projects and participate in an interdisciplinary, immersive, and innovative experience focused on global issues related to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

Operation: Global Action is a FREE four-week virtual high impact practice learning experience focused on global issues. Students from USF will work in small groups with students from Universidad del Norte (Uninorte) in Barranquilla, Colombia. This year's theme is Innovation and Technology for Social Good. Students will be preparing to be global leaders by developing proposals for innovative products, ideas, and inventions related to the world’s most complex challenges.

After successful completion of the program, all students earn a Global Innovator certificate and a note of Operation: Global Action Innovator on their transcripts. This is a great opportunity to build impressive resume experiences and gain transcript recognition to enhance employability and graduate school prospects.

The 2024 Operation: Global Action Winning Teams

Congratulations to the winning teams, and to all our global innovators who participated in Summer 2024 Operation: Global Action (OGA) program. This virtual intercultural experience took place from June 3rd to 28th and included students from interdisciplinary majors at USF and UniNorte, Colombia. This was our 9th cohort of students since April 2020 and we now have over 850 students who have completed the experience.

Collaborating across diverse disciplines, cultures, and time zones is challenging. Nevertheless, all student participants accepted this challenge, and we are proud of their innovative and problem-solving projects.

Here are the winners:

1st Place: Global Quest 

Team Members: Aminta Camacho, Brittany Cardona, K'yana Edwards, Ella Hasty, and Isabella Trespalacios

Facilitator: Dr. Joy Harris

This group of USF and Universidad del Norte, Colombia students collaborated to create a website that engages users in an exciting challenge focused on uploading photos, videos, and other content related to completing activities linked to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They aimed to put an innovative and fun twist in the way that people are encouraged to act towards creating a more sustainable world rather than a task everyone must do.

Website: Global Quest
Instagram: globalquestchallenge

Runner Up: Good name pending!

Team Members: Sofia Guzman, Abil Joseph, Andrea Moncada, Isabella Munoz, and Kristopher Wilhoit

Facilitator: Ms. Natalia Brochero

This group of USF and Universidad del Norte, Colombia students collaborated together to create a website to address the issue of waste management in San Pedro de la Sierra. The vision is to provide infographics, video tutorials and more about several waste products and their potential for recycling. 

Website: Eco Revolution
Instagram: ecorevolution____

The 2023 Operation: Global Action Winning Teams

Congratulations to the winning teams, and to all our global innovators who participated in Summer 2023 Operation: Global Action (OGA) program. This virtual intercultural experience took place from June 5th to 30th and included students from interdisciplinary majors at USF and UniNorte, Colombia. This was our 8th cohort of students since April 2020 and we now have over 800 students who have completed the experience.

It is not an easy task to collaborate across different disciplines, cultures, and time zones. However, all student participants took on this challenge and we are proud of their problem-based and innovative projects.

Here are the winners:

Congratulations to The Bubli Adventure team!

#1st Place: The Bubli Adventure 

Team Members: Sabrina Atiq, Juan Manuel Cuadros Palacio, David Ramirez, Vy Pham

Facilitator: Ms. Chloe Mikolasik

This group of USF and Universidad del Norte, Colombia students collaborated together to create a comic book and website to help elementary school students. Bubli is the superhero of the story and is personalized by the reader, enabling them to relate to their life experiences.

Website: Bubli's Adventure, Comic: BUBLI´s Language Adventure

 

Congratulations to the Chapter Her team!

Runner-up: Chapter Her

Team Members: Isabella Osorio, Estefanía Gualtero, Jasmin Pruthi and Carlyah Santo 

Facilitator: Dr. Nazek Jawad

This group of USF and Universidad del Norte, Colombia students collaborated together to create a project called, "Teaching Gender Equality Through Literature." Students created a website and a literature-based curriculum specifically for grades 6-8 with books on gender equality in both English and Spanish.

Website: Chapter Her

Congratulations to all our global innovators on a successful completion of Operation: Global Action!