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It took a pandemic for Wesley Kopis to realize his passion for education. 

After his work performing for competitive drumlines was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kopis accepted an offer to teach at a local high school's drumline. Once he started to teach, he found a deeper resonance with what it means to be an educator and discovered a strong passion and potential in this field of work, leading him to transfer to IU as, as he put it, a “fundamentally different student, laser-focused on getting the most out of my time here and building the framework to be the best teacher I can be.” 

This journey also led him to the Global Gateway for Teachers program, a unique, award-winning opportunity for IU School of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students that provides them with invaluable intercultural immersion experiences while also fulfilling their student teaching requirements.

Kopis taught in Hamburg, Germany last spring, an experience he says has helped him grow considerably, both personally and professionally. Though he’d never traveled outside the U.S. before this trip, Kopis knew that as an aspiring history teacher, it was imperative for him to study overseas and understand cultural perspectives that are outside of his own here in the U.S. 

“A big objective of mine is to help students understand the concept of being a global citizen, and how to engage with other cultures intentionally and with humility. Of course, in order to be able to teach that I had to go overseas myself. So I committed to the program, although I knew there would be challenges,” Kopis said.

Back home, Kopis struggled to sum up how Global Gateway changed him for the better.

“Working at my school, I felt a connection with the teachers and a shared sense of commitment towards giving students a great education. I really got to see my cooperating teachers I work with as colleagues, which was awesome. The students were also incredible, and I'm certain I have learned just as much from them as they had from me,” he said, adding, “For me though, my favorite moments were the ones that I had to myself, taking my commute to school or going on walks. Hamburg is a beautiful, green city with lots of trees, woods, and parks. It is a place that encourages foot travel and keeping nature a part of the city, not as some separate entity. These walks were where some of my best ideas and reflections came from, and were instrumental in helping me process so much change in a short period of time.”

During his time in Germany, Kopis said he made a point to represent where he was from with authenticity and integrity while approaching everyone he met with curiosity and a desire to learn more about their culture. 

“This, in my opinion, is the essence of the social studies,” Kopis said. “We learn about history, geography, politics, and more to give us the tools to communicate and learn from each other, despite differences, disagreements, or location. The interactions and friends I made helped challenge how I think about people around the world, and in representing my country I believe I did the same. This is exactly what I wanted to experience being [in Germany], and it is what I would want to impart to my students back home.”

Since he was responsible for his own finances, Kopis was concerned that he wouldn't be able to afford the Global Gateway program. Thanks to the help from faculty and staff, as well as being awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, Kopis was able to participate and travel to Germany. 

“I cannot express how thankful I am for the faculty here in helping me not only reach my financial goal of affording this trip, but giving me courage and the belief in my skills in the first place. If it wasn't for them, I very well could've walked away before I had even started. If you feel like you can't access these experiences due to your financial background, you are not alone, and there is a support system here that is happy to help,” Kopis said.

Once he’s home, Kopis will begin to prepare stepping into his own high school classroom come this fall, something he says doesn’t feel real.

“There is still so much to learn and to put into practice, but this is only the start for me and my aspirations,” he said. “We'll see where this road takes me, but I feel empowered taking my first steps in this field!”

Kopis received the to help fund his student teaching experience in Germany. The Gilman Scholarship is a highly competitive national program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøal and Cultural Affairs, administered by the Institute of International ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, that helps students with financial need pursue study and internship experiences abroad.

Through Global Gateway for Teachers, students receive support and guidance throughout the scholarship process, from identifying the opportunity to preparing a competitive application. Global Gateway works to make culturally immersive student teaching experiences accessible to students by connecting them with international opportunities and resources to help make those experiences possible.