Looking Back on 10 Years of EdOdyssey: On the Value of Relationships & Long-Term Partnerships
As we reflect on the past decade of EdOdyssey, we always come back to the core of what we do: Relationships.
Our programs are as meaningful and impactful as they are because of the knowledge, generosity and warmth of the connections we’ve nurtured in our communities. In many ways, it was because of these beautiful communities that our Founder and CEO Peter McGovern was successful in launching EdOdyssey when he did 10 years ago.
Relationships aren’t just what make our programs dynamic; they’re also what keeps EdOdyssey thriving behind the scenes. Whether it’s through Google Meet calls or virtual water cooler chats that delve into topics like our favorite books, what we’re planting in our gardens, or the top songs on our playlists, we prioritize getting to know one another as a remote team. This helps create a culture trust and collaboration among us, and that filters into our work.
Another key type of relationship we celebrate is with our incredible partners. They trust us to create authentic experiences, both domestically and internationally, for their students. They value our dedication to safeguarding our students’ well-being, our ability to guide them through life-changing adventures, and our expertise to build in opportunities for students to explore their learning objectives in a way they never could within their own four classroom walls.
Some of our partnerships are new this year, but we are especially grateful for some of the longstanding collaborations that have allowed us to build truly remarkable programs together.
A FEW EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS
Allow us to take a moment and share a couple of quick shoutouts to just a handful of the schools we’ve had the real privilege of working with time and again:
Atlanta Classical Academy is one of our longer-term partners and an absolute pleasure to work with in places like Sicily, Italy, for example, where we just hosted a group of their inquisitive and curious students this spring.
Northeastern University has been partnering with us on their Global Scholars program for Boston and Oakland, and most recently, their new New York City Scholars program. Our collaboration has consistently delivered immersive programs that inspire and challenge their students.
St. Mary’s School in California has worked with us to take their middle school students in immersive exploration trips to London and Croatia, for example, and have several more exciting programs in development for 2026.
George Mason University is a longtime friend of EdOdyssey, offering both faculty-led and semester programs. We’re particularly looking forward to some of the upcoming experiences we’re working on with them!
Portland State University is one of our newest partners, running their first two programs with us this year, but the synergy between us is strong. They exemplify the type of school we love working with and are a great fit for a longer term relationship.
SIX REASONS WHY WE AIM TO CULTIVATE LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS
There is strength in the trust, collaboration, and shared goals that are built up and nurtured over time with our long-term partners.
Here’s why we believe these ongoing relationships are beneficial for both us and our partner schools:
Deeper Trust & Smoother Collaboration. The more we work together, the better we understand each other’s needs, values, and working styles. The communication between us becomes more intuitive and collaboration becomes smoother. With time, we can address challenge quickly, through the lens of mutual understanding and strategic insight.
More Personalised Programs & Innovation. When we’re planning one program after the next with one of our partner schools, we’re able to continuously refine and expand on these. These subtle tweaks might be based on their evolving needs and changing goals or new information we gather through an ongoing dialogue about their student profile or academic culture. The programs then become not only reflective of the school’s vision, but also enriched further by knowledge we gain about what works best for their students specifically.
Continuity for Faculty Leaders. One benefit of long-term partnerships is that our faculty leaders get to know our local Program Directors and Excursion Leaders as well as our community partners. This familiarity can lead to increased confidence, and each incoming group will benefit from the groundwork laid by students on a similar program the previous year. Everyone knows what to expect and can tweak and perfect the smallest details as time goes on, leading to increasingly sophisticated programs.
Stronger Local Connections. Similar to the point above, repeated long-term programs let us deepen relationships with our in-country hosts, experts, and guides, which means students will have more meaningful interactions. Plus, there is sustainable engagement with us for our local partners. This also helps us build new layers of trust, expand our network, and create new opportunities for cultural immersion and hands-on learning experiences that are authentically tied to the local community.
Easier Future Planning. When we share a long-term vision, it’s easier to plan ahead for future programs. We can often lock in dates earlier, secure more budget-friendly prices, and sort out the logistics well in advance. This makes it easier for our partners to start on recruitment efforts. It also means scaling up or evolving programs by piloting new ideas becomes more efficient because we’ve already laid the foundation.
Shared Growth & Success. Perhaps most importantly, building longer term partnerships is a win-win-win for EdOdyssey as an organization, for our partner schools, and for the students who are shaped by these programs. We evolve together, celebrate our collective impact, and learn from our challenges with students always at the forefront of our shared focus and vision.
BUILD A FUTURE WITH US
Our team at EdOdyssey knows that relationships come first; they’re what makes all of this possible. This belief guides our work with our local communities, with our team members, and with our partners. Each program we create is built on a foundation of trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to the transformative power of travel as an essential element of education for young people.
A huge thank you to our current partners who share our beliefs and continue to make this work possible.
With a decade already behind us—and some absolutely thrilling programs on the horizon—we invite you to explore what a partnership with us could look like. Let’s start a conversation about building lasting impact together.
