Benefit from our 20+ years collective experience leading safe & meaningful programs that are transforming lives

We combine the best of Ivy League on-campus summer programs with the best of international volunteer programs. You will grow as a leader through our cutting-edge pedagogy, based on the latest research from experts at Harvard, MIT, and Dartmouth, available only with Sage:

1. Apply your leadership in an immersive real-world setting by leading a creative community project that you help design

2. Understand leadership through “living case-studies” at famous historical, cultural, political, and environmental sites, as you explore your own skills in an immersive version of the renown case-study method used at elite business schools

3. Practice your leadership skills among peers from Ghana and across the globe, engaging in interactive workshops and simulations

4. Enhance your leadership based on the personalized feedback of dedicated mentors from organizations like MIT and Ashesi (Africa’s premiere liberal arts college)

Our sustainable non-profit model avoids the harm caused by many programs in Africa when volunteers displace local workers, arrive-and-depart sporadically creating unsustainable gaps, and require communities to reorganize around volunteer needs rather than local needs. Instead we have built our own home so Sage leaders from Ghana can use their new leadership skills to sustain projects with help from team members across the globe long after the program concludes.

Sage is your opportunity to boost your confidence and build your skills, from public speaking and planning to listening and visioning. Sage is far more than a volunteer trip to teach English, paint a school, or help in a clinic where all you’re allowed to do is observe. We are a leadership incubator that transforms lives, but you must be ready to genuinely commit to change. Are you ready to join us as a Sage Leader to improve our world?

Summer 2024 Dates

Session 1: June 22 - July 7
Session 2: July 20 - August 4
Session 3: August 10 - August 25

Each session is 16 days including Saturday arrival and Sunday departure days.

Application Deadlines

Priority: February 15
Final : May 15 (or until spots are filled)
Apply early - spots expected to fill up!
Applications reviewed on rolling basis.

Safe & Inclusive

With 20+ years collective experience coordinating programs for students from across the globe, we have embedded safety into our DNA:

• Ghana is highly-regarded and safe (Presidents and global dignitaries often visit Ghana first among African nations given its stability and hospitality)

• 24x7 on-call medical professional

• Comprehensive vehicle inspections

• Technology-supported security team at the Sage Centre

• Staff trained in first-aid, hygiene, and risk-management

• Regularly-updated orientation curriculum

• Student-to-staff and mentor ratio of nearly 1:1

All students must have proof of covid-19 immunization at least 10 days prior to arrival to enter Ghana.

Upon arrival, we host an in-depth orientation so you understand the rules and feel prepared to confidently navigate the environment around you in healthy, safe, and effective ways. We also understand that each of our students brings to our community a distinct background, so we are ready to accommodate virtually any dietary restrictions, religious observances, or other considerations to ensure an inclusive experience. We work tirelessly to make our program a safe and positive experience for young leaders of all backgrounds.

Stand Out to Colleges & Employers

The skills you will develop through the Sage Leadership Experience are the same skills college admissions officers and employers are looking for. We have designed our curriculum based on the same values the drive top US universities, from navigating diversity to the ability to lead initiatives and analyze your impact.

You will be guided by a former Ivy League admissions officer who can help you to effectively share your experience in applications, on your resume, or in interviews. Young leaders who do well may earn a letter of recommendation from our staff.

Top Destination to Explore & Experience

Ranked by CNN as a top destination to visit in 2019, Ghana is an inspiring country to visit. It is a beacon of democracy on the continent that in the words Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, “Looks neither East nor West, but forward.”

Beyond practicing your leadership with an inspiring team of young people from around the region and the world, you will have the chance to understand the tragedy of the slave trade at an old slave fort, to walk through the rain forest canopy, to explore the tallest waterfall in West Africa, to enjoy local music, and to taste local foods.

Support Before & After Program

Our program is not defined by your arrival and departure. We support you starting before your arrival with your packing list and preparations for your themed project. Even after your departure we continue to support you, including an opportunity with us after you return home to reflect on the insights you gained from the experience to solidify your new leadership skills.

You will enjoy a network of young leaders and mentors who can sustain your project in West Africa and support you as you work to lead your next initiative in your home community.

Choose a Challenge Area that matches your personal passion

You will join a small team of young leaders from around the globe who also select the same Challenge Area and share your passion. Each team will benefit from a mentor with experience relevant to your theme, who will help guide you and your team to successfully execute your chosen project.

Challenge Area 1: Health & Sports

We’ll help you and your team understand community needs and develop and implement a project, which could include student eye sight testing and glasses provision to organizing a sport training program to promote valuable life skills.

Challenge Area 2: Entrepreneurship & Governance

Experience first hand how business at “the bottom of the pyramid” serving low-income communities can transform lives by supporting a local entrepreneur or community leaders with a project such as conducting market research.

Challenge Area 3: Education & Arts

Coordinate with a local school to witness all the talents of the students. We will help you identify an opportunity to help these students reach their potential as you organize an after-school program such as intensive tutoring or an arts program.

Application Requirements

Submit one-page online application form that includes:

1. Basic personal information

2. A brief written reflection on leadership (150-350 words)

   What makes someone a good leader and why is understanding diversity important to being an effective leader? What are your strengths as a leader and what skills do you hope to develop?

3. Name and email for recommender (choose a teacher, counselor, or peer/classmate who knows you well and will offer a candid assessment if this experience in West Africa is right for you)

4. Applications submitted after February 15 priority deadline require $50 application fee

Before submission, you must confirm with your teacher/counselor and peer recommender that they can fill a brief online evaluation for your application. Your recommenders will receive an email to the address you provide with the form they are required to fill. They should not write a letter. Instead they only fill our online form.

You may add additional information at the end of the application if there is anything else you believe the selection team should know about you. This may include issues with dates, relevant experience related to your chosen theme, dietary or other restrictions, and anything else.

What we look for

We aim to identify talented young people who are ready to develop their leadership skills to positively change the world.

We look for students who have the necessary drive, desire to listen to advice, and adaptability to succeed with a project in a low-resource community in Ghana. This means you must be comfortable in a different environment where electricity sometimes goes out and where you may need to shower with a bucket (though we don’t anticipate this, there are times it may be necessary).

We do not consider grades or test scores, as those do not define good leaders.

Spots fill up fast so don’t miss your chance for change.
Are you ready to improve our world?

Our cutting-edge Sage Leadership Curriculum has been developed with input from experts at Harvard, MIT, and Dartmouth and is built on 3 core beliefs…

Leadership can be learned, but only through practice

We believe all of us can continually grow as leaders. At its core, leadership is a constellation of skills and to develop these skills you must practice them in the real-world. We provide the structures for aspiring leaders to practice the 10 Sage Leadership Skills we have identified among effective leaders. Through one of four themed opportunities, participants can practice leadership on a project of personal significance.

Great leaders bring out the best in all people

We believe great leaders come from all backgrounds, and that great leaders are prepared to lead people from all backgrounds. This principle of inclusive leadership is our guiding philosophy. We work with participants to recognize their own biases, strengths, and weaknesses so that they can effectively leverage the strengths of their team members to achieve their common goals.

Effective leadership is defined by results not titles

We believe that a title does not make a leader, but rather the positive impact we have on the world around us is what defines leadership. A title in an organization is an invitation to demonstrate leadership, but true leadership requires making an intentional impact. Each of us, regardless of any title, can be a leader if we commit to practicing key skills that achieve real results.

You will focus on one leadership skill per day through our powerful 10 Sage Leadership Skills itinerary with activities that will change the way you think and act as a leader

Example Program Schedule

Actual schedule will vary

Day 1
Arrival

Setting Expectations

• Activity: Orientation

Day 2
Know Yourself

Skill 1: Self-Awareness

• Leadership Activity: Visit to a slave fort

• Social Activity: Canoeing and meeting with the local chief

Day 3
Understand Others

Skill 2: Listening

• Leadership Activity: Community Interviews

• Social Activity: Local Crafts

Day 4
Share your Cause

Skill 3: Visioning and Public Speaking

• Leadership Activity: Social Impact Pitch

• Social Activity: Swimming under West Africa’s tallest waterfall

Day 5
Come Together with Purpose

Skill 4: Stakeholder Engagement & Communications

• Leadership Activity: Client Meeting

• Social Activity: Group Hike from Ghana into Togo

Day 6
Turn Ideas into Action

Skill 5: Planning

• Leadership Activity: Team Planning Session

• Social Activity: Learn to make a local dish

Frequently Asked Questions

What level of English or academic performance do I need to participate?

The official language of Ghana is English. Participants should be able to hold conversations in English and express their ideas and needs in English. We do not require TOEFL or any language or academic testing (though ~80 on TOEFL typically indicates sufficient English ability).

We have no specific academic requirements. Instead, the interview and essay will be sufficient to evaluate readiness for our rigorous program as we understand leadership skills do not always align with grades or test scores. We believe great leaders can come from all levels of academic experiences and backgrounds, but participants must have the energy, concern for others, and self-awareness to contribute, grow, and succeed.

Can I miss part of the program by arriving after the program start or departing before the program ends?

While we do our best to accommodate participant needs, Sage Leadership Experience participants will be spending most of the trip several hours away from the airport, so late arrivals and early departures create a significant burden that takes away from our ability to create a positive impact on the local communities.

Except for unanticipated family or personal emergencies, we ask that participants plan to participate in the full 16 days of the program, as each day builds on the prior day’s activities, starting with mandatory orientation on the first day when everyone should have arrived.

Can I arrive early before the program, or depart late after the program?

If necessary due to flight schedules from your departure airport, yes.

Sage Leadership Experience staff will handle pickup of all participants at the airport and remain with all participants until they have safely returned to the airport, so long as flights are booked to arrive the day prior to the program’s start time or booked to depart the day following the program’s end time. We cannot assist participants expecting to travel independently immediately before or after the program.

Participants will be expected to cover any extra hotel or food costs before or after the official start or end of the program. We can help you coordinate with any other participant arriving early or departing late and help arrange a hotel for the extra night to minimize the additional costs.

How do I get a visa?

By mid-May, the Sage Leadership Experience team will provide visa application instructions and details for how to fill the visa application forms to all registered participants who have made payment for the program. We will also include a letter of invitation and template for a parent letter of permission for students below 18 years old. Participants will also need a plane ticket to submit with Visa application.

Should you have any issues with your visa, we ask you to be patient as some nationalities and Ghanaian Embassies or Consulates expect additional supporting material. Please let us know of any issues and we can work with you to resolve them.

Students applying through the Ghanaian Embassy in Beijing often face additional challenges so we encourage you to use a local visa support company or apply through embassies in the US, Canada, or Europe if available to you.

If you are accepted earlier and wish to process your visa earlier due to other travels or considerations, please let us know and we will be happy to provide details earlier.

How should I arrange my flights?

Participants are required to arrange their own flights based on their location, airline, timing, and other personal and family considerations.

In order to make the most of the first and last days, we ask that you plan your flights to:

• Arrive by noon on the first day

• Depart after 6pm on the last day

Should flights be delayed, we will coordinate appropriately to ensure delayed arrivals join the group as early as possible, with chaperones at the airport upon arrival to ensure a safe welcome.

Upon confirming your flight details, please inform the Sage Experience staff of all your flight information so we can track them appropriately for safe pickup and drop-off.

What happens when I arrive in Accra, Ghana?

Sage Leadership Experience chaperones will be outside the arrivals hall of the airport to welcome participants as soon as they clear customs and exit the airport building. They will have signs with organization and participant names to ensure safe meetings.

All participants will receive staff contact details in case of any issues during the journey.

What are the next steps after my interview?

1. Applicant will receive a decision on their application within one week following the interview

2. Applicant will have about 2 weeks to finalize registration, including payment, to secure spot with Sage in preferred session

3. By the end of May, all registered participants will receive visa application instructions and materials and will be expected to start the visa application as early as possible to ensure successful processing. Participants starting the visa process after mid-May may not have enough time to successfully obtain a visa if on an earlier session.

4. Participant will receive additional instructions for participation in the months leading up to your trip:

   • Project and team details (available once teams are fully formed, typically 2-3 weeks before your session)

   • Packing list

   • Pre-departure requirements, including medical and travel insurance, malaria preventative medication, and vaccinations for covid and yellow fever* (legally required for entry into Ghana)

   • Staff contact details in case of any pre-departure questions or travel issues

   • Waiver form to sign and submit

   • Link to forms to complete to submit flight details, emergency contact details, dietary needs, and any other considerations

     * Participant must be sure to coordinate with medical professional to obtain yellow-fever vaccine and discuss appropriate other medications or immunizations appropriate for the individual