Taking a life-changing trip to Guatemala wasn’t on Andre Ata’s radar when he began his studies at Durham College (DC).

But last October, the 2025 Video Production graduate seized the opportunity to participate in a Faculty-Led Classroom Abroad (FLCA) trip to the Central American country. There, he and his DC peers visited the community of San Felipe and taught local students how to tell stories through visual media.

It was a powerful experience for Ata, and when he returned home, he produced a moving video essay to commemorate the journey.

In recognition of his contributions to the FLCA trip and the profound impact it had on him, he was nominated for the Canadian Bureau for International Education’s (CBIE) New World Award, given annually to a Canadian student who contributes to the internationalization of their campus community. Earlier this month, he attended the CBIE’s annual conference in Quebec City to accept the award.

“It was one of the greatest decisions I’ve made in my entire life,” said Ata of taking part in the trip. “If I could only describe it with one word, it would be fulfilling.”

Offering opportunities for students to become global citizens is a priority for DC, and they don’t even have to leave campus to gain an international perspective. With Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiatives, faculty members can co-develop and co-teach courses with international partners, and students can connect with peers from other countries virtually. And with DC’s Global Learner Recognition Program, students can participate in activities to explore different perspectives and worldviews.

“DC is a leader in creating global citizens and providing opportunities for students and faculty,” said Abbas Sumar, Dean, International Education. “Our students benefit from transformative global experiences that broaden their perspectives and complement their in-class education with experiential learning.”

Unsurprisingly, Ata and the DC contingent experienced some culture shock when visiting the small community, including a language barrier. But they overcame the challenges to bond with their welcoming hosts and find plenty of common ground. Together, the DC students and their Guatemalan friends worked on videos exploring important subjects like deforestation, climate change and pollution.

“It was very surprising to see kids who are no older than 15 or 16 years old having such mature mindsets and talking about real life problems,” he said. “They’re very self aware and very mature. I was able to teach them, but they were able to teach me things too.”

Sharing his knowledge with the students only solidified Ata’s love for teaching, which he first discovered in his role as an instructor at the Harmony Martial Arts and Fitness Center in Pickering. He plans to pursue it in the future, while continuing to develop his own multimedia design company.

His experience in Guatemala has proven to be invaluable, and he encourages students to embrace any opportunity to do something similar.

“It’s a very grounding experience. It takes you away from this western civilization that we’ve come to know and take for granted. Once you go into these different parts of the world, it really expands your view,” he said.  “There are so many other civilizations, so many other people, so many other things going on in this world, and I think experiencing them firsthand will help you grow as a person.”

More information about international education at DC is available online.