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who we are
Global Players (GP) Student Athlete Exchange, LLC was founded by Tara Michael and Jessica Beard, hometown friends from Annapolis, Maryland just outside of Washington, DC. The pair has shared a passion for education, lacrosse, and adventure for the past 20 years. International travel entered the scene after Michael tore her ACL during a Division I pre-season training in February 2002. Michael decided she could either take this opportunity for granted and sit on the sidelines or take advantage of the time off post-surgery and study abroad. She chose the latter and spent Fall semester of 2002 in Namibia and South Africa rehabbing the injury, interning at the Parliament in Cape Town, and having the experience of a lifetime. Michael was inspired to seek other such opportunities and without much persuasion, Beard joined her in a stint playing lacrosse in Australia during their junior summer of 2003. Michael went on to graduate with honors from American University in International Studies and Beard earned a Media, Arts and Design degree from James Madison. After graduation they set their sights, focused their efforts, and saved their money for a six-month trip through Asia and the South Pacific...the travel bug had bit 'em both!
Global Players (GP) Student Athlete Exchange, LLC was founded by Tara Michael and Jessica Beard, hometown friends from Annapolis, Maryland just outside of Washington, DC. The pair has shared a passion for education, lacrosse, and adventure for the past 20 years. International travel entered the scene after Michael tore her ACL during a Division I pre-season training in February 2002. Michael decided she could either take this opportunity for granted and sit on the sidelines or take advantage of the time off post-surgery and study abroad. She chose the latter and spent Fall semester of 2002 in Namibia and South Africa rehabbing the injury, interning at the Parliament in Cape Town, and having the experience of a lifetime. Michael was inspired to seek other such opportunities and without much persuasion, Beard joined her in a stint playing lacrosse in Australia during their junior summer of 2003. Michael went on to graduate with honors from American University in International Studies and Beard earned a Media, Arts and Design degree from James Madison. After graduation they set their sights, focused their efforts, and saved their money for a six-month trip through Asia and the South Pacific...the travel bug had bit 'em both!
The
traveling player coaches took the scenic route to London via Fiji,
Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia,
and Vietnam. Since then, they have traveled to more then 35 countries,
lived on three continents, and counting. Life experience, coaching,
playing and traveling, has sharpened the young entrepreneurs' focus on
using sport and education to bridge
cultural divides. Their personal journeys fueled the deep desire to
build this bridge for student-athletes all over the world. Thus Student
Athlete Exchange, under the auspices of Global Players, was born: the
first ever study abroad program designed by athletes for athletes. In
2008, Beard set up the US office in Atlanta and Michael currently runs
GP’s international headquarters out of Amsterdam.
The ambitious duo is deeply committed to providing
student-athletes from all over the world a chance to study and train in
a foreign country. The hardest step is always the first, so the GP
staff is dedicated to coordinating an unforgettable experience by
making international travel a little less intimidating and showing participants the tricks of the trade.
Programs are designed for college students and recent graduates
interested in coaching, business, travel, and international lacrosse
development. Students from ANY college or university, from ANY major,
from ANYWHERE in the world can apply.
Student Athlete Exchange, L.L.C. 2021 Powers Ferry Rd, Unit J, Marietta, GA 30067 info@global-players.us