Freeman Named First-Ever Traveling Teacher of the Year by National Magazine

Stacie Freeman, the director of Bethel University’s Global Studies program and professor of sociology, is being honored as the first-ever Traveling Teacher of the Year. It was an honor bestowed her by Teach & Travel magazine, the leading source for nearly 85,000 educators who plan student travel. Sponsored by the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA), whose mission is to provide life-enhancing travel experiences for students and to establish quality and safety standards for travel provider
In the announcement article, Editorial Manager Josh Veal explained the rationale for the recognition, “Educators who are passionate about travel, go far above and beyond what’s asked of them, expanding their students’ horizons in life-altering ways.”
He noted, after receiving dozens of nominations, 13 finalists were presented to the public for a vote. Freeman, Global Studies Director at Bethel University, where she also is a professor of sociology and offers dual enrollment courses in area high schools, was named the winner and is profiled in the September issue of the magazine.
Jon Shepherd, a Spanish teacher for Weakley County Schools and a frequent traveler with the international programs, was nominated Freeman. Shepherd noted in his nomination, “Stacie Freeman was one of the first, if not the first, educator to design and deliver global service-learning programs to high school students for college credit. She truly stands out as a pioneer in the realm of education and has revolutionized the way high school students in the rural South engage with the world. With unwavering determination and dedication, she has crafted and implemented groundbreaking global service-learning programs, ushering in a new era of experiential education for students in Title I schools.”
Freeman designs and leads high school and university students, plus members of the community, on trips, both domestically and globally. She first makes the trip herself and arranges for language translators and tour guides, meals, and safe sleeping accommodations. True to the mission, travelers also have a service component to the travel, which might include working in an animal rescue center in Costa Rica, providing fluoride treatments for students in Guatemala, teaching English to students in Colombia, and building a kitchen in Peru, to name a few.

The article highlights that, at the time of its writing, Freeman’s approach to travel – combining service projects with locally-led tours and experiences in nature -- netted more than 37,000 hours of volunteer work with students and an economic impact of over $1.1 million in the communities they serve.
Also included is the origin of Global Citizen Adventure Corps, the nonprofit she founded in 2022 with Dr. Julie Hill of Union City. The fundraising effort began as a means of providing scholarships to underserved students from rural and other economically disadvantaged areas. Nearly 100 students have received assistance since the organization began.

In acknowledging the honor, Freeman said she is pleased to have the opportunity to share her love of travel and her belief in the power of encouraging young people to live as global citizens.
“Traveling opens your eyes to the undeniable truth that good people are everywhere. Whether you’re navigating bustling city streets or exploring remote villages, you’ll encounter kindness, generosity, and hospitality. From strangers offering directions to the genuine friendships formed with fellow travelers, each interaction serves as a reminder of the goodness that exists in humanity,“ she said.
The current issue of Travel and Teach can be found online at https://teachtravel.org/. More on Freeman is at https://teachtravel.org/traveling-teacher-of-the-year/.
To contact Freeman about travel, email freemans@bethelu.edu.

Global Citizen Adventure Corps is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to cultivating global citizens through education, service, and travel. By offering transferable college credit and donor-funded scholarships, GCAC actively builds pathways between rural high schools, universities, and a robust network of global nonprofit partners to provide travel program opportunities to underserved students. For more information visit www.globalcitizenadventurecorps.org.

Bethel University is a four-year higher education university located in McKenzie, Tenn. www.bethelu.edu