Celebrating 20 Years of
Living & Learning

Reflecting On 20 Years

Over two decades ago, the idea for Living & Learning International began with a conversation on a sidewalk in Ecuador. Now, we're celebrating 20 Years of Global Education; that's forty semesters of students learning and growing in new places around the globe.

From the start, we knew the Lord wanted to move in the lives of college students. Now, we have the privilege of seeing hundreds of alumni stories unfold.

As we reflect on 20 Years of Global Education, we are so grateful for all that the Lord has done. Hundreds of stories are woven into those two decades of programs around the world, and we can't wait to see what the Lord does over the next twenty years!

20 Year Stats

Number of semester sites

FIVE! We’ve gone from one to five locations in the last 20 years
Ecuador, Italy, East Coast, England, and Spain
Number of semester students

2,584 alumni in the last 20 years
Are you one of them? Give us an update!
Number of semesters we've offered

40 semesters over 20 years
Number of internship hours

51,960+ global internship hours that students completed
Learn more about our internship opportunities!
Number of University and College Partners

60+ Partnerships! We are so thankful for the universities, colleges, churches, and high schools that partner with us.
Learn about our partnerships
Number of weeks at a homestay

Over 20 years, students spent 240+ weeks with local families
Number of homestay families

We have 40+ homestay families that welcome students into their homes during the semester and summer programs.
Number of countries we've sent students to

38! With our Experiential Tours and our Semester Programs, we get to send students all around the world!
Number of short-term travelers

Our Experiential Tours department has sent 3,400+ students abroad in the last 20 years
Short-term itineraries created

We’ve created over 388 unique itineraries for our short term programs
Check out some of our template itineraries
Amount of gelato eaten

a lot of gelato!

Alumni Highlights

Rebecca Dieterman

Ecuador | Fall 2018 | Cornerstone University
I am currently in my fourth year of teaching English and Spanish at a Christian school. I go [to the Dominican Republic] every year for a mission trip with my junior students … This is something that never would have been possible without my time in Ecuador. My semester abroad set me up to have more career opportunities and to learn in a deeper way. I will be forever grateful for the friendships that I still have from my time in Ecuador and the things that I learned while there.”
Allie Moon

I am incredibly thankful for Living & Learning for giving me the opportunity to step far away from my comfort zone. I was forced to lean on God during that trip as at times I literally did not have the words to be able to communicate with those around me.
Braydon Biehn

Ecuador | Wheaton College
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Quito, Ecuador with Living and Learning. The time in the hospital was especially impactful in deciding to pursue a career in medicine and I loved learning Spanish and learning from my host family on a different way of life!
Summer Willingham

Quito | Summer 2021 | Liberty University
This was my first time studying abroad and my first real experience living in another country. The thing I loved the most about my experience abroad with Living & Learning is that they create a space for you to learn how to navigate living abroad. From offering guidance with public transportation and providing language classes to checking in with students on a regular basis, Living & Learning was there every step of the way to help my classmates and I succeed.
Beth Girard

Ecuador | George Fox University
Forever grateful for the time I spent with Living and Learning; I truly don’t think I’d be where I am vocationally, spiritually, or relationally had I got had the opportunity to be a part of the DC and Ecuador programs!!
Samuel Bohon

Italy | Spring 2019 | Liberty University
Since completing my study abroad [in] Rome in the Spring of 2019, I graduated from Liberty University with a bachelor of science in history. After completing part of my master's degree at Liberty and was accepted into Liberty University School of Law. I graduate[d] with my Juris Doctor in the Spring of 2025. I am also got married In June of 2024. She is from the country of Jordan, and we both love traveling. I look forward to taking her to Rome someday!”
Christy Zbylut

Ecuador
I served as an RC for 3 semesters in Ecuador and LOVED it. I miss the amazing students, my team, and the beautiful mountains from the rooftop on Villa every morning. I [recently] completed an accelerated nursing program at WCU and have been working as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department for over a year now. The ER has been a wild and often unpredictable space to learn/grow every single day…I use my Spanish almost every shift with patients.

Share Your Alumni Update

In honor of our 20 years, we’re offering an…

Ecuador Alumni Trip

Whether you studied abroad years ago or more recently, this is your chance to reunite, reflect on how God has moved over the past 20 years, and continue the story together. This trip is open to all alumni, and we would love to have you join us for this incredible opportunity!

July 20th - 26th, 2026

Learn More