Adam Freed

As is true for everyone, I am very much a product of my environment. For me, this has meant that my personality draws upon Christianity, rural Pennsylvanian sensibility, a Midwestern tolerance, and a sense of adventure and curiousity that probably comes from my love of books and Indiana Jones.

I grew up in several places as my parents (who are both ministers) traveled to serve different churches. My most formitive years were spent in northwestern Pennsylvania, which is where I find myself most at home. Thanks to a love of marching band and various other activities that brought me a fair amount of grief in school, I dove into books, movies, and games as an escape.

When I graduated high school, I took that love of stories into college where I thought that I wanted to make films about space pirates and ancient treasures and that sort of thing. My Christian liberal arts education opened up a whole new world for me, however, and I changed my major after my first year to Global Studies, which focused on an elegant combination of political science and sociology.

My passion was ignited, and after a semester in India and many hours of great classroom instruction, I found my calling: something.

To be honest, I'm still finding my way. Right now, I'm deep in the world of nonprofits and national service as I serve as a VISTA Leader for AmeriCorps in Michigan. I'm also working on my own nonprofit that might just change the world, or so I'd like to think.

But I haven't lost my sense of adventure, and if I get the chance to work with a study abroad organization, I'd jump at the chance. I want to see the world, and my bags are already packed for the next great trip.

That's who I am, or at least...a part of who I am.