Testimonials
VACorps has been a companion and guide to the Keene State College Honor’s Program for two custom-designed visits to South Africa —and we look forward to many more years of connection in the future.
Working with Sean and Oliver, the faculty at KSC created our two week trip to cap off the course Global Engagement: South Africa that is a key interdisciplinary experience for our Honors students in their sophomore or junior years. And it has been an incredible collaboration: from Johannesburg to Pretoria to Cape Town, our students have been welcomed by the people of South Africa into their homes, schools, museums, hospitals, markets, and other living spaces.
While their classroom experience back in Keene, New Hampshire, USA , offers them an intense immersion in the history, politics, culture and customs of South Africa, this “book learning” only truly begins to come alive when they are greeted in Oliver Tambo airport by a smiling Sean who has dedicated himself to making their visit the richest and most meaningful possible. Cautioning us all to be “flexible” and prepared for new experiences at a moment’s notice, he and the staff at VAC work every day to ensure that our students are safe, happy, and yet challenged to step outside their comfort zones as they step into the living history that is South Africa today.
We have travelled from the Apartheid Museum to Gugulethu township , from Soweto to Robben Island, while talking, tasting, walking, listening, learning as much of the real South African world that we can cram into 24 hours x 12 days. Sean has helped to make each step of the trip a valuable and memorable one. His planning, right down to the delicious packed meals prepared by Ivy and the patient steadiness of our driver Sedick, demonstrate his expert preparation and creative coordination of all aspects of our travel. We are grateful for the work that he and his staff have done to put South Africa on the map for Keene State College.
Anne-Marie Mallon Nancy Lory
Professor of English; Women’s and Gender Studies Professor of Education
Keen State College Keene State College
"The success of our study abroad trips to South Africa would not have been possible without the organizational expertise and enthusiasm of Volunteer Adventure Corps! Sean at VACorps offered professional advice, communication, and excellent collaboration in planning during the months leading up to our trips.
"During our stay in Cape Town VACorps provided tours and experiences that were culturally authentic, were engaging to the college crowd, and were tailored on a daily basis to meet the interests and needs of our student group. Staff hired to guide our tours and care for our daily needs including transport and catering were hired from the very diverse local community, providing guidance, education, and friendship - making us feel very welcome!
"During our stay efforts were made to connect us with local experts in our areas of study, set up impromptu meetings or dinners with special guests of interest, and involve our group in community current events. The flexibility of the VACorps staff and their enthusiasm in working with my very diverse student groups has been impressive! VACorps is well prepared to assist in any crisis - large or small - and very well organized from the moment of arrival with expert safety orientations as well as guidance throughout the stay. This is the very best way to introduce college students to a new country as well as participatory cultural experiences!"
—Jan D. Brooks, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
-Professor Jan D. Brooks is a Fellow at the UIUC Center for African Studies.
"Sean Walpole and his team were a wonderful addition to the many groups of students I have brought to South Africa for American University of Washington, DC. Whether planning and conducting a two-week educational bus trip through South Africa, Swaziland, and Mozambique for 37 undergraduates, or providing transport and all arrangements for an entire six-week session in Cape Town for 15 graduate students, Sean and the staff performed superbly. Their pleasant manner, unruffled even when faced with the inevitably challenging complications, calmed us all, students and professors, and allowed us to take full advantage of our visit to South Africa.
"Sean's connections cover the political, social, and travel sectors of South Africa. If you need an experts on anything from township politics to scuba diving, he will find them. I found his judgment about safety to be impeccable. Our students have always had positive experiences with Sean and his team, and I had no hesitation recommending him as American University's primary contact for activities in South Africa."
—Professor Caleb S. Rossiter, School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC, and former director of African programs for American University Abroad.
-Professor Caleb S. Rossiter, pictured second from left, at the site of the Anglo-Zulu battle grounds in Isandlwana, South Africa.
"As a student leader, I couldn’t have been happier with VACorps' support. Sean’s assembled an amazing group of guides, cooks and organizers who are enthusiastic and fully capable of responding to any request—whether it’s your program’s first time in South Africa or you’ve spent summers there since you were ten, you’ll learn something new every day about this complex and beautiful country. VACorps is equally committed to global social responsibility (most of their small staff are South African), sustainable service projects, and having a great time. Above all, Volunteer Adventure Corps will go the extra mile to ensure that your trip is well-organized and your time in South Africa is unforgettable.
—Rovenna Motil-McGuire, American University.
-Rovenna Motil-McGuire pictured at the summit of Lion's Head during the American University Alternative Break trip to South Africa in 2009. Rovenna was the group's student leader, in conjuction with faculty advisor Dr. Bette Dickerson from American University.
