“Start early!” That was the advice from Mike Hanewald P’25 ‘25, Pennington’s first Global Studies Lecture Series speaker of the year. Currently at Lawrenceville School teaching world history, leading international programs, and coaching rock climbing, Hanewald credits his parents—who routinely hosted foreign exchange students in his childhood home—with creating a fertile ground in which his global curiosity could flourish. 

When Hanewald was just 16, he began his global education voyage in earnest as a Rotary Exchange Student in Austria. As he recounted to the students in attendance at Wednesday’s lecture, that experience required self-reliance and problem-solving, skill sets he carried with him when facing challenges and changes throughout his life. That initial trip across the Atlantic led to additional trips to Austria, Europe, and beyond, and eventually, teaching appointments at international schools in El Salvador and West Africa’s Ivory Coast.

While it’s not surprising to hear an educator advocate strongly for learning, Hanewald fervently believes that when you engage in that learning somewhere different, somewhere outside of what is familiar and known, you expand your knowledge exponentially. That sort of global literacy, according to Hanewald, builds relationships and connections, and ultimately benefits everyone: “The more you open up the door to someone else, the more those doors will open up for you.” 

Hanewald offered the students—all of whom are participants in Pennington’s Global Studies Certificate Program—a few tips as they begin to explore the world and widen the parameters of their classroom. “As you engage with the world,” he suggested, “stop, write, and reflect; when you do that, you double or triple the learning.” He also encouraged the students to “be brave” on their journey, and marveled how open students are to new experiences and figuring things out on their own when they are younger.

Hanewald was a founding member of the Global Education Benchmark Group, a professional association for global educators, and served on their board of directors for three terms. He has also served on the board of directors for International School Services. These days, Hanewald’s global citizenship is less about traveling the world and much more about developing relationships and helping others continue to build that global network of unity.