BranchOut!’s Explorer Magazine Highlights International Student Voices

The Explorer magazine, a student-managed program led by BranchOut!, will explore student voices throughout the international community in its summer 2023 publishing program and upcoming issues.

Founded in May 2021, the Explorer has focused on issues varying from coming of age to spotlighting the activities of BranchOut!. The Explorer magazine aims to extend its work, highlighting varying international student voices during this season.

In a statement to the Explorer, BranchOut! founder Dr. Yuhsien Wu, affirmed, “I am very excited about the Explorer project this year as we will be working with students from around the world to better understand teens' lives globally. This is a great way for students to branch out and become stronger global citizens.”

The Explorer team has started conducting interviews with students from over ten countries, including Afghanistan, Singapore, and Turkey. Students involved in the program develop their cross-cultural awareness by learning about various countries’ cultural norms and noticing patterns in family structure and religious ties.

Brian Zhou, chief editor of the Explorer, explained, “We are transcending the language barrier this year. We’ve found translators to expand the range of countries and stories that we can hear from to build a more global understanding between each other through dialogue and conversation.”

Students also curated stories with unique experiences and perspectives on global issues including poverty, pollution, and socioeconomic development. These stories will be featured in coming issues covering unanswered voices and outlooks of the future.

David Cao, program director of the Explorer, added, “Our work has been incredibly meaningful, providing BranchOut! and international students with a platform to share their views and develop communication skills. As we reach out and get to know more students from Argentina to Indonesia, we hope to provide the opportunity for teens to share their voices, sometimes unheard, with the world.”