When San Diego State alumni Dave Mathews and Michael Flatt studied abroad in South Korea in 2009, they came up with the idea to create a social network for students studying abroad.
While abroad, they found it difficult to connect with peers. Mathews and Flatt created Students Gone Global, a social networking site created for students to share their experiences and connect with other students who are also studying abroad. Students of any age can make an account on the site.
“Our vision was to provide an outlet for study abroad students to share their experiences while traveling,” Mathews said.
Flatt and Mathews used their own funds to create the website. They enlisted a technical team of eight people to help build the site. The team launched its initial test version last year.
“Our long-term vision is to develop our startup into a sustainable technology business that is the premier online community for youth travelers,” Matthews said.
Mathews and Flatt were able to market their company with the help of Virginia Commonwealth University, which requires its students who have received a study abroad scholarship to use Students Gone Global.
Another advocate for Students Gone Global is Study Abroad and Internship Program Director for the Department of Business AdministrationTeresa Donahue.
“I just believe that Students Gone Global serves several purposes. It helps students engage in self-reflection about their international experiences and learning, it helps other students who are thinking about going abroad with information on the actual experiences that our students are having, and it connects students from other programs with our SDSU students,” Donahue said.
Students Gone Global has been featured in Teen Vogue and The Arizona Daily Wildcat along with other media sources.
Senior Katherine Pincus, who studied abroad at sea in Asia and Africa last spring, said the site would have been helpful during her travels.
“It would have been helpful to share pictures on that site with people who were in your study abroad program,” Pincus said.
Currently, Students Gone Global is located in San Diego. Mathews and Flatt want the website to gain popularity with youth.
On Jan. 15, 2014, the team will launch an updated version of Students Gone Global to the world.
“Our long-term vision is to develop our start-up into a sustainable technology business that is the premier online community for youth travelers,” Mathews said.
