[4] In 1956, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower sought diplomatic alternatives to the wars he witnessed as a soldier, general and Allied Commander.

[5] This conference followed a Geneva summit, at which Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev expressed enthusiasm for exchange programs as a means to ease Cold War tensions.

[6] Participants in this conference included Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards; comedian Bob Hope; and creative entertainer Walt Disney.

[10] Countries visited included Germany, France, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malta, Italy, Greece, Fiji, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and Russia.

Experienced students who were alumni of the program and wanted to travel again were given the chance to choose more exotic destinations for subsequent trips such as South Africa, or Antarctica.

[1] Programs typically departed between June and August, rather than during the academic year, in groups of between thirty and forty students.

On these four- to ten-day programs, delegates engaged in leadership curriculum, team-building and personal development exercises.

[19] All students must complete an application and an interview process before they can go on a trip to ensure that they possess the maturity and social skills needed for extended travel.

[21] The Iowa Attorney General investigated the program's operator in 2006 after an invitation was accidentally sent to the long-deceased child of a family.

[23] In 2007, student ambassador Tyler Hill died of complications following his group's hike on Mount Fuji in Japan.

[29] The company also hired a full-time Senior Director of Health and Safety and began a Safe Travel 24/7 blog.