For the past six years, Dr. Michael Karp has played a central role in fostering global awareness among Coachella Valley high school students through his leadership of Academic WorldQuest. As coordinator and host of the regional competition at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, Karp has helped sustain this annual event that brings together students, educators, and community members around global learning.

This year’s 21st annual competition, held Feb. 12, featured nine local high schools competing across topics such as migration, trade, U.S. foreign policy, and current events. Xavier College Preparatory High School took first place, followed by Palm Desert High School and Palm Valley School. Xavier will compete at the national competition in April.

Karp’s sustained commitment to Academic WorldQuest was recently recognized by the World Affairs Council of the Desert at its March 15 dinner speaker series. At the same event, this year’s student winners spoke about how the competition deepened their understanding of global issues and inspired them to become more engaged global citizens (photo at left).

Through his leadership, Karp continues to strengthen connections between the university and the broader community while encouraging the next generation to think critically about the world around them.