Q&A with Doug Bunch

Posted January 22, 2018
By Sagra Alvarado

Running a global nonprofit that helps educate children throughout the developing world and leading the College of William & Mary’s board of visitors, Doug Bunch is putting his master’s degree in administration, planning, and social policy to good use. Recently, Bunch spoke to Ed. about starting his own nonprofit, virtual playgrounds, and how his time at the Ed School has helped him get where he is.

WHAT IS GLOBAL PLAYGROUND?

Global Playground is a nonprofit organization based on Washington, D.C., that provides education and schools for children in developing countries and connects them together. Currenlty, we have seven schools, including ones in Uganda, Cambodia, Thailand, Honduras, Philippines, Myanmar, and Kenya.

WHAT IS VIRTUAL PLAYGROUND?

Through “virtual playground,” an online collection of activities, students from around the world are connected with the help of a global curriculum. Normally, it is only students from developed communities who engage in global dialogue and learn about other cultures, but it’s important that student from underdeveloped communities have the same opportunities to partake in cross-cultural connections.

HOW DID GLOBAL PLAYGROUND START?

Global Playground was founded in 2003 with my college friend, Edward Branagan. We were both in New York City after college graduation, and both of us wanted an opportunity to give back to the community. Edward and I both had experience teaching; Edward taught English in Costa Rica and Bosnia, and I used to teach Latin and Greek in middle schools. Through our similar interests and backgrounds in education and teaching, the idea for Global Playground started to develop.

HOW DID YOUR TIME AT HARVARD HELP YOU SHAPE GLOBAL PLAYGROUND?

The Ed School gave me a framed appreciation for education at a broader level. It helped me use education as a tool to give students a global perspective.

DISCUSS YOUR WORK WITH THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY.

The Ed School definitely helped prepare me for my role as a visitor at the College of William & Mary. At Harvard, I studied higher education and learned about the law of education, board governance, the goals of liberal arts education, and the importance of access for students in need. Currently, I am a member of the Committee of Academic Affairs that oversees issues regarding tenure, admissions, and the overall academic life at William & Mary. I am also part of the Committee of Financial Affairs. One of the major highlights in my work is the creation of the William & Mary Promise, which pledges to freeze the cost of in-state tuition for four years so that students will not see an increase in the price of tuition during their time at the college. Also, as Taylor Reveley III, the current president of William & Mary, is about to retire, I am part of the search committee that is responsible for taking names of candidates who could be become the next president. While at the Ed School, I remember reading case studies about mental health issues, sexual assaults, and selecting new presidents, all of which has helped me become a thoughtful and well-informed visitor.

Photo courtesy of Global Playground.