Casting Ripples: Paul Strasburg Personifies Soft Power

A fellow RPCV from Arizona, Paul Strasburg, personifies Mother Teresa’s reminder that “I alone cannot change the world. But I can cast a stone across the waters and create many ripples.” Long before joining the Peace Corps, he gained a global lens through an AFS exchange in Germany—an experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to cross‑cultural understanding. After his service, Paul helped form a group dedicated not only to supporting overseas development but also to training aspiring U.S.-based philanthropists. His career is a testament to the impact one person’s ripples can have on a global level.