The American Exchange Project

Earlier this week, the Tang Institute welcomed David McCullough III ​’13 back to campus for a Lunch & Discussion that stirred hearts, sparked conversations, and reminded all of us what it means to connect across difference. McCullough, co-founder and CEO of the American Exchange Project (AEP), brought with him a message rooted in storytelling, lived experience, and hope for a more united future.

The event drew a diverse and engaged audience — Andover students from Texas, Florida, Indonesia, London, and beyond, alongside teachers from the history, math, and biology departments. Staff from across campus, including communications, advancement, admissions, and financial aid also gathered to listen. It was a generous representation of the Andover community, brought together by a shared desire to understand and imagine better ways forward.

From Ball Parks to Big Ideas

McCullough began his talk by tracing his journey from Andover student to social innovator. As an 8‑year-old leaving his home in Hawaii, his father softened the blow of the family’s move with a cross-country trip — visiting the ball parks of America along the way. That memory became a touchstone for McCullough, a golden thread of connection and discovery that would later inspire the AEP’s foundational idea.

Later, when a shoulder injury ended his baseball aspirations, McCullough found himself — like so many young people — in a moment of radical change. ​“There are times in life when certain stimuli are more powerful and affect who you become in the next chapter of your life,” McCullough said. ​“Life transitions are where transformation begins.”

He shared the story of how, while a rising senior at Yale University, he took a leap — channeling his love for learning and his curiosity about education into a road trip that would become the seed of a national movement. Instead of exploring art history in Florence, he chose to drive 7,100 miles across the country, spending time with students, teachers, and families in communities very different from his own. He returned with three things: a new circle of lifelong friends, insight into the forces shaping our divided nation, and a lot of information that became a paper at Yale.

The Birth of the American Exchange Project

From that experience came the vision for the American Exchange Project — the first free, domestic exchange program for high school seniors in the United States. The AEP brings together students from diverse geographic, economic, racial, religious, and political backgrounds for weeklong, immersive stays in one another’s hometowns. The goal is pretty simple: to build bridges. Whether helping on a ranch, exploring city streets, attending local festivals, or cooking dinner with host families, students gain more than knowledge: they gain understanding.

Since its founding, the AEP has sent over 1,000 students on 150 exchanges in 75 towns across 36 states. Because of their experience, McCullough says, many of those students, have altered college plans, career paths, and even their sense of self. He talked about the difference between an experience and an adventure and about two forms of social capital: bonded (ties with those like us) and bridged (ties with those different than us).

Before each exchange, students are given a simple but powerful framework for navigating disagreement: What is this argument about — and what is it really about? It’s a question that invites curiosity, empathy, and deeper listening — values that are at the heart of the AEP.

Ultimately, McCullough envisions a future in which every high school senior in the country has the chance to step outside their bubble, connect across divides, and experience firsthand the transformative power of shared experience. After all, he reminded us, when wonder replaces fear, everything begins to change.