For many college freshmen, keeping up with classes and assignments is challenging enough. But for Brooks Dyroff, a member of the Boston College class of 2013 and the men’s ice hockey team, life gets a little more complicated. Co-founder of CEO 4 Teens, a non-profit organization established to “create educational opportunities for less fortunate teenagers around the world,” Dyroff has traveled as far as Indonesia to promote his organization’s goals.

First established in Boulder, Colorado in 2007 by Dyroff and Kenny Haisfield, a student at UNC-Chapel Hill, the group has successfully raised over $55,000 for students in Indonesia and Taiwan who seek the opportunity of higher education. In addition, the group has established a microfinance program to “further assist students upon successful graduation,” according to its website, CEO4teens.com.

Dyroff admitted that service has always been a part of his life, and even at an early age he participated in trying to improve his local community in Colorado. From bagging apples to volunteering to feed the hungry, Dyroff and Haisfield were regular volunteers in the area. But after a trip to Indonesia, Haisfield came home with not only pictures, but also a number of stories and accounts from the local inhabitants. From then on, the two joined to promote education on a global scale.

In addition to providing financial assistance to students internationally, CEO 4 Teens recently set out to launch a program in Boston at Roxbury Community College. This initiative aims to help members of the Boston community, especially those who are struggling financially, obtain their General Equivalency Diplomas so “they can attend higher levels of education such as community colleges, colleges, and universities,” according to the website.

Dyroff and his co-founder started this program in Boston to give local students the opportunity to obtain their high school degrees as they continue on to higher education. “The small scholarships of $300 or $400 for these local students would take care of the costs for a prep course, the test itself, and even miscellaneous costs like supplies and transportation,” said Dyroff.

“The applications are sent to our office in Denver, where they will undergo review and the final scholarships will be rewarded. Right now, we’re looking to give at least 5 scholarships for the spring 2010 term [of GED courses],” he said.

On the topic of starting a business in Indonesia or Taiwan, Dyroff absolutely sees the fiscal advantage of working oversees. Here, the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar is to his, as well as his partner’s, advantage. For example, one U.S. dollar is roughly 9,345 Indonesian rupiahs, a sum that can buy far more in Indonesia than it can in the United States.

“Right away, the money can go so much further and help a greater number of students,” Dyroff explained when talking about his work overseas. “When we go to these other countries, we can give a lot more help with the money we have raised so far,” he continued.

That isn’t to say Dyroff and Haisfield aren’t interested in helping domestically, which is why they are expanding their efforts to the Boston area. But Dyroff explained that, with this troubled economy, donations have slowed when compared with previous years.

Dyroff, who admits to an incredibly busy schedule as a student and athlete at Boston College, looks past his next three and a half years in Chestnut Hill to his involvement in global service after graduation. “I can definitely see myself doing this as a career… I have no way of knowing how much [CEO 4 Teens] will grow in the next four years, but I’m excited to see its progress over the next ten,” he said.

CEO 4 Teens has received national and international recognition of its documentaries, which can be viewed on the organization’s website. In addition to national screenings in locations such as Newport Beach, California and Houston, Texas, one of the group’s documentaries was screened in South Whales, United Kingdom.

“It’s really been a life-changing experience,” Dyroff continued, “It’s such a rush to give people scholarships and see them and their families cry when they’re awarded a microfinance loan. We know how fortunate we are, and to give others an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have is an incredible feeling.”