In today’s hyper-connected world, it is more important than ever for a student to graduate with an understanding of how communication, decision-making, and success are affected by cultural awareness. In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the World Languages and Cultures (WLC) department prepares students to explore thinking and collaboration from a broad, globally-informed perspective.
It is a common misperception that the mastery of a language ensures the success of an individual traveling and conducting business in a new country. Cultural studies courses educate students beyond the language - how to utilize languages and, more importantly, how to navigate another culture.
“We ask, ‘If we sent a student to France tomorrow, what do they need to know to be successful professionally?’” Chad Gasta, professor and chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures, said. “It boils down to an understanding of the professional cultural expectations in a country other than your own that will give you an edge when working with clients, colleagues, and competitors.”
Stepping into a global workplace
Rob Hanson, a graduate in mechanical engineering and Spanish who now works on global project teams for Mechdyne Corporation, knew he needed international experiences before graduation to help boost his career.
It is a common misperception that the mastery of a language ensures the success of an individual traveling and conducting business in a new country. Cultural studies courses educate students beyond the language - how to utilize languages and, more importantly, how to navigate another culture.
During his four years at Iowa State, he spent six months in Spain (completing two study abroad programs in Valencia and Cáceres) and a summer in Aachen, Germany. He had internships in both countries.
“I gained so much from my experiences abroad. Language, culture, learning – of course – but also how to be a global citizen. You can’t fully appreciate how much the world has an impact on you and your career until you’ve experienced it from another perspective,” he said.
No matter where a student lands a job, upon graduating they are a part of the global landscape. What they do will have an impact on people all over the world, and LAS is committed to ensuring students are prepared for this responsibility.
“Employers tell us they want to hire graduates with a sense of the world,” said Nancy Guthrie, director of LAS Study Abroad. “It takes a special set of skills to operate in a culture you are unfamiliar with, so employers see great value in those who have taken advantage of study abroad opportunities.”
Kestrel Henry, a recent graduate in political science and international studies with a minor in French is a formidable example of an LAS global citizen. Henry studied French, Arabic, Chinese, German, and Indonesian at ISU and abroad. She completed separate study abroad programs in Belgium, England, Germany, Morocco, and Taiwan. In Belgium, Henry worked for the Office of Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels. Henry’s experiences abroad made her interested in the field of social impact innovation and finance.
“The field excites me because it builds on my technical and algorithmic knowledge from my training as a software engineer as well as my training in global politics and economics,” Henry said.
Gasta said one of the ways WLC has modified its curriculum to meet the new demands of today’s global market has been by teaching more applied language and offering professional experiential learning opportunities abroad. These components are the cornerstones of the Languages and Cultures for Professions (LCP) secondary major.
The LCP secondary major was designed for students with primary majors in the Colleges of Business, Engineering, and Agriculture and Life Sciences. These students take targeted coursework in professions, translation and interpretation, and contemporary cultures. To compliment the courses, they also work or study abroad.
Recent reports by The Economist, Forbes, and NPR as well as a notable study by MIT demonstrate that job candidates who can speak a second language get more job interviews, are offered a higher starting salary, progress through the corporate ranks faster, and are more likely to be tapped for global positions. Studies also suggest that companies are seeking more second language speakers than ever before, but the pool of qualified applicants is not as strong as it could be.
Job candidates who can speak a second language get more job interviews, are offered a higher starting salary, progress through the corporate ranks faster, and are more likely to be tapped for global positions.
“The ability to move across cultures, speak multiple languages, and adapt rapidly to diverse, constantly-changing working environments is what makes LCP students so attractive to today’s employers,” Mark Rectanus, professor of German and director of the LCP initiative, said.
Regardless of the industry or field of study students enter upon graduation, expanding the geographic scope of learning will be key to their success. The leaders of tomorrow will be those who can think, collaborate, and solve problems from a global perspective. We can not wait to tell their stories.