Languages, Study Abroad and Intercultural Skills: A Path toward Sustainability and Growth

FAIN: ZED-283734-22

Kalamazoo College (Kalamazoo, MI 49006-3295)
Katie MacLean (Project Director: May 2021 to present)

The hiring and retention of foreign language instructors, tutors, and teaching assistants.

The project will address the negative effects of the global pandemic in language programs at Kalamazoo College. It includes plans to bring suspended programs back online and provide additional support to students in the language requirement, where we have identified a preparedness gap due to a year of online classes. The project also intends to bolster the study abroad program as it continues to recalibrate its offerings and procedures during these uncertain times. The mutually beneficial relationship between study abroad and enrollments in the languages must remain healthy in the long term. With an eye toward sustainability, we will also engage in intense professional development and curricular reform to pivot toward an intercultural approach in language and literature curricula. This approach will highlight the valuable knowledge, skills and attitudes developed by students in the humanities that will serve them in any future path.

Media Coverage

Kalamazoo College language programs receive $500K to help pandemic loss (Media Coverage)
Author(s): Emily Reed
Publication: wwmt.com (News Channel 3 website)
Date: 10/28/2021
Abstract: news article announcing and summarizing the award
URL: https://wwmt.com/news/local/kalamazoo-college-language-programs-receive-500k-to-help-pandemic-loss

Language Programs Receive $500,000 Grant (Media Coverage)
Author(s): Andy Brown
Publication: Kalamazoo College website
Date: 10/25/2021
Abstract: description and summary of award
URL: https://www.kzoo.edu/news/language-programs-grant/