Wittenberg is launching a new initiative aimed at bringing together various global opportunities for students enrolled at the University. Called the Global Connections Collaborative (GCC), the effort will prepare students to study, live, engage, serve, and work in a global future. This new collaborative will emphasize that students can major in various areas and tie their language study to future careers in business, science and other areas, via the nationally recognized cultures and language across the curriculum program (CLAC) and international internship or experiential opportunities at Wittenberg.
The unique CLAC program allows students to use their language skills in a wide variety of disciplines as they work with a professor from a course in another discipline and a member of the language department to design and complete a project directly related to what they're learning in the course and tailored to their skill level in the language. CLAC modules can be tied to courses in almost any discipline and have included projects for history, math, political science, sociology, philosophy, religion, economics, psychology, and other courses. The GCC’s goal will be to increase connections across disciplinary and regional lines while seeking to better prepare students for a future in which global citizenship is paramount.
“Members of this group see benefits for students, the University, and various programs with the creation of an organized collective dedicated to global studies,” explained Ruth Hoff, associate professor of languages and chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures. “These benefits include a central location for students to find information and resources related to global education, increased collaboration among faculty and staff, more shared events, enhanced visibility of opportunities for current and prospective students, and the possible creation of new certificate programs. The GCC will increase the profile and scope of Wittenberg’s international curricular and co-curricular programs and opportunities.”
Hoff, along with Scott Rosenberg, the H.O. Hirt Professor in History and director of the Peace Corps Prep Program, are chairing the new GCC advisory committee that also includes JoAnn Bennett, director of the Office of International Education; Feng Liang, assistant professor of languages and director of the Language Learning Center; Nona Moskowitz, associate professor of sociology, department chair, and director of the East Asian Studies Program; and Lila Zaharkov, associate professor of languages and director of international studies.
The GCC will be housed on the second floor of Hollenbeck Hall in the eastern wing with the administrative assistant desk to be located in room 219. It will serve as a central location for various areas with global emphasis – the Language Learning Center, WLAC, the director of International Studies, East Asian Studies faculty, and International Education - to come together in one place. The director of International Education, JoAnn Bennett, will move up to the second floor to join the rest of the WLAC faculty in the suite of offices.
“A centralized location for the GCC will help build on the sense of community that has been established with the Language Learning Center through cultural events, speakers, resources (films, games, magazines, etc.) in multiple languages, and a ‘home’/meeting place for international students, heritage speakers, language tutors, and other students with interests in global education,” Hoff said.
Wittenberg’s signature study abroad opportunities include such programs as the Wittenberg in Wittenberg, Germany, Wittenberg in Costa Rica, and now the Wittenberg in Cape Town, South Africa. There are also numerous student leadership opportunities including with the American International Association, the East Asian Studies Club, Sigma Delta Pi, the Lesotho Nutrition Initiative, the East Asian Studies Journal, and so much more. Explore all the options Wittenberg has available in these areas at: Global Connections Collaborative | Wittenberg University
