Albion College’s Department of Modern Languages and Cultures has recently introduced new programs to further encourage intercultural understanding—and to help students prepare for careers in the global marketplace. A "Language and Culture for the Professions" track has been developed in French, German, and Spanish that combines language study with preprofessional course work and an overseas internship. And a "TransAmerican Latino/a Studies" track focuses on the interaction among the United States and Spanish-speaking nations of the Western hemisphere through the study of language, history, literature, public policy, and other fields.

While learning another language is important in today’s global society, notes Perry Myers, associate professor of German, "cultural competence" is essential as well. "What employers are looking for are people who know how to deal with difference . . . with ‘otherness’. They want students who can think creatively when confronted with different ways of doing things. . . . That’s what the study of foreign languages and study-abroad experiences do."

These initiatives underscore Albion’s continuing commitment to preparing students to become global citizens—and leaders.