University of Dayton junior Isaiah Kimble hopes to pursue a marketing sales career and work in Germany or with German markets after graduation.
To achieve his goal, the Pittsburgh native is pairing his marketing major with a minor in German studies through the UD Department of Global Languages and Cultures. He also spent 4 1/2 months this summer taking intensive German-language courses at the University of Augsburg in Germany with support from two donor-funded scholarships.
“One of the best things about UD is being able to share your faith with everyone, but I’m only able to tell English-speakers at UD or in the U.S., so learning German opens up a new demographic for me to share my faith,” Kimble said. “That also ties to marketing — no matter what company I work for, I can open up a completely new demographic for them while speaking German.”
UD students now have a new path to build their global communication and intercultural leadership skills with the launch this fall of the new global studies major. The new major brings together strengths from the department’s former international studies, Spanish, German and global French and Francophone majors in a flexible degree with a new focus on global learning, applied experience and career preparation.
Students in the global studies major complete a shared core and a required intercultural experience that prepares them to work and lead across cultural differences.
From there, students can shape the major around their interests in one of two pathways. The global citizenship and intercultural communication pathway offers a theme-based course of study across cultures and regions, while the area studies pathway allows students to develop deeper knowledge of a particular region and language through Spanish, German or French/Francophone studies.
“Students learn to critically evaluate how languages and cultures influence international relationships and shape the dynamics of our interconnected world,” said Marda Messay, assistant professor in French and Francophone studies, who was part of the working group that developed the new major. “This approach enriches students’ academic experience while preparing them to communicate, collaborate and lead across cultures in a variety of professional settings after graduation.”
Carola Daffner, associate professor and UD Department of Global Languages and Cultures chair, said the major prepares students for careers where they can work with international teams, serve diverse communities and help organizations address global challenges.
The core curriculum starts with Introduction to Global Communication, which focuses on civil dialogue across diverse communities and also fulfills UD’s oral communication requirement. The Languages of the World course explores the diversity of global languages and their significance for identity and belonging.
In the Intercultural Leadership in a Globalized World course, students use case studies, simulations and debates to build cultural intelligence, lead effective multicultural teams and craft a personal vision for ethical global leadership.
Daffner said the intercultural experiential learning requirement can take many forms.
“Students are encouraged to study abroad or complete international internships, but they can also fulfill the requirement through volunteering or other community-engaged experiences with a global or intercultural dimension,” she said. “That might mean working with the Human Rights Center or Global and Intercultural Affairs Center right here on campus, partnering with local organizations and communities, or pursuing an opportunity in a student’s hometown. We want students to have multiple ways to connect what they’re learning in the classroom with meaningful work in the world.”
Kimble, who completed the requirements for his German studies minor during his summer study abroad experience, is being encouraged to add global studies to his marketing major by Oliver Knabe, assistant professor in German studies.
“The new global studies major gives more opportunities to students who don’t exactly know what they want to do in that field,” Kimble said. “I want to do German specifically, but if you want to travel the entire world or just do French, Spanish, German, it’s right in front of you. It’s yours for the taking.”
Knabe also served in the global studies working group, along with Arne Romanowski, associate professor in Spanish. He said some of his former students were awarded Fulbright scholarships to teach in Germany after graduation. Others, like Kimble, have been able to study on-site in Augsburg and Berlin.
Knabe directed Kimble to apply for two donor-funded scholarships to help defray the cost of his immersion experience in Germany. Kimble was awarded the Robert C. Conard Scholarship for Study Abroad and received support from the Edward L. and Dr. Elke Hatch Assistance Fund for Students of German.
“That was the make-or-break for me to go to Germany and be able to afford the trip,” Kimble said. “People should get to know the world they live in, and because I went abroad for a semester, I have friends around the world. So, imagine what someone can do if they make that their life, rather than just four months.”
Photo: Isaiah Kimble (center) with friends from around the globe in Augsburg, Germany.