Although the lush green mountains and ancient architecture made a perfect backdrop for rest and relaxation, Kramer didn’t spend her time in Cagli vacationing. Instead, she and several other Temple University journalism students worked with the International Student Media Program, a four-week session designed to give students hands-on experience in international reporting.

“We were literally dropped off in the middle of a small Italian village and required to create compelling stories without knowing very much about the language or culture,” said Kramer, who is studying broadcast journalism and Spanish.

“The transition was difficult, I’ve been studying Spanish for eight years, so picking up Italian wasn’t that hard,” she continued.

Learning a foreign language is becoming increasingly important to students across Temple’s campus, whether they are pursuing careers in business, health or liberal arts, said journalism professor Chris Harper.

“As international borders begin to dissolve, it is going to be critical that students learn another language,” Harper said. “I try to encourage students to leave their American bubble and use this to gain exposure to the world.”

“Students who are studying international business are required to enroll in foreign language courses,” said Kimberly Cahill, director of the Fox Business School Institute for Global Management Studies and the Center for International Business Education Research (CIBER).

International business is the fastest-growing major in the Business School, with early 600 students enrolled, she added.

In an attempt to highlight the importance of studying foreign languages, Temple University Foreign Language Departments and CIBER invite students from 10 area high schools to Temple’s Main Campus each year to celebrate World Languages Day.

The annual daylong event includes guest speakers and classes in topics such as “Confucian Ethics in Asian Business,” “German Literature” and “Brazilian Language and Culture.”

For students like Kramer, who is considering a career in international reporting, learning a new language was the catalyst to world travel. Over the past few years, Kramer has visited Mexico, South America, Europe and Africa, and she plans to continue globetrotting after she graduates this May.

However, knowledge of a foreign language can often be utilized in your own backyard, Rita Lourie, Temple Health Connections director of community outreach, told a group of Philadelphia high school students during World Languages Day on March 21.

“Being able to communicate with your patients is imperative for those who want to go into the healthcare industry,” Lourie explained. “The need for students who speak Spanish and Korean will continue to grow as immigrants begin to inhabit urban centers around the country.”

By involving students who speak a second language in their “Let’s Save Babies” program and Project Shine, Temple Health Connection has been able to improve the lives of several immigrants in and around North Philadelphia.

“When students learn a new language, they become cultural brokers,” she said. “They’re able to break language barriers and really make changes in their communities and abroad.”

World Languages Day

Career goals, personal interests, preparation for study abroad, and the desire to fulfill university and college requirements are just a few of the reasons why Temple students enroll in language courses.

In the College of Liberal Arts, students can learn comprehensive functional language skills in French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek and Vietnamese. Students can take a class or two, minor or major in these languages, or even pair a language with a second major such as journalism or business. In addition, the Department of African-American Studies offers introductory classes in the African languages Yoruba and Hausa.

All Temple students are encouraged to study abroad to gain stronger conversational and cultural literacy. Visit www.temple.edu/studyabroad for more information.