World Languages Week
The 9th Annual World Languages Day returns in person in October 2023! Sign up for the CULTR newsletter to receive the latest details!
Want to experience what World Languages Day is like? Check out the videos below on our website to see both in-person and virtual!
Connecting Students to Global Career Pathways
The Center for Urban Language Teaching and Research (CULTR) is currently planning the 9th Annual World Languages Day for October 2023.
World Languages Day is a global career expo that brings together organization representatives from businesses, non-profits, government, and education to connect with over 1,000 high school and college students about the global skills essential to their industries. This weeklong event showcases diverse speaker panels and topics to highlight the value of language skills, cultural experiences, and DEI for all learners in the global economy. Registered schools and individuals are welcome to attend all their preferred sessions throughout the week of the event. Past sessions for this event included representatives from Mercedes-Benz, UPS, FBI, Truist, U.S. Department of State, Peace Corps, and many more.
In its most recent iteration, the Center for Urban Language Teaching and Research (CULTR) held the 8th Annual World Languages Week from October 17 – October 21, 2022, in a virtual format. Videos for the World Languages Week panels are available; you may find them below.
Interested in joining us at this upcoming event? Sign up for CULTR’s monthly newsletter below to stay up-to-date on event developments.
The 8th Annual World Languages Week Recap
The 8th Annual World Languages Week was held on October 17, 2022 to October 21, 2022, in a virtual format. To see the panels for the first time or as a return, please click on the panels below to see the video and enjoy!
Keynote Speaker
Panel Description:
The Keynote Presentation will have Marquis Daly as the Keynote Speaker for this year’s World Languages Week, and will have Dr. Hakyoon Lee to as Guest Moderator for this panel discussion. During this panel, we will learn of Marquis’ travels and learning how language skills open opportunities as a student and as a professional.
Moderator
Dr. Hakyoon Lee
Director of CULTR, Georgia State University
Keynote Speaker
Marquis Daly
Consultant, We Are Rosie
Global Business
Panel Description:
Moderated by Dr. Mourad Dakhli, Director of the Master of International Business program at Georgia State University, this discussion will address global business as it relates to the industries and roles represented by the panelists, namely hands-on experience in Human Resources Management (HRM); business development and global travel consulting; international business development & growth consulting services; and marketing management, branding and research within the automotive industry.
Speakers will share about being a TCK, or global nomad; behind the scenes official planning for JapanFest, and the Florida-Japan Aerospace and Aviation Summit; insights and stories from Subaru’s “Love” campaign; and how an HR professional from one of the world’s largest steel manufactures approaches working in fast paced environment. After hearing their diverse experiences, expect to have a better understanding of the vital importance of the intersection of strong organizational, technical, and intercultural communication skills with curiosity and empathy to successfully navigate thriving in this field. Languages of panel include: French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.
Moderator
Dr. Mourad Dakhli
Clinical Professor, Georgia State University
Panelists
Rudy Augsburger
Founder & President, Arrakasta
Aiyana Mathews
President, Gardner-Mathews Global Management
Tim Mahoney
Former Chief Marketing Officer, Global Chevrolet and Global GM Marketing Operations Leader, General Motors
Brandon Son
General Manager, POSCO America
Nonprofit & Community Organizations
Panel Description:
This panel will explore international and Atlanta-based nonprofit and community organizations. Guided by Dr. Jennie Burnet, Director, Institute for Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Georgia State University, panelists will share their lived experiences related to studying and/or working abroad; intercultural awareness; identity; storytelling, and why no story is inconsequential; as well as how they are impacting their respective communities. Topics to be addressed include nonprofit leadership, peacebuilding global diasporas, culturally relevant pedagogy, a vision for anti-racist educators, community building through volunteering, service to immigrant and underserved populations, as well as administration of US Fulbright Student Programs abroad. Languages of the panel include: French, German, Japanese, Kinyarwanda, Korean, and Spanish.
Moderator
Dr. Jennie Burnet
Director of the institute for Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Georgia State University
Panelists
Jongdae Kim
Executive Director, Re’Generation Movement
Molly Roza
Coordinator of Volunteers, Caritas Der Erzdiozese Wien – Hilfe in Not
Dana E. Salter
Director of Community Engagement and Continuing Education – CREATE Teacher Residency Program, Georgia State University
Global Scholar Distinction
Panel Description:
The Global Scholar Distinction is open to all bachelor degrees. Undergraduate students who wish to be recognized as a Global Scholar should follow these steps:
- Plan Ahead: Talk to an advisor early about including the Global Scholar Distinction in your degree plan. It’s never too early to chart your path!
- Take Five Global Scholar Courses: Take courses across the university that count toward your major, minor, or electives. Earn a grade of “B” or better and keep an institutional GPA of 3.0 or higher. All Global Scholar courses are at the 3000 or 4000 level. Global Scholar courses can be found on GoSolar or PAWS.
- Develop Professional Skills: Students who have taken three or more Global Scholar courses will receive invitations to workshops to learn how to build a global portfolio and prepare for job interviews.
- Be Recognized: Global Scholars will receive an official letter and digital badge from Georgia State University. Global Scholars may add the distinction to their resume and digital profiles.
Panelist
Kimberly Henshaw
Head of the Chinese Language Culture and Business Initiatives, Georgia State University
Media & Entertainment
Panel Description:
Moderator Edvige Jean-François will lead an engaging discussion that will encompass stories that highlight expereinces such as: senior level television production; the Hispanic media industry; podcasting; a day in the life of a self-employed journalist and communications practitioner; working for CNN, the White House, or for multinational corporations and world-renown university systems; what it’s like strategizing and creating a language learning app; US-Chinese affairs with particular emphasis on corporate relations, partnerships and negotiation, and client solutions; and global marketing, among many others. Participants will share their takeaways from working in these environments and industries, as well as their advice about working, studying and living in multilingual and multicultural settings. Languages of the panel include: Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Lingala, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, and Tagalog.
Moderator
Edvige Jean-François
Executive Director for the Center for Studies on Africa and its Diaspora (CSAD), Georgia State University
Panelists
Megan Jeffrey
Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communication, University of Maryland
Judith Martinez-Sadri
Digital Content Strategist, State of Georgia
Global Health & Humanitarian Organizations
Panel Description:
If this panel of professionals were a gourmet dish, its ingredients would include the following: a common link between Mali and Panama, personal insights from employment with government agencies, and NGOs; international development; health programs aimed at combating tuberculosis and AIDS; health program evaluation reports, deployment to Guinea for Ebola; supervising and mentoring for CDC staff, EIS officers, quarantine officers, fellows, students, and trainees; as well as volunteer recruitment that reflects DEIA. Hear from these experienced world citizens about how their contributions have impacted health outcomes far and wide across the globe. Languages of the panel include: Amharic, Bangla, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Moderator
Mathias Guerreiro-Aires
Lecturer of French, Georgia State University
Panelists
Dr. Clare A. Dykewicz
Consultant, Po’okela Solutions, LLC
Thandie Harris
Independent Consultant and Managing Director, N&K Consultants
Jackie Valadez
Diversity Recruiter, Peace Corps
Study Abroad & Language Learning
Panel Description:
Studying a language abroad is a unique and enriching academic experience, allowing you to increase your language proficiency and learn about culture, food and local accents from the locals. This panel will focus on the benefits of studying languages abroad and enable you to hear firsthand from students and faculty who have just completed a language study abroad program to Europe this summer. Join us to hear their stories and ask your questions!
Moderator
Dr. Laura Boudon
Director of Study Abroad Program, Georgia State University
Panelists
Dr. Victoria Rodrigo
Professor of Spanish, Director of Spanish Studies in Granada, Spain
Stefany Alvarado
Select Committee Intern, U.S. House of Representatives
Sofiya Berman
Current Georgia State University Student
Open Session
Panel Description:
In the final panel for this year’s World Languages Week, we meet other professionals in an Open Session event. Join Dr. Hakyoon Lee, Connie DiJohnson, Erica Mason, and Afaf Steiert to talk about language translation and other topics.
Moderator
Dr. Hakyoon Lee
Director of CULTR, Georgia State University
Panelists
Connie DiJohnson
Director for Second Language Acquisition for the National Foreign Language Center, University of Maryland
Erica Mason
Recruiting Specialist, LATN Language Solutions
Afaf Steiert
President, Afaf Translations LLC
Event Videos
World Languages Week aims to provide engaging content, immersive discussion, and a meaningful experience for all attendees. See these elements in action through event recordings below.
Past Events
SCHOOLS
Leading up to our most recent event, the CULTR team was struck by the warm response from interested and attending students, teachers, and organizations. This section highlights the impact of World Languages Week 2021.
38
Countries Represented
As highlighted by 88% of registered attendees never attending in the past (↑ 8% since last year), this year’s virtual format has enabled school attendance from across the world.
39
U.S. States Represented
(↑ 44% since last year)
212
Registered Schools
(↑ 242% since last year)
442
Distinct Count of Registrations
Representing schools, classrooms, and individuals (students, teachers, general attendees, etc.), registrants signed on to access the live events or post-event recordings.
7,867
Registered Students
(↑ 38% from last year)
4,828 students joined in during the week’s live sessions
Registered teachers estimate that close to 8,000 students would be engaging with the event livestream or recorded videos from World Languages Week. 61% of this count joined in during the week’s live sessions to listen in and interact with panelist speakers.
School Environment (%)
- Rural
- Suburban
- Urban
Subjects Taught By Teachers (%)
Top 15 College Student Majors (% of college students)
WHAT ARE ATTENDEES SAYING?
9 out of 10
Agree This Event Positively Impacted the Future of Attending Students
100%
Agree This Event Is A Positive Resource
SPONSORS
Event Sponsors
SCHOOLS
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center for Urban Language Teaching and Learning (CULTR) converted its World Languages Day event into a virtual, weeklong format for October 2020. Rebranded as World Languages Week, this event aimed to make attendance accessible to a wider audience and connect students to exciting opportunities presented through the study of languages. Special thanks to all attendees for participating and helping to make this year’s event a huge success!
27
States Represented
As highlighted by 80% of registered attendees never attending in the past, this year’s move to a virtual format enabled student attendance from across the country.
62
Schools Represented
1,042
Total Users
Logging in from across the country, educators were able to encourage individual students or entire classrooms to participate in the active discussions.
5,696
Number of Students
Registered teachers estimate that nearly 6,000 high school students would be engaging with event webinars, video, and resources during World Languages Week.
School Environment (%)
- Rural
- Suburban
- Urban
Subjects Taught By Teachers (%)
- Spanish
- French
- Chinese
- Other
- German
- Latin
- ESOL
- DLI
- Arabic
Top 10 College Student Majors
WHAT ARE ATTENDEES SAYING?
9 out of 10
Agree This Event Positively Impacted the Future of Attending Students
100%
Agree This Event Is A Positive Resource
SPONSORS
Event Sponsors
SCHOOLS
Passionate Teachers and Students
Seeing the value in World Languages Day, schools from across the state packed onto buses and drove to Georgia State University. Some schools left hours before school even started to attend as highlighted by Bertha Delgadillo’s class from Woodville Tompkins Technical & Career High School. This dedicated school drove over 4 hours to attend World Languages Day!
Below, World Languages Day 2019 also welcomed exchange students from Middelfart, Denmark thanks to Margret Heeren and Whitewater High School. These students are studying in the United States to pursue their interests as educators.
978
Attending High School and College Students
25
Schools Across Georgia
Grade Distribution (%)
- 9th
- 10th
- 11th
- 12th
88.9%
Students Agree This Event Positively Impacted Their Future
Student Career Interests
SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS
49
*53.1% increase from the previous year (32)
Participating organizations connected with high school and college students on how globalization and language proficiency help them to further business goals, reach international markets, and make a difference in an increasingly interconnected world.
86.7%
Organization Attendees Recommend Others to Participate
Industry Breakdown (%)
- Chamber of Commerce
- Business/Commerce
- Consulate General
- Government
- Higher Education
- K-12 Education
- Non-profit
- Other
Favorite Part of Event (Organization Attendees)
1. Engaging with Students
2. Networking with Diverse Industries
3. Great Attendance
Sponsors
Exhibitors
Alif Institute ● Alliance Française d’Atlanta ● Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau ● Atlanta Global Studies Center ● Atlanta Institute for Diplomatic Leadership ● Business Communication for Internationals-USA, LLC ● Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ● City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of International Affairs ● Consulate General of Ireland ● Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta ● Consulate General of Switzerland ● Consulate General of the Kingdom of Belgium ● Cultural Services of the French Embassy ● DeKalb County School District ● Drug Enforcement Administration ● Georgia Department of Education ● Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce ● German American Exchange Inc. ● Gilman Scholarship Acceptance ● Global Youth Ambassadors Program ● GSU Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality ● GSU CIBER ● GSU Confucius Institute ● GSU CULTR ● GSU Early Childhood and Elementary Education ● GSU Institute of international Business ● GSU Latino Student Services and Outreach ● GSU Multicultural Center ● GSU OII ● GSU Rialto Center for the Arts ● GSU Study Abroad Programs ● GSU World Languages & Cultures ● HTP J-1 Visa Programs ● J-1 Visa Exchanges ● Korean Education Center in Atlanta ● Le Pont Translations, LLC ● Mercedes Benz USA ● MHP – A Porsche Company ● Peace Corps ● Québec Government Office in Atlanta ● re:imagine/ATL ● SeSo, Inc. ● The IRC in Atlanta ● The Japan America Society of Georgia ● Translation Station, Inc. ● uBuntuSpeaks, LLC ● USA Global Education Services LLC ● Welcoming Atlanta ● WellStar Health Systems
Panel Discussion
Building on the the opportunity for students to interact with leading organization representatives, the panel discussion sessions serve as a platform to develop a deeper understanding of important topics, such as workforce readiness, language study, and global competencies from experienced professionals. We warmly thank all of the participating speakers for the valuable (and fun) conversations with students.
Chi Chi Okezie │ SIMPLEnetworking, LLC
Owner / Producer
Chi Chi Okezie is owner / producer of SIMPLEnetworking, LLC which specializes in business networking, diversity and inclusion and cultural competency. Chi Chi speaks three languages (English, French and Ibo). She engages her clients in developing their communication, leadership and interpersonal skills via seminars, events and consulting. Chi Chi also blogs as the “Champion Networker”, is a keynote at events and has published 2 books on networking. Her company received a Proclamation for Business Networking Day for November 13th. She is also the recipient of the Class of 2013: 40 Under 40 for Connect and Rejuvenate Magazines, 2015 Emory Campus Life Volunteer and the 2017 William Norton Outstanding Alumna for Oxford College of Emory. Chi Chi is a member of the Emory Alumni Association, Women In Technology (WIT), Golf Women Mean Business (GWMB), Atlanta Diversity Advocacy Management Group (ADMAG) and Harvest Life Church.
Nozomi Morgan │ Michiki Morgan Worldwide
CEO
Nozomi Morgan is the CEO of Michiki Morgan Worldwide. She leads a team of world-class experts who help international organizations when they have a critical need to improve quality, performance, and profitability through building a culture of excellence beyond boundaries and differences. Her diverse international background — born in Japan and having lived in Asia, Europe and North America — gives her a wealth of experience and knowledge as a trusted partner to organizations. She is a regular contributor to Forbes.com and Huffington Post. She holds an MBA from Yale School of Management.
William Dee │ Porsche AG
Customer Experience Strategy Consultant, MHP Americas
William Dee is a customer experience strategy consultant with MHP Americas, an IT consulting subsidiary of Porsche AG. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in both German for International Business and Marketing from Georgia State University in 2018 while interning at Porsche Cars North America and in Germany. He provides his clients with project management and process optimization in the field of connected vehicles and data management. William has recently returned to the United States after a long-term assignment in Germany where he supported his client with legal compliance project management.
Darius Beasley │ Georgia State University
French Instructor
Darius Beasley is an Instructor at Georgia State University (GSU) and at the Alliance Française of Atlanta. He graduated with a Master’s degree in French Studies from GSU and a Bachelor’s in French and TESOL from Michigan State University (MSU). At MSU he also gained his teacher certification while participating in the Urban Educators Cohort Program. Darius has experience teaching French in the K-12, university and adult education settings in the United States. Abroad he has taught English in countries such as Malaysia and France. Darius has recently returned from having taught English at La Sorbonne University in Paris, France.
Dr. Tim Jansa │ Georgia State University
Business Manager
Dr. Jansa has served as Business Manager for the Department of World Languages and Cultures since 2015 and manages all financial aspects of the Department’s multi-million-dollar budget, including payroll, procurement, account reconciliation, and budget projections. His duties also include post-award grant management and expense reporting. Jansa earned a doctorate (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership with a focus on higher education from Georgia State University. His research centers on leadership at the intersection of college and university internationalization with postsecondary world language education. His studies have also granted him profound insights into the financial and organizational workings of institutions of higher education and greatly informs his management of budgets in keeping with institutional policies, procedures, and regulations, as well as staff leadership and development.
SCHOOLS
Passionate Teachers and Students
Seeing the value in World Languages Day, schools from across the state packed onto buses and drove to Georgia State University. Some schools left hours before school even started to attend as highlighted by Effingham College and Career Academy. This dedicated school drove over 4 hours to attend World Languages Day!
1,017
Attending High School Students
23
High Schools Across Georgia
Grade Distribution (%)
- 9th
- 10th
- 11th
- 12th
89.3%
Students Agree This Event Positively Impacted Their Career Aspirations
Student Career Interests
SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS
32
Participating organizations connected with over 1,000 students on how globalization and language proficiency help them to further business goals, reach international markets, and make a difference in an increasingly interconnected world.
95.2%
Organization Attendees Recommend Others to Participate
Industry Breakdown (%)
- Arts and Culture
- Business/Commerce
- National Security
- Travel/Tourism
- Education
- Translation
- Diplomacy
Favorite Part of Event
1. Engaging with Students
2. Networking with Exhibitors
3. Event Organization/Communication
Sponsors
Speakers
Building on the the opportunity for students to interact with leading organization representatives, the speaker sessions serve as a platform to develop a deeper understanding of important topics, such as workforce readiness, language study, and global competencies. We warmly thank all of the participating organizations and speakers for the valuable discussion.
Ricardo de la Cruz Martínez Ocadiz, SIS Procurement Information Director at the Coca-Cola Company
Shanita Miller, Director of Development and Community Outreach at Alliance Francaise d’Atlanta
Representatives from the CIA’s Open Source Enterprise
John Woodward, Senior Director of Foreign Investment at the Metro Atlanta Chamber