Nearly 80 students gathered at Allison Mansion for the inaugural Language Festival on March 23. The event was organized to promote foreign language study, introduce students to different cultures, and come together as a community to have fun while learning. The festival included karaoke, dance instruction, desserts from different countries, a game of Jeopardy to test students’ cultural knowledge and prizes for the winners.
This event was organized by the Department of Languages and Cultures and spearheaded by professors Martine Camblor (French) and Yuriko Ikeda (Spanish).
“Nowadays, it is extremely important for students to learn a foreign language because we live in a global society,” says Yuriko Ikeda. “Understanding a different culture helps us understand our own culture. It also teaches us how to treat each other.”
Marian University offers language courses in French, German, Latin, and Spanish with students able to major in Spanish and minor in French, German, Classics (Latin and Greek) and Spanish.
Students also have the opportunity to build their language and culture skills through study abroad. Options include short-term and semester, and summer programs.
For more information about language opportunities at Marian University, contact Wendy Westphal, Ph.D., chair of Languages and Cultures, at wwestphal@marian.edu.
Learn more about how foreign language skills can help you advance your career.