• To raise the visibility of languages that are vibrant in every corner of campus
• To provide excellent support of language teaching and learning in the classroom, including weekly tutoring sessions
• To help students explore their linguistic acumen through practice in unstructured exchanges—Language Tables in campus dining halls, conversation groups in our facilities, and ongoing student events on campus
• To foster spaces for interdisciplinary collaboration for both faculty and students
• To create bridges through languages with our neighbors in Nashville and around the globe
• To promote global citizenship and to help prepare our students for living in a linguistically diverse society

Asher worked hard to learn Spanish all through high school; he scored a 4 on the AP Spanish Language exam. He wonders what it would be like to take a Spanish college course; and knows speaking another language could help him in his career. His first semester at Vanderbilt he enrolls in SPAN 3290 and realizes that he is already on his way to a Spanish Minor for the Professions.

Dahlia grew up speaking Turkish at home. Although she’s never formally studied the language she is interested in learning more. Dahlia enrolls in Turkish through Vanderbilt’s Partnership for Less Commonly Taught Languages, after ensuring her placement level in the third semester (TURK 2201) is correct. This course will fulfill her World Language requirement, and appeals to her curiosity about Turkish popular culture and history.

Sarah grew up in Boston; her grandmother immigrated from Italy. Sarah wants to learn about Italians, their culture and cities - she enrolls in ITALIAN 1101 as a beginner and soon meets new friends in her classes and at the Italian Language Table. She plans to take a Maymester abroad: Made-in-Italy: Italianess in Italy and Abroad, A Culinary Journey.

Francine has always been interested in taking German but it was not offered at her high school. At Vanderbilt she can start in GERMAN 1101 right away, and completing the second semester (GERMAN1102) will fulfill the language requirement. She is especially interested in the program’s internships in Germany and is curious to meet other students just starting to study the language.

 

Jun Seo went to highschool in Korea. He will be studying at Vanderbilt as an international student in the Fall. Although he has formal education in Korean language, he still would like to adapt higher level reading and writing skills at the college level. He places into an advanced level Korean course: KORE 4401 Readings in Modern Korean I, where he is able to use his language skills to work with excerpts from cultural, literary, and business writings. After being invited by a friend to a K-pop Karaoke Night hosted at the VCL Satellite, Jun Seo decides he would like to join the Korean Undergraduate Student Association (KUSA), a cultural student org dedicated to connecting the Korean/Korean-American community at Vanderbilt.