World Languages Day at MSU

Have you ever longed for a way to travel abroad without the time commitment and astronomical expenses? To take a train from Greece to Paris to Amsterdam, and return home in time for dinner? Ever yearned for just one day to walk down the streets of Rome and explore the rich history of the city, perhaps while munching on a few fresh baked cannolis? Maybe spend a day in Shanghai, China or even Mogadishu, Somalia? This Saturday, March 28, Michigan State University provides an opportunity to experience these far off destinations at a free, all-day conference open to high school students, parents, and teachers.

World Languages Day allows participants to choose from a variety of sessions on language, culture, globalization, and general information about Michigan State University. The event welcomes high school students, particularly those sophomores and juniors considering applying to Michigan State or another University after graduation. Students are able to choose up to five sessions to attend throughout the day and enjoy a complimentary lunch in one of the universities remarkable cafeterias. All attendees will have opportunities to win raffle prizes.

The 8th annual World Languages Day is a rare opportunity for students from all over the region to explore their interest in unfamiliar cultures. Ninety different sessions are held, including Israeli folk dancing, Afro-Brazilian martial arts, Chinese zodiac, Japanese swordsmanship, German films, and more. One session allows participants to spend a few minutes each with several dozen individuals from countries all around the world.

Michigan State professor and World Languages Day presenter, Senta Goertler, will be leading a session on soccer in Germany, and a second for parents, students, and teachers, on what an undergrad can do with a German major from MSU. She encourages high school students to participate this year, “get exposed to languages that they may have dabbled with in high school, and experience a broad expanse of other languages and cultures they may not have even heard of before.” Goertler adds that “these are students potentially coming here or to another university, so we aim to plant the seed that college is a place to learn a language, study abroad and ultimately take advantage of everything the world has to offer.”

Crucial information for any future Spartan will be provided at the conference, including a guided tour of campus, details on the school's’ prestigious study abroad programs, foreign language departments, and general information on admission into MSU. Parents and adult chaperones are encouraged to participate as well and are welcome to attend any of the sessions.

Goertler explains that the event is a chance to develop young peoples’ “curiosity for language and culture, whatever they do with their lives, a willingness to look at people different from themselves and to cross boundaries and step into communities they’re not familiar with is essential.”

The event also provides opportunities for teachers to attend workshops on more effective language learning and greater student engagement in the classroom. Hands-on sessions will provide training on free online tools and other technology that can be used in learning languages.

Those interested can go to http://wld.clear.msu.edu/loginregister. According to Joy Campbell, Chair of World Languages Day, registration must occur either as part of a school that is signed up or with special permission. Campbell says that, "If an interested student's school is not already registered, [the student] should contact us directly for instructions on how to register independently at wld@msu.edu."

The event will be held at the Business College Complex and Eppley Center at 632 Bogue Street on the MSU campus. Free parking will be available in several marked lots on campus.

UPDATE, March 24, 2015, 3:45 pm: "World Language Day" was corrected to "World Languages Day" and the information from Joy Campbell was added.