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Language and cultural competence have long been an unmet need in US education. Yet they are essential 21st-century tools for global commerce, international relations, security and defense, as well as for worldwide social good. According to a 2014 Wall Street Journal report, foreign-language majors have the highest starting salary of all liberal arts majors. Adding language and cultural skills add significantly to the wage potential of any career. Individuals with ability to communicate in languages other than English and to mediate cultures lead rich, fulfilling lives and succeed in global careers.
The KU SLLC relaunches and updates KU's 150-year leadership in foreign-language education, one of the pillars of KU's curriculum at its founding in 1865, with exciting new partnerships and opportunities for KU students. At the September 2015 Inaugural Convocation, we introduced students, faculty, and our friends in the community to our new partner, the Global Language Project, which promotes language learning in underserved communities in New York City and will soon come to Kansas. They met the President of the Gabriel Al-Salem Foundation, which fosters economic growth in emerging economies of the former Soviet Union. Honoring KU alumnus Gabriel Al-Salem of Lindsborg, his Foundation provides internship opportunities in Kazakhstan for KU students. Watch the film of the Inauguration and read more about the SLLC's initiatives and partnerships.
With the 40 languages taught at KU, the School of Languages, Literatures & Cultures is a leader in the mid-west and uniquely poised to produce global leaders. To give KU students the best opportunities to gain these important 21st-century skills, we need to help them by maintaining excellent curriculum, developing award and scholarship opportunities for talented students, as well as continue to innovate in our programming with career-enhancing partnerships. We can only undertake these advances to strengthen KU's 150-year leadership in foreign-language education by investing in these programs. Your contributions to this campaign go to maintain and strengthen KU as a leader in the mid-west for global opportunities and leadership for its students' futures.