“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening
to what another has to say.”
——-Bryant H. McGill
Most recently, I have been asked the following question, with some variation, in three different settings:
What have you done in order to broaden your understanding and engagement with multiculturalism?
This is a question that I have enjoyed responding to, for unlike most colleagues at a similar stage in their career, I think this question allows me to not only differentiate myself but it allows one to garner the connection and contribution I will make in the college classroom and among diverse staff, faculty, and administrators.
The above is only noteworthy if the institution itself values and embraces multiculturalism among its faculty as well as its student body.
Below is a summary of key facts I have shared with those who have posed the question.
I have . . .
- traveled to 21 countries to-date, most often alone and thus required to interact with locals to navigate and enjoy the culture and the people
- taught in a Rome Studies Program, taking some 34 U.S. students to Italy with three other faculty members
- participated in a Turkey Summer Seminar with a dozen or so Moroccan students, a Canadian professor, and an American professor
- participated in a Summer Senegal, West Africa Fulbright that included an immersion into the religion, language, food, art, history, and traditions of the country
- hosted a series of lectures in Namibia at the invitation of one of my composition students at the conclusion of lecture on the rhetorical situation
- resigned from a teaching position at the conclusion of the fall 2009 semester to draft another book as I traveled 12 countries in Europe–a book that was published in 2015
- taught for 3.5 years in Morocco at a university with close ties to the University of Texas and one that had over a dozen countries represented among its teaching faculty alone
- honored an invitation to speak in Sweden to a community organization whose members represented a host of countries in Africa
- presented a conference paper in Belgrade, Serbia whose participants were from all over the world
- developed a leadership conference in a developing country and presented the endeavor at a 2015 conference at Harvard
- explored multinational business and management through a post-graduate degree in Organizational Management with an International Focus
- shared my travel experiences through an extensive photo gallery that I have included in book signing events
- taught in a college setting where over 40 countries were represented
- taught World Religion and incorporated field trips to settings that complemented several different religions
- included diverse readings in my writing classes to expose students to different cultures
- asked students to write papers sharing something they identify as unique to their culture and then placed students in groups to read several of these informative essays
- developed an international entrepreneurial showcase to garner the differences in marketing, products, and services specific to a particular culture
- become very intentional about exploring the challenges study abroad students may experience in a host country specifically in view of my own decision to teach in Africa where I was alone and unprotected or guided by some third party organization
In summation, my 4.5 degrees have taught me a lot, but the experiences and opportunities above have enriched me more than I ever expected and such enrichment has come through people and their history and experiences as well as my genuine respect for people, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or the color of their skin. Such awareness and appreciation only strengthens my people, teaching,and critical awareness skills.
These are three traits I am hopeful my employer, colleagues, students, and community members will value.
“Have a big enough heart to love unconditionally, and a broad enough mind to embrace the differences that make each of us unique.”
——-D. B. Harrop
Avis 