The document discusses language acquisition and study abroad opportunities at the University of Denver (DU). It notes that DU strongly encourages students studying languages like Chinese to study abroad in countries where that language is spoken. The annual Global Gala celebrates students' experiences living and studying overseas. Language acquisition is a primary reason many DU students choose to study abroad. Resources like the Center for World Languages and Cultures and partnerships with international students help DU students maintain or learn new languages.

1. Junior
returnees
and
Sophomores
who
are
contemplating
studying
abroad
the
following
year
are
invited
to
the
annual
Global
Gala
to
celebrate
the
experience
of
living
overseas.
Students
come
back
excited
about
travel!
Dr.
Victor
Castellani
Chair
of
the
Department
of
Languages
and
Literatures
One
of
the
factors
that
colors
the
students’
experience
abroad
most
vividly
is
the
language
they
communicate
in
daily,
which
is
oftentimes
not
English.

2. Members
of
the
DU
Tango
Club
perform
at
the
Global
Gala.
Language
is
a
way
for
students
to
connect
more
intimately
with
a
culture.
Students
want
to
understand
their
environment,
and
they
can’t
do
that
if
they
can’t
communicate.
Otherwise,
you’re
a
tourist.
Dr.
M.
Kathleen
Mahnke
Director
of
the
Center
for
World
Languages
&
Culture

3. While
a
small
number
of
students
are
enrolled
in
the
Chinese
language
program
at
DU,
it
is
required
that
all
Chinese
minors
study
abroad
in
China.
In
fact,
Castellani
says
that
nearly
100%
of
students
studying
Chinese
at
DU
do
study
abroad
in
China.
He
would
like
to
see
a
similar
requirement
transfer
over
to
the
other
language
programs
in
the
Department.
Students
watch
a
performance
of
traditional
Chinese
drums
at
the
Global
Gala.

4. Tory
Rust,
a
Communications
Major
who
manages
her
own
photography
company
on
the
side,
studied
Spanish
in
Madrid.
Now
back
in
Denver,
she
wants
to
learn
French.
She
believes
this
new
language
will
help
her
break
into
the
fashion
industry
as
a
professional
photographer.
Guests
at
the
Global
Gala
view
photographs
taken
by
DU
students
abroad.

5. About
10
percent
of
students
choose
to
study
abroad
in
countries
where
the
local
language
is
not
taught
at
DU,
like
Botswana.

6. Lauren,
a
Junior
at
DU,
looks
at
the
Study
Abroad
board
in
the
Delta
Zeta
house,
which
marks
the
spots
across
the
globe
where
members
chose
to
study
abroad
in
the
2012-­‐2013
academic
year.
According
to
a
survey
conducted
by
the
Office
of
International
Education
during
Fall
Quarter
of
2012,
48
percent
of
students
mention
language
acquisition
as
a
very
important
reason
for
choosing
to
study
abroad.

7. Ali,
a
Junior,
studied
abroad
in
Sevilla,
Spain.
She
took
Spanish
classes
every
quarter
leading
up
to
her
time
in
Sevilla.
“I
can’t
stress
enough
how
important
it
is
that
students
have
this
foundation
before
going
abroad,”
says
Mahnke.
According
to
Castellani,
“We
don’t
like
to
send
our
students
abroad
without
a
foundation
of
two
years
of
college-­‐level
study,”
like
Ali.

8. Shawna,
who
studied
in
Valparaiso,
Chile,
skypes
with
her
friend,
Simón,
a
local
Chilean
she
met
while
abroad.
Students
like
Shawna
continue
to
find
value
in
the
language
they
study
abroad
as
they
maintain
the
friendships
they
developed
overseas
once
they
return
home.

9. The
Center
for
World
Languages
and
Cultures
provides
supplemental
instruction
beyond
the
traditional
language
classes
offered
by
the
Department
of
Languages
and
Literatures.

10. Free
one-­‐on-­‐one
language
instruction
is
available
to
DU
students
and
the
wider
community
from
Monday
to
Friday
at
the
CWLC.
The
CWLC
sees
more
students
visiting
its
language
tutors
(offered
in
Spanish,
French,
Arabic,
Japanese,
Chinese,
Italian,
Russian,
and
German)
in
the
month
of
January
than
during
Fall
Quarter.
Mahnke
attributes
this
interest
to
study
abroad
returnees
eager
to
keep
up
with
the
language
they’ve
acquired.

11. If
students
ask,
we
make
it
happen.
Mahnke
Director
of
CWLC
The
CWLC
is
keen
to
hear
from
students
wanting
to
learn
less
commonly
taught
languages.
If
at
least
10
students
express
interest
in
learning
a
language,
then
the
CWLC
will
begin
work
on
developing
a
program
for
its
instruction.

12. Each
quarter,
the
Office
of
Internationalization
organizes
the
Pioneer
Partnership
Program.
Domestic
students
are
paired
up
with
international
students
studying
at
DU.
This
way,
DU
students
can
experience
study
abroad
from
both
perspectives,
and
help
someone
who
is
developing
their
English
language
skills
in
our
own
backyard.

13. Step
3
2
Step
DU
students
can
also
learn
a
new
language
independently
through
one
of
the
several
language-­‐learning
programs
available
on
Step
1
Penrose
Library’s
online
database.