On Wednesday, March 14, six Houghton students from the Political Science and Intercultural Studies Departments embarked on a trip to the Nation’s Capital. Students were to attend the American University Intercultural Management Institute’s (IMI) Annual Conference on Intercultural Relations. The conference costs were nearly all covered by the Katherine Lindley Project Fund and funding from SGA.
Expecting to be blown away by scholars in various studies of academia, Houghton students found themselves seemingly prepared. “The material discussed in the sessions notably confirmed and expanded my prior knowledge of intercultural relations,” said senior Ben Hardy.
Students were able to attend various lectures and simulations from scholars such as Janet Bennett, author of American Ways, which is a text familiar to many Intercultural Studies majors. Lectures included “Strengthening Higher Education in Africa,” with a visiting professor from Uganda, and “The U.S. 2012 Presidential Election: Cross-Culture Viewpoints,” with the perspective of a Japanese Professor, Motoo Unno. The diverse perspectives allowed students to observe the importance of cultural sensitivity and how awareness of different cultures can be crucial to the effects and the increasing reality of globalization.
Houghton’s group, in fact, contained the only undergraduate students attending the IMI Conference. Graduate students from Penn State, Georgetown, University of Kentucky, and international students from Iceland, Romania and China made up a majority of the attendees. “I am impressed with Houghton Students. I never heard of Houghton, but I’m sure as of now going to look into it,” said Dr. Nanette Levinson, Associate Professor at the School of International Service at American University. Over lunch we discussed with Professor Levinson some of the many global issues concerning us today in the twenty-first century, ranging from human trafficking to poverty in Africa.
Despite Houghton’s size and isolated geographic location does not prevent it from making an impression on other universities and accomplished professionals.
Sophomore Joseph Poyfair said, “Houghton has prepared me. I am equally informed as graduate students and scholars in the field I’m studying in.”