Introduction
Wesleyan's strengths in language studies, study abroad, civic engagement, and social justice are brought together in the Global Engagement Minor (GEM). The Global Engagement Minor integrates a student's academic studies, co-curricular activities, and experiential learning in order to help each participant reflect on and further cultivate their intercultural development and global engagement. (Please see the GEM Model.)
In order to provide GEM with theoretical and pedagogical coherence, we use the idea of "intercultural competence." Intercultural competence is not a state that one achieves, once-and-for-all; it is a process and an attitude. There are several definitions of intercultural competence in the existing literature, such as Bennett's (2008) "a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts." We seek to build on such ideas while also explicitly integrating a critically informed approach to globalization into our framework. This results in a multi-faceted "competence" that consists of the mutually reinforcing knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to understand, relate to, and engage constructively with the experiences of others. (See GEM Learning Goals.)
We understand "cultures" to be porous, fluid, internally contested, and often overlapping–and yet still to be vital realities shaping the lived experiences of all people. Building intercultural competence requires not just acquiring new knowledge but also practicing the skills and honing the attitudes that are needed to interact effectively and appropriately on a basis of informed, mutual respect. Such respect requires, and the GEM reinforces, a reflection on one's own position in the world and one's conceptualization of self.
By acquiring new knowledge, developing new skills and honing existing ones, and cultivating an attitude of responsibility and openness, GEM students not only gain a complex understanding of global problems but also learn to work toward positive solutions. In addition, building intercultural competence in a cohort setting helps advance mutual understanding between culturally different individuals and groups.
Admission to the Minor
Students may apply to the GEM during spring of their first year. The application consists of a short statement of interest describing how and why the Global Engagement Minor fits into the student's academic plans, a breakdown of the students' academic history, and a brief recommendation from a professor at Wesleyan.
Interested students can find the application form and the faculty recommendation form on the Global Engagement Minor page.
Students will be considered part of the GEM group after they have been admitted, have accepted to participate, and have enrolled in the GEM Introductory Seminar offered in the Fall of their sophomore year. Admission of students to the program in the Fall of their sophomore year or later may be possible via petition.