“Languages Mean Business” is the title of a roundtable discussion that will take place Thursday, Oct. 3.
Presented by The University of Toledo Department of World Languages, the free event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Carlson Library Room 1005.
“World language proficiency and intercultural competence are increasingly important for business collaborations, healthcare services, cutting-edge collaborative scientific research, as well as national security,” said Dr. Linda M. Rouillard, professor of French and chair of the World Languages Department.
The roundtable discussion will include comments from:
• M. Cyril Gauchet of the Québec Delegation;
• Guillaume Lacroix, French consul general in the Chicago office;
• Dr. Ngalula Sandrine Mubenga, UToledo assistant professor of electrical engineering technology and founder of SMIN Power Group LLC and STEM DRC Initiative;
• Ryan Wertz, Ohio Department of Education consultant with Ohio Seal of Biliteracy; and
• Paul Zito, vice president of international development with RGP Northwest Ohio.
All participants are invited to share their experiences of the ways in which their knowledge of other languages and cultures has enhanced their job prospects and careers.
Studying and speaking foreign languages is more important than ever, according to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which noted in a 2017 report the economic and scientific need for international language fluency.
Register for the free event, which will include refreshments and lunch, on the “Languages Mean Business” website.
For more information, contact Rouillard at linda.rouillard@utoledo.edu or 419.530.2029.
