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Nicola Kille is the coordinator of The College of Wooster's Ambassadors Program, a new initiative on campus designed to give international students an opportunity to tell others about their homelands, both on campus and in the Wooster community. A native of Britain, Kille attended the University of Wales at Aberystwyth in the United Kingdom and gained an honors degree in history in 1992. She also attended Washington State University as an exchange student in 1990-1991. Prior to coming to Wooster, Kille had extensive experience in the fashion industry, in both London and the United States. |
Because today's world calls for an increase in international and intercultural understanding, The College of Wooster -- through a generous grant from the McGregor Fund -- has established the Ambassadors Program, a unique new venture designed to facilitate the exchange of intellectual, cultural, and material resources. Nicola Kille, coordinator of the program, explains the program and how it will benefit not only the College but also the community. What is the primary mission of the Ambassadors Program? The Ambassadors Program seeks to encourage people to explore the world - to make connections with diverse nations and cultures, to discover both our similarities and differences and to experience contemporary nations through the eyes of a native. The goal is to help others experience life in their homelands by painting a picture of their contemporary nations and cultures. How does it work? Each year, five international students will be selected to serve as resident authorities from their homelands. These students will take on the role of diplomats, creating embassies on campus and undertaking a multi-dimensional program of community interaction. Over the summer break they will research and gather the information and artifacts necessary to teach others about their nation and culture. Some research topics will be determined by the Ambassadors Program Coordinator in association with local educators, but the balance will be determined by the Ambassadors themselves, allowing them the freedom to cover topics that they feel are important or that are interesting to them personally. The research and artifacts collected will be made available to the community through an International Gallery on campus, a Web site, and an outreach program designed to reach school children as well as local organizations and businesses. Why is the Ambassadors Program important? America is the richest, most powerful nation in the world - elements of American culture, entertainment, business and technology can be found in almost all areas of the globe and its official language (English) is spoken or understood by approximately 25 percent of the world's population. This dominance has contributed to an unfortunate lack of knowledge and understanding about other areas of the globe. The events of September 11 have shown that Americans cannot continue to exist in such naŻve isolation. We need to discover foreign cultures, ideologies, and religions and to understand more about the rest of the world. Our global society requires that people understand not only the interdependence and interconnectedness of the world, but also that it is not focused solely on them and their familiar culture, but contains elements from all around the globe. How are the Ambassadors selected? An applicant for the position of Ambassador is required to be an international student, a national of the country they plan to represent, or a global nomad - that is, someone who is not a national of the country, but has lived there for most of his or her life. They need to have the innate knowledge about a country that only comes from having spent much time there. Applicants will write an essay and outline a brief research agenda. They are then expected to make a brief presentation to the selection committee. The goal is to achieve a geographical dispersion among the Ambassadors in any particular year, so it is possible that a qualified person may be rejected because that geographical area is already covered. These people are still encouraged to participate as Embassy personnel and are welcome to reapply the following year. How do students benefit from participation? Student Ambassadors have the opportunity to correct misconceptions about their homeland and to remove some of the exoticism from others' conception of their lives and homes. They will learn leadership and presentation skills while gaining research gathering and budget management experience. Embassy members, acting as deputy ambassadors, will work closely with the Ambassadors to prepare for and make presentations, learning a great deal about the Ambassadors home and culture. Even Embassy members who contribute in a more informal manner will gain presentation skills and some knowledge about the target country. All participants will receive training in developing an audience-appropriate delivery and in public speaking prior to making presentations. The Ambassadors will receive a financial stipend to compensate them for their summer of research. How does the local community benefit from this program? The local community gains access to a valuable and currently underutilized resource at The College of Wooster. This year alone there are more than 40 countries represented on campus. The Ambassadors Program aims to reach as many people as possible, from elementary school children to local businesses and organizations and retirement communities. All presentations will be free of charge. Portions of the research agenda will be set in association with local educators enabling the Ambassadors to lead discussions and display artifacts in accordance with school syllabi. Ambassadors will also be available to speak at community events, such as the Wooster Ethnic Fair, thereby allowing a large percentage of the population access to international and intercultural ideas and materials. |
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| Last updated: January 10, 2006 · For more information, contact John Finn | ||
