Translating Success in East Asian Languages

At a time when many universities are reducing their support in funding, programming and faculty and staff for foreign language and culture programs, the East Asian language programs (Chinese, Japanese and Korean) and Asian Studies program in Baylor University’s Department of Modern Languages and Cultures has received Baylor’s first-ever Fulbright-Hays grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support research and innovative teaching and out-of-classroom experiences.

The $294,000 grant will bolster Baylor’s East Asian language programs and Asian Studies program in key ways aligned with Baylor’s mission and priorities. Xin Wang, M.S.Ed. ’97, Ed.D. ’02, associate professor of China studies and division director of African and Asian languages at Baylor, serves as principal investigator for the grant.

“Dr. Wang’s Fulbright-Hays grant is an enormous boon for the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures. Our program in East Asian languages is very strong, and the grant will help the department develop curriculum, staff a teaching position in Korean and assist us in developing more varied and stronger study abroad opportunities for students,” said Michael Long, B.A. ’79, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures.

Language courses in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures aim to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of global citizenship by fostering both linguistic proficiency and intercultural awareness. Likewise, the Asian Studies program, interdisciplinary in approach, lays a solid foundation for Baylor students to pursue careers in government service, business and non-governmental organizations, as well as preparing them for advanced studies.

“We are excited for this opportunity through the resources provided by the grant to expand its programs in concert with Baylor’s mission to train men and women for global service,” said Long.