2008 Woodie Awards
IN THE LOOP: College can reach international goals
Editorial Board
Issue date: 11/21/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
The Whitworthian recently published a series of four articles titled "The Overlooked" which described Whitworth's shortcomings and recent activity in the area of recruiting minority students and students on an international level. The series describes why very few Arab students have come to Whitworth in the past 10 years, as well as some of Whitworth's plans to internationalize the campus. While the stories in the articles are important, in the big picture, what matters is that Whitworth is taking steps to internationalize.
We believe Whitworth is doing the right thing in internationalizing, for two central reasons.
The first reason is the valuable experiences that international students bring to the campus. For example, Saudi students started the international banquet more than 20 years ago to share their culture with the campus. This leads to the second, more practical reason. As the world gets smaller with daily technological innovations and the spread of information, it will be increasingly important for Whitworth graduates to have experience and exposure to world cultures.
For example, much of the United States policies surrounding the War in Iraq would have been modified with even a basic understanding of Middle Eastern history.
Top U.S. officials in the Bush administration admitted to not knowing the differences between Shiites and Sunnis. The difference between these two groups is one core issue in the current civil war which is plaguing Iraq.
In the business realm, the recent growth of the Chinese economy has again pushed the concept of cultural awareness of customs and language differences to the forefront. In order to succeed overseas, business people have to be able to adjust their practices to integrate.
Whitworth's current plans, while broad, are attainable if the school does the work on the home front. The college needs to recognize that Spokane is not a cultural hub like most large cities. It needs to set up support structures that will nurture both international and minority students. For instance, Muslim students currently do not have a place to feel welcomed on campus or to worship.
It is difficult to know and to create an atmosphere where international and minority students needs are met. But for Whitworth to meet its goals regarding a diverse campus that is welcoming to all students, the college must create an open and supportive atmosphere.
We believe Whitworth is doing the right thing in internationalizing, for two central reasons.
The first reason is the valuable experiences that international students bring to the campus. For example, Saudi students started the international banquet more than 20 years ago to share their culture with the campus. This leads to the second, more practical reason. As the world gets smaller with daily technological innovations and the spread of information, it will be increasingly important for Whitworth graduates to have experience and exposure to world cultures.
For example, much of the United States policies surrounding the War in Iraq would have been modified with even a basic understanding of Middle Eastern history.
Top U.S. officials in the Bush administration admitted to not knowing the differences between Shiites and Sunnis. The difference between these two groups is one core issue in the current civil war which is plaguing Iraq.
In the business realm, the recent growth of the Chinese economy has again pushed the concept of cultural awareness of customs and language differences to the forefront. In order to succeed overseas, business people have to be able to adjust their practices to integrate.
Whitworth's current plans, while broad, are attainable if the school does the work on the home front. The college needs to recognize that Spokane is not a cultural hub like most large cities. It needs to set up support structures that will nurture both international and minority students. For instance, Muslim students currently do not have a place to feel welcomed on campus or to worship.
It is difficult to know and to create an atmosphere where international and minority students needs are met. But for Whitworth to meet its goals regarding a diverse campus that is welcoming to all students, the college must create an open and supportive atmosphere.
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