Keith Mainland, World History and World Affairs Teacher at Monarch High School, Colorado

When I have an exchange student in class, I have them give a presentation about their country. We talk about cultural biases, both theirs and ours. We’re living in an ever-shrinking world, where a growing number of people have interactions with those from other countries, cultures, religions, and ideologies. It’s important that everybody starts to recognize their own cultural biases, and having an exchange student in class makes that discussion deeper and richer.

Kevin O’Neill, Vicksburg High School Principal, Michigan

As a principal, I truly appreciate the opportunity to host foreign exchange students on a yearly basis. The infusion of a variety of cultures into our high school has been a worthwhile experience for our students.

Erik Ostergren Westside, High School Dean of Students, Texas

Bringing exchange students into the school adds perspective to the classroom. I wish more of our kids could go on exchange themselves, but for most that’s just not an option right now. The only way they can get exposure to the world and develop global awareness is to have people from different countries come to them. In my classroom, we talk about global issues, like global warming. I tell my students that these issues effect the whole world, so they require a different perspective. And when students learn alongside international students, they start thinking about the world differently.

Gwendolyn Lukas-Doctor, Monarch High School Theater Teacher, Colorado

Our students learn that individuals from different countries may have different ways of expressing themselves, and they have to rise to the challenge of finding ways to communicate effectively. That’s an important skill for our students to grasp.

What we learn from these experiences is that, as French novelist Marcel Proust observed, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.”

When a school welcomes exchange students into their student body, they invite a new way of seeing. American students who otherwise may not have had any truly “global” experiences are now able to come face-to-face with a new culture and a new perspective. This is no small accomplishment, which is why more and more schools see exchange students as a necessity among their student population.

And what’s more, America itself is becoming more “global” each decade. If students are to thrive as our country continues to diversify, they must be able to work effectively with a diverse group of people.

The U.S. will be less competitive and less secure if our schools do not urgently expand instruction in world languages, economics, and cultures. Knowledge of the world is no longer a luxury for the few, it is a necessity for all.

– Vivien Stewart, Executive Director of the National Coalition on Asia and International Studies in the Schools

How can educators prepare students for such a complex challenge? The term “Global Competency” offers a practical solution by identifying a specific skill set for the modern workplace.

A globally competent student:

• Comprehends world affairs, events, and global issues.
• Interacts productively with people from a variety of cultures and geographies.
• Incorporates diverse perspectives to seek creative solutions to a variety of problems.

While understanding the goal of global competency is a step forward, additional efforts are needed to prepare our youth. According to the Association of Graduate Recruiters, companies cannot find enough applicants with the skills needed for positions that require international fluency.

Many schools are meeting this complex challenge through student exchange: international students engage with American culture, and at the same time their very presence engages American students in new ideologies, cultural expectations and assuptions, and entirely new ways of thinking. This grass-roots approach is so effective that it’s catching on across the country.

Texas Dean of Students Erik Ostergren shared that he actively seeks opportunities to welcome exchange students into his school because of the very tangible way they enrich the classroom discussion:

Bringing exchange students into the school adds perspective to the classroom. I wish more of our kids could go on exchange themselves, but for most that’s just not an option right now. The only way they can get exposure to the world and develop global awareness is to have people from different countries come to them. In my classroom, we talk about global issues, like global warming. I tell my students that these issues effect the whole world, so they require a different perspective. And when students learn alongside international students, they start thinking about the world differently.

Just what can happen when a community welcomes an exchange student? A positive ripple-effect of cultural understanding and collaboration that has the power to change the world – one student at a time.