At the end of the fall semester, first year students in the Business – Marketing program delivered final presentations on what they learned in their Introduction to Intercultural Communication class. The course, taught by Cathy Lemmon, encourages students to reflect on their own cultures and learn about others through various theoretical perspectives.
For the final project, the class was put in groups of combined domestic and international students and encouraged to come together regularly to complete team-building tasks and work on their presentations based on a course topic, including the influence of culture on perception, verbal and non-verbal communication, the international newcomer experience, and developing intercultural relationships.
Students Nicholas, Somya, and Jaiminkumar presented on What You Should Know About Intercultural Communication, sharing that “in an increasingly interactive and diverse world, cultural differences lead to misunderstandings. [But business professionals, students, and educators] can practice effective intercultural communication to enhance understanding, reduce conflicts, build empathy, and increase opportunities.”
For their presentation on Belongingness, students Brody, Dario, and Falak interviewed faculty and students on their feelings of belonging on Kingston campus. They found that many students feel connected with students from other cultures because their instructors make an effort to mix up student groups, especially in programs such as Business. However, they don’t often connect with students from other cultures between classes or at home.
The group also interviewed Indigenous Student Advisor, Mary Ann Lyons, who said that these divides are not always intentional, but come from a lack of knowledge. She encourages students to sit with their peers and ask questions about where they come from and their culture. As instructor Cathy Lemmon likes to remind the class “when we invite and welcome diverse perspectives, we can make something great, even better.”