Exploring and Assessing Intercultural Competence - Center for ...

Assertion No. 9
Alumni often engage in activities that impact on others
Discussion
Exploring and Assessing Intercultural Competence
Of 28 alumni, 2 indicated involvement in an intercultural engagement or marriage, 4 indicated the
pursuit of related studies, 10 indicated that they now work (or plan to work) in related fields (3 of
whom work or plan to work in Ecuador), and 18 indicated involvement in activities where they
utilize their intercultural abilities to advantage. Examples include (the number following in
parentheses indicates how many others are being impacted):
- an intercultural marriage and an intercultural fiancé (2)
- pursuing course work or degrees in Spanish literature and linguistics, international
relations, and project management in intercultural fields (?)
- teaching or mentoring immigrant co-workers (2)
- providing psychological counseling in a prison (9)
- doing charity work (?)
- working at the British Embassy (15+)
- careers in health and social work, political science, general linguistics, and cultural
anthropology, and development cooperation (?)
- plans to work for an international relief organization and another to study in Ecuador (?)
- promoting intercultural programs to people from Ecuador (50 people)
Summary
Although the number of persons they affect or will affect in the future is difficult to calculate, it is
clear that all of these alumni are having an impact on others, especially in fields like teaching,
counseling, health, social work, development, and service. Although not startling in terms of
numbers, several indicated some multiplier effects with 2, 2, 8, 9, 15+ and 50+ persons being
affected in the cases cited, totaling 86+ persons presumably benefiting from abilities the alumni
developed during their service experience. Several other respondents did not indicate the number
of persons they work with in four areas, so there is no way of truly calculating these effects.
Despite this, it remains clear that many others are also affected by returnees from intercultural
service programs.
Assertion No. 10
These activities further the organizational mission
Discussion
The organization’s vision and mission statements read as follows: “From the beginning, our
vision has been one of world peace. Our mission is to help build it. Guided by our values and
animated by our sense of purpose, we attempt to demonstrate that people of good will and
commitment to the fundamental dignity of human life can be a powerful light in a world too often
darkened by humankind’s failure to recognize its own humanity. The people we serve are forward
looking, seeing the world not only as it is, but as it could be: they have chosen to be agents of
change. And like those who have worked to develop the organization over the past seven decades,
their ideas take no account of, nor are they bound by, political borders or geographical
boundaries. Rather, ours is a world bound only by a common humanity.”
Center for Social Development
Washington University in St. Louis
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