The mission of the United States Naval Academy is to graduate leaders prepared for a volatile, uncertain, chaotic, and ambiguous international environment. This workshop will be facilitated by leaders from across the institution and provides insights into curricular, co-curricular, and experiential programs for cross-cultural competence development. Attendees will learn about planning, delivering, and assessing cultural immersion programs. This presentation will include information on language study abroad, regional expertise and cultural immersion, university exchange programs, and global leader development.

1. The United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

2. The United States Naval Academy
Founded in 1845
4,400 students 600 Faculty
25 Academic majors

3. Naval Academy Vision
To be the premier educational
institution for developing future
naval officers from across
the Nation to serve and
lead in an increasingly
interdependent and
volatile world.

4. International Programs Office
• Enhance international content of midshipman education
and training
• Develop and execute cohesive strategy in sync with Navy
and Marine Corps
• Focal point for all USNA international engagements

5. Semester Study Abroad
“I think the greatest part of this trip was that I got to be an ambassador of
my country, something that I am every day but never really noticed until I
was put into another country in the same uniform. I feel that I am leaving
behind a great reputation and image of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval
Academy and officers alike.”
Selfless∙ Inspirational ∙ Proficient ∙ Innovative ∙ Articulate ∙ Adaptable ∙ Professional

6. Language Immersion Programs
“It is one thing to read and hear about other people's experiences
overseas, and completely different to be the one traveling
internationally. The first way the language immersion program
benefited me was by teaching me how to get around in a country in
which I am obviously a foreigner.”
Selfless∙ Inspirational ∙ Proficient ∙ Innovative ∙ Articulate ∙ Adaptable ∙ Professional

7. “The Midshipmen immersed themselves…. spent three
days with two different Maasai tribes, who have remained
true to their ancient traditions as nomadic cattle herders.
The first tribe greeted them with a traditional song and
dance, and then sired us around their camp showing us
their living quarters, communal areas, goats and cattle,
and even their fledging elementary school where the
young children were in the middle of an English lesson.”
Selfless∙ Inspirational ∙ Proficient ∙ Innovative ∙ Articulate ∙ Adaptable ∙ Professional

8. Professional Engagements
“I was one of the seventeen countries represented on the
ship. To be an ambassador for both the United States
and the USNA was very humbling.”

9. Intentional and Deliberate
• Language Assessment
– Institutional tools
• Cross Cultural Competence Assessment
– IDI
– Weekly and After action reports
– Portfolio
• Regional Understanding Assessment
– Developing

10. Culture General vs. Culture Specific
methods for learning about culture
The Culture-Specific Approach:
focus on trying to learn as much as
possible about a particular culture
Culture General:
focus is on facilitating communication
within culturally diverse groups without
stereotyping or discriminating.

11. How does USNA teach culture general?
 Experiential Learning
 Institution-wide understanding of the culture
concept integrated into
 Classes
 LREC programs: Language, Regional Expertise
and Culture Immersion

12. Experiential Learning
• Culture and Leadership Summer Class:

13. Gradual Ethnographic Experiences
1. Your Campus (map exercise)
2. Cultural observations in regions of your
community (the coffee shop, Whole Foods,
the train station, downtown…)
3. Gallaudet University: Communication
Exercise
4. Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation/Portfolio
development

14. Study Abroad Portfolio Development
• Pre Departure Class
• Ethnographic Research on Cultural Topics class
abroad
• Portfolio finalization and communication/post
experience class

15. Pre Departure Class
• Emotional preparation
• Culture general preparation
• Culture specific preparation

16. Ethnographic Research
• Students choose a cultural topic
• Practice participant-observation research and
interviews
• Collect data and artifacts related to subject
matter
• Draw conclusions about the cultural significance
of their topic

17. Portfolio Communication
• Finalization
• Presentation

18. Faculty Development
• Cross-Cultural Competence Workshops
- To prepare study abroad leaders
- To foster adaptability
Both at home
And abroad

19. The Study of Culture as Experiential
Development
• Remote cultures are “writ with a darker
pen.”
• Immersive environments produce results
• Proven relationship between authentic
leadership and extreme contexts

20. Study of Culture as Leadership
Development
• The "Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness"
(GLOBE) Research Program was conceived in 1991 by Robert J. House
(1932-2011) of the Wharton School of Business, University of
Pennsylvania. In 2004, its first comprehensive volume on "Culture,
Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies" was
published.
• GLOBE was initiated to investigate one fundamental question: How is
culture related to societal, organizational, and leader effectiveness?