Assessing the Improvement of Intercultural Competence and the Development of Civic-Minded Graduates at the University of Minnesota Morris

Document Type

Article

Authors

Catherine Van Wey, University of Minnesota - MorrisFollow

Abstract

In a world where cultures intersect constantly, intercultural competence, the ability to connect and communicate effectively across cultural boundaries, is crucial for driving meaningful change. Fostering global citizenship, the awareness of one’s role in a shared global community, and the commitment to a fairer, more equitable planet are vital for cultivating culturally attuned, civic-minded graduates. This perspective aligns with institutions like the University of Minnesota Morris, a four-year public liberal arts university and COPLAC member, in their shared mission to prepare students as collaborative change-makers within the communities they engage with now and in the future. However, evaluating these skills requires greater cohesion, as inconsistent definitions and metrics make accurate measurement challenging. Our research aims to clarify this complex field by exploring integrative models that align intercultural competence with civic-mindedness (civic-minded graduates or CMG), focusing on graduates who work collaboratively to improve their communities. The Jane Addams Project (JA) at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM) offers this in a practical context: interns engage in reflective, service-learning experiences that are completely bilingual (Spanish and English). Throughout this process, these interns measure their intercultural skills and civic engagement growth through our assessment tool, weekly journals, and a final reflection paper, aiming to quantify the intern's knowledge, skills, attitudes, and outcomes. Our project underscores the potential for higher education to shape professionally adept, culturally attuned, and community-oriented graduates and aims to answer the overarching question: does the integration of the Civic-Minded Graduate (CMG) scale into the Jane Addams Project lay a strong foundation for more nuanced and comprehensive assessments of intercultural competence and civic-mindedness at UMM?

Recommended Citation

Van Wey, Catherine () "Assessing the Improvement of Intercultural Competence and the Development of Civic-Minded Graduates at the University of Minnesota Morris," Scholarly Horizons: University of Minnesota, Morris Undergraduate Journal: Vol. 12: Iss. 1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61366/2576-2176.1161
Available at: https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/horizons/vol12/iss1/4

Primo Type

Article