2008 Woodie Awards
Language contest used for recruiting
By Brittany Cole
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 2/24/06 Section: News
High school students from all around the Butler area were at Slippery Rock University Tuesday to participate in the "World Languages Competition."
The event, sponsored by SRU's Modern Languages and Cultures Department, brought 1,220 students from 39 different area schools to take exams in French, German, Latin and Spanish, covering grammar, culture, vocabulary and listening skills.
Deborah Cohen, professor of modern languages and cultures and new coordinator of the competition, said the event began more than 30 years ago by retired professor Kathleen Boykin.
"It started, in part, as a recruiting tool," Cohen said. "It was also in part because it was a fun thing for us to do."
Eva Tsuquiashi-Daddesio, chairperson of the Modern Languages and Cultures Department and professor of French and Spanish, agreed.
"It's a great recruiting tool," Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said. "It's a way to connect with the high schools in the area and it will also help students with the transition into college when they make it."
Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said many of the students who compete in the contest come to SRU, so it's a bit of an incentive.
Along with the testing, there were alternate activities that were offered. These activities allowed the high school students to learn other languages that aren't offered at their high schools, such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Italian.
Students were also able to listen to international students speak about their countries and learn about the study abroad programs. Admissions took part in the event, telling students all about the university.
The sessions took place in Spotts World Culture Building and Vincent Science Hall. Each session lasted 30 minutes with a 15 minute break in between. Cohen said if the students didn't have a test during one of the sessions, they either went to the alternate activities or just looked at the campus.
Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said 90 percent of the workers were volunteers and about 80 of them were SRU students, with a small amount who have actually competed in the competition as high school students.
"Before the competition, there is a lot of work that must be done," Cohen said. "It's an enormous amount of clerical work, and thanks to the department's secretary, Karen Hogg, we were able to get everything done on time."
SRU faculty, students, international students and admissions all volunteered for the competition.
"When you put that many people together who volunteer, it's amazing what people can do," Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said.
The volunteers either proctored the exams, unloaded students off the buses or checked codes on the back of the tests. "They're in the 'big leagues' when they get to proctor the exams," Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said. "They take it very seriously."
Stephanie Walnoha, a senior communication student who volunteered at the competition, donated her time to receive extra credit in her Spanish class. Her responsibility was to check the back of the tests to make sure codes were correct. She said the competition was pretty exciting.
The event, sponsored by SRU's Modern Languages and Cultures Department, brought 1,220 students from 39 different area schools to take exams in French, German, Latin and Spanish, covering grammar, culture, vocabulary and listening skills.
Deborah Cohen, professor of modern languages and cultures and new coordinator of the competition, said the event began more than 30 years ago by retired professor Kathleen Boykin.
"It started, in part, as a recruiting tool," Cohen said. "It was also in part because it was a fun thing for us to do."
Eva Tsuquiashi-Daddesio, chairperson of the Modern Languages and Cultures Department and professor of French and Spanish, agreed.
"It's a great recruiting tool," Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said. "It's a way to connect with the high schools in the area and it will also help students with the transition into college when they make it."
Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said many of the students who compete in the contest come to SRU, so it's a bit of an incentive.
Along with the testing, there were alternate activities that were offered. These activities allowed the high school students to learn other languages that aren't offered at their high schools, such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Italian.
Students were also able to listen to international students speak about their countries and learn about the study abroad programs. Admissions took part in the event, telling students all about the university.
The sessions took place in Spotts World Culture Building and Vincent Science Hall. Each session lasted 30 minutes with a 15 minute break in between. Cohen said if the students didn't have a test during one of the sessions, they either went to the alternate activities or just looked at the campus.
Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said 90 percent of the workers were volunteers and about 80 of them were SRU students, with a small amount who have actually competed in the competition as high school students.
"Before the competition, there is a lot of work that must be done," Cohen said. "It's an enormous amount of clerical work, and thanks to the department's secretary, Karen Hogg, we were able to get everything done on time."
SRU faculty, students, international students and admissions all volunteered for the competition.
"When you put that many people together who volunteer, it's amazing what people can do," Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said.
The volunteers either proctored the exams, unloaded students off the buses or checked codes on the back of the tests. "They're in the 'big leagues' when they get to proctor the exams," Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said. "They take it very seriously."
Stephanie Walnoha, a senior communication student who volunteered at the competition, donated her time to receive extra credit in her Spanish class. Her responsibility was to check the back of the tests to make sure codes were correct. She said the competition was pretty exciting.
