At Messiah College, the modern language faculty work hard to help students discover the world in all its complexity.
Many students agree that to master a second language and to understand and have insight into the artistic and cultural heritage of other peoples of the world is integral to a liberal arts education. Yet sometimes students question, "Are these activities worthwhile and marketable?"
The source of this question rests on the shaky assumption that success in life depends on learning how to do a specific job and then spending one's life doing it well. We would argue, on the contrary, that success is not achieved by learning a set of facts and skills that belong to a certain profession, but in learning how to interact with people, how to search for new information, how to be a critical thinker, a competent writer and a citizen of the global world today. These are skills which adapt to changing vocations throughout a lifetime.
In a society perpetually in change, Christian thinkers who can adapt to change are more in demand than graduates who have single-mindedly plodded on to one career goal. The disciplines in this department teach students how to learn in myriad ways, think creatively, speak clearly, read critically, and interact with others from around the world. Graduates who possess these skills are prepared to adapt to change. Employers repeatedly tell us, "If you teach students to think well, write persuasively, read knowledgeaby, and learn a second language, we will train them for this particular job."
Each of our faculty wants to help students achieve these goals. In the modern languages our professors routinely use senior language majors to teach their first and second year peers along with them.
Times change, but to think cogently and to express oneself well in another language are abilities that not only enrich the soul, but are essential qualities in the competitive work place. We welcome you to consider spending these crucial years with us. The faculty in this department make every effort to create a learning environment that pushes students to struggle and to learn, not only from the professors, but from professors from around the world as well. In the junior year experience, native language professors are always your professors.
We wish you God's best as you wrestle with your college choice and we hope that you choose Messiah College.
At Messiah College, the modern language faculty work hard to help students discover the world in all its complexity.
