I grew up in a small town with a population of around 1,500 people. Most everyone in the town had the same identities: white, straight, Christian Americans of Norwegian descent. It was not until moving to Mankato for college that I witnessed diversity for myself. Although I did try to educate myself on different cultures, I never had the opportunities to learn directly from others. The honors program pushed me to become a global citizen and expand my knowledge on other cultures as well as my own.

              The first step in my journey to becoming interculturally engaged was to explore other cultures. I was able to do this through my Elementary Spanish 2 and Beginning American Sign Language courses. In both classes, we spent a great deal of time learning the languages (an important cultural aspect) as well as exploring other parts of their cultures like history and food. I especially enjoyed my Spanish class because we got to pair up online with students from Mexico who were learning English. We were able to chat about our hobbies and interests in two separate languages! My participation in both these courses has made me think about how many different cultures there are in the world, and how I participate in my own culture. When you grow up in a place where everyone is culturally similar, it is hard to see that the way you live is a part of your culture. It is not until you explore the way others live that you can better understand your own life.

              The second step in my journey to becoming a global citizen was to deepen my understanding of how my culture interacts with others. I did this by attending four seminars presented by the Maverick Diversity Institute. These seminars taught me about the privileges I receive due to my identities and the ways my actions can harm marginalized cultures. Although it is uncomfortable to admit that I have many privileges granted to me, I have learned that it is best to recognize this and then learn how to become a better ally for marginalized people. It is through this understanding that I have developed my personal framework for intercultural engagement: listen and learn. As a person who is not a marginalized member of society (at least in the Midwest), it is not my duty to speak when it comes to cultural engagement. I must listen to others different from me and then learn from their experiences. This is how I become a better global citizen.

              As a future HR professional, I will be dedicated to becoming an even better global citizen. I know that I will constantly be working with others who come from diverse cultural backgrounds, so it is unacceptable to stop furthering my growth. HR professionals must be advocates for their staff, therefore I need to understand my staff and their actions. I believe that people’s actions are heavily influenced by their cultural backgrounds. So, being aware of different cultures and how they interact with my own is incredibly important. I want to continue to attend seminars where I can learn about how to be a better ally as well as learn more about different cultures directly from those a part of them.