New GLOBE Living-Learning Community Launches at AU
Professor Gorky Cruz, Professor Hye Young Shin, and RA Randy Taylor
American University has officially welcomed its first cohort to a new living-learning community for second-year undergraduate students passionate about languages, linguistics, and cross-cultural engagement. The Global Learning Opportunities and Beyond Borders Exploration Living and Learning Community (GLOBE) brings students together on a dedicated floor in Leonard Hall, offering a vibrant residential experience centered on language learning and global connection.
Designed for students enrolled in language, linguistics, or TESOL courses in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLC), GLOBE connects classroom learning with hands-on cultural and co-curricular experiences, making language study a living, breathing part of daily life at AU.
AU welcomes its first GLOBE cohort.
“GLOBE is an excellent option for students interested in building their language proficiency together with peers while engaging DC’s diverse international community and cultural offerings,” says Brenda Werth, professor and WLC chair. “It offers the opportunity to practice and improve proficiency in another language through one-on-one language coaching and group language exchanges hosted by CLEAR, while providing students with real-world cultural engagement.”
Language Learning Meets Community
Students in the GLOBE program can participate in an array of immersive learning opportunities in partnership with CLEAR, AU’s Center for Language Exploration, Acquisition, and Research. They include one-on-one language exchanges, conversation groups, book clubs, and translation workshops, all designed to expand linguistic skills and intercultural awareness beyond the classroom.
The community also hosts an exciting lineup of events in Leonard Hall. Highlights include themed dinners and cooking sessions featuring Korean, French, and Argentine cuisine; a trip to see the Argentine play The Kiss of the Spider Woman at the GALA Theater in Columbia Heights; an Open House at CLEAR; a Day of the Dead celebration at the DC Wharf hosted by the Mexican Cultural Institute and Fiesta DC; the Annual Mueller Linguistics Lecture; a WLC Meet and Greet; a visit to the Korean Embassy; and the WLC Holiday Party.
Faculty and Student Leadership
The GLOBE LLC is guided by Faculty Director and Professor Hye Young Shin, a longtime WLC faculty member specializing in Korean language and culture. Shin will help organize curricular opportunities and serve as a liaison between students, CLEAR, and WLC.
“I’m thrilled to serve as an advisor to GLOBE,” Shin says. “I can’t wait to see students explore global cultures, grow as leaders, and build meaningful connections with one another. I’ll be here to support them as they learn to work together, make decisions, and communicate in ways that bring out the best in the team.”
Peer leadership will be provided by Ronald Taylor in the fall and Anastasiya Kolosovsky in the spring. Taylor is a Spanish studies major and linguistics minor completing the undergraduate TESOL certificate, and Kolosovsky is an International Studies major in the three-year Global Scholars program and a language coach in Arabic and Russian at CLEAR. Together, Taylor and Kolosovsky will facilitate community-building activities and support peer engagement.
A Growing Community of Globally Minded Students
Currently, 12 students are participating in GLOBE. The program is part of a larger network of living-learning communities at American University that gives students an opportunity to live among peers with shared academic and personal interests. GLOBE is distinctive in its focus on language, cultural exchange, and preparing students to thrive in a multilingual, interconnected world.
With its combination of academic rigor, experiential learning, and vibrant community engagement, GLOBE promises an enriching sophomore-year experience for students eager to connect language study with real-world opportunities.
Learn More!
For more information, email Professor Brenda Werth at werth@american.edu, visit AU Learning Communities, or contact Kyrsten Novencido, coordinator for Sophomore LLCs, at sophomore-llcs@american.edu.
To read the official mission of GLOBE, visit the WLC homepage.