Research Symposium

BIO

I am first year International Affairs major from Woodstock, Georgia. My parents are from Peru and Venezuela, meaning I grew up in a multicultural household while also speaking English and Spanish. I enjoy keeping active through running, hiking and lifting weights. In addition, I also enjoy traveling and learning about new cultures.

Understanding Intercultural Competencies and How to Develop Them in Gap Year and Study Abroad Program Experiences

Abstract

Our research focuses on understanding Intercultural Competencies (ICC) and how to develop it in gap year and study abroad program experiences at FSU. “Intercultural competence(ICC) can be defined as a complex of abilities that are needed to interact with people from other cultures adequately and effectively” (Wolff., & Borzikowsky, 2018). In this study we examine ICC in two experiences: “study abroad” (i.e. an academic experience outside of a student’s home country) and “gap year” (i.e. an experience taken in lieu of an academic experience to bolster a students’ interest in a career choice, rid themselves of burnout, help others, or other personal reasons). Our study compiled articles, found via a convenience sampling, written about developing ICC within study abroad and gap year experiences to note the importance of increasing intercultural competencies by connecting skills gained through both experiences. We found that through defining and understanding what Intercultural Competence was and why it was important, we were able to better understand what attributes in Gap Year and Study abroad programs would be more effective. Which we then collected and noted in our research and discuss in our findings.

Keywords: International Competency, Study Abroad, Gap