Frank Mumford '08
2004 - 2008
We live in a global world, and it is unfortunate that people tend to forget that. No matter how far you stick your head in the sand, in our society, in the business world, and in general, we are constantly dealing with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. In my work as Major Gifts Officer for United Way, I need to understand what people value and care about. One's own culture is one's unique identity. Understanding the culture of the people you encounter helps you adapt and better relate to them. Understanding their background helps remove stereotypes and helps you think differently about why they act and do things differently from you.
When I started French in high school is when I first began to understand the significance of cultural differences. NMU course FR 438 Cultural and Artistic Heritage of Europe, taught in Holland, Belgium and France, further exposed me to the cultures of different countries before we even took off for the trip to Europe. Classroom presentations, literature, and discussion in the campus portion of the course began to open my short sighted mind. Everyone was not the same and did not have similar values. This learning experience has been instrumental for my work.
The large city where I now work is a melting pot. I interact with people from all over the world in different places, not only in business, but at restaurants, grocery stores, places of worship, and so many more. My experience in the French classroom encouraged me to continue to engage and learn more about other cultures. In my current role, I deal with people at different corporations, and engage with them about the impact they want to make on the community. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit with a business associate who was originally from Belgium. Because of the FR 438 course, I understood the political, social, and linguistic divide between the Walloons and the Flemish. Knowing the culture and their background created an environment of understanding and made the visit with the partner so much better. I could competently meet with someone from Europe and find a common ground and discussion.
FR438 was a particularly important course to me and I appreciated all that I gained from it.
