Global Ambassador Training and Experiential Learning Program (GATE)
The Global Ambassador Training & Experiential Learning (GATE) program, housed within the Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures (CLLC), equips Ohio State world language majors with a decisive competitive edge in today's global job market. Through hands-on internships, specialized training, and active partnerships with local schools and community organizations, GATE transforms academic language study into real-world professional leadership.
Central to the program’s curriculum is the systematic development of intercultural competence, which is consistently ranked among the top 21st century skills required by employers. This is an important skill to navigate complex and diverse professional environments. Interns participate in targeted instructional modules designed to evaluate and enhance their ability to engage effectively across diverse cultural contexts. Furthermore, the program provides explicit instruction in professional communication, guiding students to analyze, translate, and articulate the transferable skills acquired through language acquisition into academic resumes, professional cover letters, and employment interviews. By bridging classroom learning with practical career enhancement opportunities, GATE positions Buckeye language majors to stand out and succeed in any career path they choose to pursue.
Strategic Program Pillars
Pillar I: K-12 Outreach & Academic Pipeline Development
GATE interns serve as university ambassadors to the next generation of language learners, cultivating a robust pipeline for K-12 world language study across Ohio by facilitating immersive learning experiences. Key outreach components include:
- Language Mentoring Program: Interns facilitate structured virtual sessions for cohorts of local high school juniors, guiding them to map clear connections between linguistic study and future career pathways.
- Buckeye World Language Day & Immersion Day: Interns act as primary facilitators for full-immersion on-campus events and host visiting high school students in Ohio State language courses.
- Global Citizen Summer Camp: Interns mentor and teach middle school students on OSU's Columbus campus, equipping them to navigate and appreciate the diverse cultural landscapes of Central Ohio communities.
Pillar II: Professional Practicums & Community Collaborations
Through targeted placements with public and private organizations, interns gain hands-on, verifiable experience in language-linked industries. Partner institutions include:
- Greater Columbus Sister Cities International
- The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce
- The Center for Epigraphic and Paleographic Studies
- The Chinese Theatre Collaborative
- Bexley High School
Core Strategic Goals
- Goal 1: Professionalization & Language-to-Career Transferability: Equip world language students with tools to navigate the global job market through professional career service training focused on identifying linguistic and cultural competencies and strategically articulating these skills in resumes, cover letters, and interviews.
- Goal 2: Innovative Curricular Growth: Stimulate enrollment in world languages by implementing innovative double-major pathways that demonstrate the tangible professional value of pairing language fluency with diverse disciplines.
- Goal 3: Fostering Intercultural Competence: Prioritize intercultural competence as a critical 21st-century skillset. Through structured experiential learning and CLLC training, interns cultivate cognitive flexibility, cultural self-awareness, and behavioral adaptation.
- Goal 4: Retention & Professional Up-Skilling: Strengthen student retention by offering funded, high-impact internship opportunities that serve as vehicles for advanced language application in real-world settings.
- Goal 5: Expanding Access & Student Enrollment: Increase the number of students selecting world language majors and minors by highlighting modern relevance and showcasing successful internship outcomes.
Student Eligibility
To ensure high standards and alignment with program objectives, interns must meet specific criteria to be eligible to apply:
- Academic Standing: Open to degree-seeking undergraduate students. Primary eligibility is reserved for Language Majors. Double majors (where one major is a language) are fully eligible. Language Minors are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Language Use Requirement: At least 50% of the internship placement activities must be conducted in the target world language and/or culture.
- Employment Structure: Interns are hired on a semester basis for a maximum of 10 weeks, working up to a maximum of 10 hours per week at a flat rate of $17.00 per hour.
- Transportation: For in-person/hybrid internship placements, students are responsible for arranging their own transportation.
Internships with Community Organizations
Each internship engagement for 10 weeks (at 10 hours per week) requires a total commitment of 130 dedicated hours per semester, structured across direct placement experience, professional training, and assignments:
| Activity/Requirement Description | Allocated Hours |
|---|---|
| Direct internship placement hours (max 10 weeks @ max 10 hours per week) | 100 hours |
OSU HR onboarding and GATE onboarding *This includes completing the BCI Background Check which is paid by the GATE program | 2 hours |
Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessments and debriefs (pre- and post-) *Paid by the GATE program | 3 hours |
| Manager progress check-ins (online bi-monthly meetings with Sandhya Shanker) | 10 hours |
| Career event attendance (pre-approved Language and Career Fair or any other language professionalization event) | 2 hours |
| World Language Skills and Competencies Workshop | 2 hours |
| Carmen readings | 7 hours |
| Reflection assignment about the internship experience (on Carmen) | 2 hours |
| Video testimonial on internship experience (on Carmen) | 2 hours |
High School Mentoring Internships
Detailed guidelines and program expectations for high school mentoring placements are currently being finalized. Specific placement locations, schedule options, and role responsibilities will be announced soon.
FAQ for Faculty/Staff
How do I begin with the process of requesting funding for a language-related internship?
Start by having a conversation with faculty and instructors in your program on what kinds of internship programs you’d like to set up within your programs. Note that the GATE program funds internship programs up to a maximum of 10 weeks during autumn, spring, and summer semesters (summer TBD).
How do I proceed with setting up internships?
While the GATE program is able to allocate funds for internship opportunities (as long as it meets the professionalization requirement), it is incumbent on every language program to reach out to OSU and external (organizations, companies, community organizations) partners and create these internship opportunities. The only initiative that the GATE program will create and set up will be the Language Mentoring program. Note that the internship opportunities are open only for undergraduate students who are majoring in a world language.
Would the faculty supervising interns and approving hours on Workday be compensated for their time?
Unfortunately, no – the GATE program will not be able to pay faculty members that are supervising interns.
When I’m ready to proceed with putting in a request to get funding for an internship program, what should I do?
You will need to fill out the Student Job Hiring Request form (link to the form on Qualtrics will be provided). Note: submission of the form does not guarantee approval of funding.
What is the deadline for submitting the Student Job Hiring Request form?
To ensure HR has enough processing time, intake forms need to be submitted by the following deadlines:
- Fall Internships: Late July (for internships starting in early September)
- Spring Internships:3rd week of October
- Summer Internships: First week of March (prior to Spring Break)
How is the hourly rate determined?
The GATE program pays interns a flat rate of $17/hour.
Can I submit multiple forms?
Yes, you may submit multiple forms.
Who do I contact if I have questions about the form?
Reach out to Sandhya Shanker (shanker.35@osu.edu).
What happens once a form is approved?
You will first receive an email confirmation. You will then receive another email with the job requisition number and a link to the job posting on Workday. If you have identified a specific student for the internship opportunity, you will need to forward this information to ONLY that student so they can apply.
If you don’t have a student identified, you will forward it to eligible students so they apply within the deadline provided. Once the position closes, the supervisor listed on the form will review the applications and let us know who they’d like to hire. Once confirmed, the student will be officially hired and the supervisor will be copied on all communications.