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), provides Ohio State undergraduate world language students with professional and career enhancement opportunities. Through structured experiential learning, students refine critical leadership and presentation skills that set them apart in a competitive job market.
The interns recruited apply their training in real-world contexts by engaging in activities like community outreach, peer-mentoring program for high school juniors studying a world language, interning in local and international organizations and companies with language links to develop professional skills. Key partnership initiatives include:
- Language Mentoring Program: Interns facilitate sessions for cohorts of local high school students to help them make connections between language and future careers.
- Buckeye World Language Day & Immersion Day: Interns serve as university ambassadors, helping facilitate full-immersion language learning experiences and hosting high school students in Ohio State language courses.
- Global Citizen Summer Camp: Interns mentor and teach a language to middle school students on campus, guiding them to better understand and navigate the diverse cultural landscapes of Columbus communities.
- Community Partner Collaborations: Interns gain hands-on experience through targeted placements with established organizations, including Greater Columbus Sister Cities International, the Center for Epigraphic and Paleographic Studies, Bexley High School, the Chinese Theatre Collaborative, and the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce.
Program Goals
Advance Career Readiness and Employability
- Train interns to identify, articulate, and market the highly transferable skills gained through language learning (such as intercultural competence, communication, and adaptability) for resumes, cover letters, and interviews.
- Equip undergraduates with professional leadership, project management, and presentation skills that provide a distinct competitive advantage in the global job market.
Foster Local Educational Pipeline and Mentorship
- Cultivate interest in world language acquisition among Central Ohio youth through sustained mentorship and peer-to-peer engagement.
- Bridge the gap between secondary and higher education by hosting high school students for immersive, university-level language and cultural experiences.
Strengthen Community and Institutional Partnerships
- Leverage and expand collaborative networks with local companies, school districts, non-profits, and state educational departments to maximize regional impact.
- Promote global citizenship and inclusion by helping K-12 students connect with and navigate the rich linguistic diversity of the broader Columbus community.
FAQ for Faculty/Staff
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.
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 language.
Unfortunately, no – the GATE program will not be able to pay faculty members that are supervising interns.
You will need to fill out the Student Job Hiring Request form (link to the form on Qualtrics will be provided).
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: First week of November
- Summer Internships: First week of March (prior to Spring Break)
Once the form is submitted, our fiscal officer will review the job description and qualifications against similar university roles to verify and finalize the rate (between $14-$17).
Yes, you may submit multiple forms.
Reach out to Sandhya Shanker (shanker.35@osu.edu).
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.