Language learning and intercultural competence are essential tools for professional and personal success in our increasingly multicultural society. The Center for Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (CLLC) is proud to launch the Buckeye Language Mentoring Program, a new initiative designed to bridge the gap between Ohio State University (OSU) language students and high school juniors in Central Ohio.

Why It Matters

Central Ohio is a hub of linguistic diversity. According to the 2025 Global Report of the Columbus Council on World Affairs, over 37,000 students in our region speak a language other than English at home, with Columbus City Schools alone reporting over 100 languages spoken among their student body. Our program aims to leverage this cultural capital to foster growth and career readiness.

Program Objectives

We aim to empower both university mentors and high school mentees through two primary goals:

For OSU Undergraduate Mentors

• Professional Development: Gain leadership and presentation experience through experiential learning.
• Career Readiness: Learn to articulate the value of language proficiency in resumes, cover letters, and job interviews.

For High School Juniors

• Skill Building: Discover the professional advantages of language learning and heritage language fluency.
• Academic Pathways: Explore language programs and majors at OSU.
• Immersion & Certification: Experience university-level courses during OSU Language Immersion Day (TBD) and earn the OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal.

How does it work? 

9 undergraduate students from The Ohio State University (1 for each language) will be recruited and will have slightly different tasks based on whether the language they are learning is taught in the high schools that we are partnering with. The languages will be divided into 2 groups: 

October-November, 2026

After an initial training, undergraduate mentors will be assigned to mentees based on language categories. High school juniors who are learning a language or are from a heritage language background are eligible for the program. Cohorts will be formed and each will mentor will have a maximum of six high school students. Each mentor will be asked to facilitate 3 Zoom sessions (1 hour each) for 3 cohorts of high school students (total 18 high school students each). The focus of the discussions will be on how learning a language contributes to their development of intercultural competence, which is one of the top ten skills needed for working in the future.

January-March, 2027

High school mentees will be invited to participate in ONE of the two events on OSU (Columbus) campus:

1. Immersion Day: Mentors will host visiting mentees and guide them to up to two preselected language classes (in the language that they are studying), a meeting with a college advisor, and a campus tour.
   1. Buckeye World Languages Day: mentees will be invited to participate in the event and learn about the transferable skills acquired by learning a new language, as well as scholarships and resources available at OSU for education, service learning, and internships abroad. 

Program Outcomes

By participating in this program, student mentors and high school students will:

• Develop Intercultural Competence: Engage with diverse perspectives within a professional framework.
• Bridge Learning to Careers: Identify and highlight transferable skills gained through language study.
• Master Professional Communication: Gain confidence in discussing their unique linguistic background in competitive professional settings.