What does it take to work in the international environment? Where does one go to start looking for international employment opportunities? Of what importance are foreign languages? Why experience international studies or business at all?

These are some of the questions a panel of University of Wisconsin staff members attempted to answer as part of the UW International Opportunities Month. Attention to foreign language was one of the major foci of the panel’s suggestions for success in the international arena.

Magdalena Hauner, associate dean in the College of Letters and Science and professor of African languages, told of her own personal experience of being a native to Czechoslovakia, learning at least eight languages as a young woman, attending a university in England and doing major studies in Swahili.

Hauner relayed a story of being interviewed in 1989 at Van Hise Hall in Madison, a building she dubs “our own Tower of Babel,” about the fall of communism by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the Swahili language. Though she admits this story is a little extreme, Hauner assured the students in attendance, diverse language encounters are apt to happen. Hauner also said students with multi-lingual skills have a benefit that other students or applicants to a job do not have.

“There are so many areas where you will unrepentantly have an advantage over other people because of language,” Hauner said.

Caitilyn Allen, a professor of plant pathology, said students wanting to study abroad have to embarrass themselves in order to connect with native-speakers of any country.

“[When I went to France to study], I naively thought I would learn French on the job,” Allen said, adding she embarrassed herself speaking French until the language came more naturally to her. Allen alerted students that it is important for pupils in any country to jump into speaking even if one does not know the language.

Another factor students normally worry about when considering study-abroad opportunities is transferable credits.

“It’s important to know that most credits should transfer [or not],” business professor Mason Carpenter said, adding that students who would like to travel abroad normally shy away from the chance, because it would add another semester or year to their college career.

However, Carpenter said he was so passionate about international experiences he put less emphasis on the field of study as long as he got the opportunity to go abroad.

“I had a career guided by interest in international studies,” Carpenter, a banker by trade, said, adding that he traveled to France to learn the trade of winemaking.

Carpenter also disputed the old claim that common sense cannot be learned or taught.

“I believe international experience gives you resourcefulness … and common sense,” he said.

Another hot topic in the following question-and-answer session was how to find job or volunteering opportunities. The Peace Corps surfaced often as an opportunity, as did researching the different consulates in countries that know American companies and non-governmental organizations in that specific country. Another resource was right here in Madison, because UW staff have specialists in different fields of study and areas of the world. One panelist said students could use UW academes, because many have contacts in several countries, a point Allen found concurrent of all people experiencing international business or travel.

“Going abroad creates connections that can go on for the rest of your life,” Allen said.

However, it will not come easy, according to Ronnie Hess, director of communications for International Studies.

“A lot of it is like a job [search]; you have to put a lot of work into it,” Hess said, adding help can be sought at the International Institute found in Ingraham Hall.

UW graduate student Kathleen Lane just got back from studying abroad and agreed that many students wish to pursue an international experience but find the task daunting. Right now, Lane said she does not know if she wishes to pursue a career overseas, but found UW staff to be helpful.

“Right now I’m sitting on the fence if I want to work in the international arena,” Lane said. “But I think it is important to find the connections and take the risks.”