Foreign Language Faculty Find Eager Ears

Longtime UMUC European Division foreign language teachers say that the biggest change in their field over the years is a growing interest among Americans in learning a language other than their native English.

Foreign language courses have long been a staple of the European Division’s program and include Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. Most instructors are native speakers of the languages they teach, and some have been with UMUC for several decades.

Felice Maselli began teaching Italian with UMUC at the Vicenza Army base in northern Italy in 1956. He earned his doctorate in foreign languages and literature at the University of Bari, Italy.

"I’m an educator at heart and I still love working with Maryland," Maselli says. "One of the most gratifying things for me about teaching has been students saying to me, ‘My dad took Italian with you back in 1957,’ or even sometimes, ‘my granddad.’ It’s a continuous cycle."

"There has been a growing interest in foreign languages as more and more Americans come to the realization that English isn’t the only language spoken in this big world of ours," he adds. "More people are aware that it’s good to know a second and even a third language. There is more of an interest now in being more fluent in the language of the country in which you are living and working."

Maselli was born in Long Island, New York, but moved to Italy with his parents when he was 10 years old.

"There are hundreds of American families here living on the economy," Maselli says, "and they have Italian landlords, so it’s very helpful to know the language. And being able to speak the language makes your time here more enjoyable. If you don’t learn in the classroom, you have to learn the hard way."

Walter Limburg, who has taught German since 1962 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, has over the years turned toward the "immersion" method of teaching.

"I prefer the ‘direct method’ more now," says Limburg, a native of Trier, Germany, who completed the graduate studies program in language and literature at the University of Mainz. "From the beginning, I speak more German in the classroom, and even explain things in German. The best way to teach the language is to have students learn the language through using it."

Limburg says that many American students are unfamiliar with the intricacies of their own language, which can make learning a foreign language more difficult. And most have never studied a foreign language before.

"But English and German are both Germanic languages," Limburg says. "A lot of the words and expressions are much the same."

Walter Knoche, head of the European Division’s foreign languages program, began his relationship with the University of Maryland in the mid-1960s at Spangdahlem Air Base, where he took several courses with the European Division while on active military duty. Subsequently, he earned his B.A. at Marquette University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in German literature at Ohio State University. Knoche joined the German department at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1965 and taught there until transferring to the European Division in 1972. Knoche says that learning a language in its native setting has distinct benefits.

"UMUC students in Europe have an unparalleled opportunity to learn and assimilate a new language while stationed here," Knoche says. "Being able to use the language of the country in which you are living is bound to increase your enjoyment of the experience of living there. It is more important to be able to function in a language than to have a deep understanding of it, more important to be able to express yourself than to know the rules."

Arlene Schalich advises beginning students to listen to a language as much as possible and to practice it as much as they can.

Schalich, a New Jersey native, completed her M.A. degree in German at the University of Kansas, following study at the University of Heidelberg. Her B.A. in German is from Rutgers University. She taught at the University of Kansas prior to joining the European Division in 1961, where she has taught primarily in Heidelberg.

"German is relatively easy, and you make a good impression on the community by trying," she says. "Germans usually think when they encounter an American that they’ll automatically have to speak English, but the minute they realize you’re trying to speak German, they’ll gladly speak it with you."

Helga Hoepffner agrees that any attempts to speak the language—however badly—are appreciated by the locals. "Nobody expects you to get off the plane in Frankfurt and speak fluent German," she says, "but Europeans do expect you to try to learn the language. Most Germans are very friendly if you try, and you’re entitled to the mistakes you make."

"My advice is, don’t get frustrated, and be patient," she says. "It’s hard to speak a foreign language, but it can be so much fun. Repetition is very important and uses all of your senses."

Hoepffner earned her graduate degree at the University of Würzburg and has been teaching German in Würzburg since 1968, where she is also a city council member.

All agree that the best way to master a foreign language is continuous practice.

"Force yourself to speak it," Limburg says. "I urge beginners to go up to someone and ask what time it is, even if they know what time it is, just for the practice. This helps overcome the initial hesitancy. Don’t be afraid to speak it. You are surrounded by the language, in ads, newspapers, television, and radio."

Knoche agrees with this, advising students to "listen to native speakers’ pronunciation and intonation and try to imitate them as closely as possible. Remember that no one expects you to pronounce perfectly. The main thing is that you conquer your initial shyness and use the language. With each successful sentence, your confidence will build, and soon you will welcome occasions to use and enjoy your new language."

Schwäbisch Gmünd Offers International Environment

One of the unique opportunities for learning through University of Maryland University College’s overseas program is the Schwäbisch Gmünd campus, located about 30 miles east of Stuttgart, Germany. By invitation of the mayor of Schwäbisch Gmünd, the University System of Maryland established the four-year residential campus in 1992, for students seeking American Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees.

Students experience a two-faceted education on this campus—an American university model in an international environment. The cross-cultural perspective gives students the feeling and experience of a large university; because the student body is small, students receive personal attention and frequent contact with faculty.

"The mission of this unique, residential campus is to help students become well-informed, responsible world citizens and future leaders by cultivating their intellectual, social, and ethical development in the classroom and in other settings and activities," says Willard Martin, dean of the campus.

Having the opportunity to participate in classes that are small and taught in English, with students from around the world, is an opportunity few people ever have available to them. Field study courses, academic events, cultural seminars, and international social events help to enliven the academic atmosphere of the university and enrich the lives of the students.

Students aspiring to attend the Schwäbisch Gmünd campus must meet certain criteria. All graduates must satisfy the bachelor’s degree requirements and pursue at least one primary area of specialization. Available areas of specialization include business and management, computer studies, English, European studies, German language and literature, German studies, government and politics, history, international business management, international management studies, international relations, and psychology.

The campus boasts "highly qualified faculty, stimulating classes, and personalized attention" for students, says Martin. "Qualified men and women from around the globe are invited to join this truly international, culturally diverse environment."

The city of Schwäbisch Gmünd has a rich history all its own. For eight centuries, the city’s style, culture, and architecture have been making it a location favorable to study, work, and pleasure.

The areas surrounding Schwäbisch Gmünd offer numerous opportunities for touring, cultural events, and outdoor activities. With the Swabian forests nearby, plateaus and meadows to the north, and the Swabian highlands to the south, this area of Germany is particularly suitable for hiking, bicycling, jogging, cross-country skiing, exploring, camping, and picnicking.

If you are interested in finding out more about UMUC’s Schwäbisch Gmünd campus, visit the university’s Web site at www.sg.umuc.edu.

UMUC Employee Marries Japanese Heavyweight

UMUC has a celebrity by association in its midst. Christine Reiko Kalina, who works for UMUC’s Asian Division, was recently married to Akebono Taro, the Hawaiian-born sumo wrestling champion.

Akebono, 28, is one of Japan’s most famous athletes. In 1993, Akebono became the first non-Japanese sumo wrestler to be named yokozuna, the highest rank a sumo wrestler can achieve. He became a Japanese citizen in April 1996 and was one of the star attractions in the opening ceremonies of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Kalina and Akebono (whose pre-sumo name was Chad Rowan) met in 1988 and officially married in April 1998 in Tokyo. The couple held a 1,300-guest wedding ceremony in early October, which was nationally televised in Japan. Thomas Foley, U.S. ambassador to Japan, attended, and President Bill Clinton sent warm wishes to the couple via telegram.

"We are just glad that we had the chance to get married, and both of us will do our best so I can stay in sumo, fight as long as I can, and hopefully move on to a better life in sumo," says Akebono of himself and his wife, noting that he feels most relaxed when he is with Kalina.

In Japan, Akebono is well-loved for his skill and his charm—he is reportedly so polite that he cannot leave without bowing. Although he achieved much renown and success in the sport, Akebono has not been able to compete frequently in the last five years. Recurring injuries, surgeries to both knees, and excess weight (in 1998 he was 6’8" and weighed 516 pounds) caused him to withdraw from several competitions, or basho. Akebono competes less frequently now, but is still the second-highest-ranking competitor in sumo behind Yokozuna Takanohana, possibly the greatest yokozuna of all time.

Early in his life, Akebono’s size made him a basketball prospect, but he instead went to Japan, dominated the ranks of sumo (after winning his first yusho in 1992), performed in the Nagano Olympics’ opening ceremonies, and won himself a place in sumo history.

European Division Plans 50th Anniversary

The UMUC European Division is approaching its 50th anniversary. Assistance is needed to help us share information about upcoming events with former faculty, staff, and students.

The European Division plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary throughout the academic year 1999–2000. The actual "birthday" falls on October 31, 1999, the date 50 years ago the European Division began classes at six locations—Berlin, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Munich, Nürnberg, and Wiesbaden. Because the date falls on a Sunday, activities are planned for Monday, November 1, 1999. The highlight of the anniversary will be Commencement on the weekend of May 27 and 28, 2000.

Your help is needed to locate former Marylanders who as students, faculty, or staff might be interested in receiving information about the celebrations planned. Please send the person's name (including any former name the person may have had while with the European Division), current mailing address, e-mail address (if available), telephone numbers, and dates and association with the European Division (e.g., field representative at Wiesbaden Army in the 1980s, worked in transcripts from 1991–93) to:

University of Maryland University College
Attn: 50th Anniversary
Unit 29216
APO AE 09102

or

Im Bosseldorn 30
69216 Heidelberg
Germany

E-mail: alumn@admin.ed.umuc.edu
Fax: +49-0-6221-378300 Attn: 50th Anniversary

People in the Heidelberg area can drop off names and addresses in the designated 50th Anniversary box on the alumni desk in the career and technical office (where the mailroom was formerly located). Thanks for your help.

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