Thanks to the lower cost of studying abroad and moves to embrace bilingualism on campus, TCU is going global.TCU and the Center for International Studies have come together to reduce prices on Study Abroad summer programs by 25 percent in order to encourage more students to explore the programs.

Additionally, Staff Assembly and Human Resources are co-sponsoring a Spanish in the Workplace series to teach faculty and staff everyday Spanish. The series would help “bridge the communication gaps in the workplace and also between staff and the community,” said Julie Lovett, assistant director of extended education.

TCU’s mission statement is to educate individuals to act as “citizens in the global community.”

The Study Abroad price reduction and the Spanish in the Workplace program are two excellent ways TCU is staying true to its mission.

Bonnie Melhart, associate provost for academic affairs, said a step toward producing “ethical leaders in a global community” would be internationalizing the campus by sending more students to study abroad, according to a Feb. 8 Skiff article.

In today’s world, when easier, faster communication makes global distances seem closer, it’s imperative to have a strong knowledge not only of your own culture, but also that of other cultures elsewhere.

Also, with more and more Spanish-speaking residents every year in the United States, university officials should work to extend their knowledge of the language and understanding of the culture as well.

Fluency in Spanish is unreasonable to expect, but a solid understanding isn’t too much to ask of the faculty and staff.

Students: Take advantage of Study Abroad’s lower prices.

Faculty and Staff: Take advantage of the free Spanish in the workplace series.

Everyone: Take advantage of an increasingly global campus and get to know the world.

Managing editor John-Laurent Tronche for the editorial board.