The ROTC Chinese Language Flagship is designed to work in conjunction with students majors and ROTC requirements.
The program allows students to take core curriculum and major classes in Chinese.
Ultimately, language becomes a critical part of their education, because students learn it in the context of their academic interests.
We focus on helping students to develop language proficiency in whatever the field they want to work in because students will have to take the Redmond's enrollment courses in China in order to internship. So they need to have a specialized knowledge in Chinese in their own fields.
The ROTC Chinese-language flagship typically starts the summer prior to freshman year with the Summer Language Institute, SLI. The Chinese Summer Language Institute is an intensive immersion like language program.
From morning to evening we focus on instructions. We teach students how to speak Chinese, how to read, how to write, and we train them on listening to Chinese, too.
In between the instructions we have language lab time, tutoring, time, cultural activities, and even during meals we're going to try to encourage students to speak Chinese.
When I looked into SLI I knew it was going to be a great opportunity, for one I was able to come to campus beforehand and kind of get a feel of what North Georgia looked like. Being able to go to SLI gave me the foundation that I was able to plan and construct the rest of my Chinese language skills on.
Throughout their four years at UNG, students continue to take Chinese language and culture courses, and are required to participate in at least one summer study abroad program.
Additionally, the ROTC Chinese Flagship provides students with tutoring assistance and personalized attention throughout their time at UNG in order to adequately prepare them for the capstone year in China.
There are lots of resources that are available to us as students that really help us to be successful. We have tutoring, and the language lab is a great facility for us to come and practice and there's tons of support on the military side.
The balance between the Cadet Corps and the Flagship Program is a good one and there's a lot of cooperation between the two.
After completing the UNG component and achieving advanced language proficiency students apply to the overseas capstone program for direct enrollment and internship in China.
They not only taught us the language but then they also spend a lot of time focusing on making sure that we understand Chinese culture as well. That obviously plays a huge part in living in the country, and really integrating within the Chinese society.
In the end they spend a year at a Chinese university taking content courses in Chinese, so their level of proficiency is so high that they can read, right, speak, and otherwise communicate in Chinese all the time.
Students will achieve professional level proficiency at the conclusion of their capstone experience.
ROTC students will then commission as second lieutenants in the US Army.
Civilian students will take their place among the next generation of global professionals in various careers in the federal or private sector.