RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS
MANDARIN LANGUAGE FLAGSHIP PROPOSAL
Dr. Christopher Jespersen
Primary Investigator
14 June 2011
North Georgia College and State University
The Military College of Georgia
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OVERVIEW
Institutional Background
North Georgia College & State University is a comprehensive university of
approximately 6,000 students. The ROTC program at North Georgia has steadily grown in the
past five years and is approaching 800 Cadets. Similarly, annual commissions have grown from
45 to approximately 80 per year and the number continues to increase. North Georgia is one of
six institutions in the nation designated by Federal law as a senior military college (SMC).
Unlike regular ROTC programs, North Georgia is authorized as an SMC to commission all of its
ROTC graduates as active duty officers. The university is also unique in that it is the only
institution in the country with resident National Guard and Army Reserve units.
North Georgia’s Cadets have consistently outperformed all other ROTC programs in
leadership evaluations at the national ROTC camp for over 10 years, and in 2010 the university
was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Award as the best senior military college ROTC
program in the nation. All Cadets at North Georgia receive in state tuition regardless of their
home state or nationality. With an in state rate of $154 per credit hour and the second highest
retention and graduation rates among comprehensive universities in a 35 institution state system,
the university has placed in the top 25 public universities in the South by US News and World
Report for seven consecutive years. Additionally, academic performance of incoming students
based upon high school GPA and SAT is third among the 35 institutions.
Current Project GO Program
Since 2006, North Georgia has worked steadily to increase the range, depth and intensity of
critical language offerings and associated area studies programs. Beginning with the core
curriculum, the faculty instituted a requirement for all students to take at least one year of foreign
language. In 2010 the core was further revised to require every student to enroll in Global
Issues, a three hour course designed to provide students with foundational knowledge of the
increasingly globalized environment in which they will live and work. In academic year 2012
the incoming ROTC cohort will be required to take at least two years of language instruction as a
professional military education requirement for graduation and commissioning. Beyond
language learning, the expectation is that this will have a secondary effect of shaping incoming
cohorts by eliminating those who have no desire to study a language.
Concurrently with the internationalization of the curriculum, the university’s Modern
Language Department undertook progressive efforts to increase offerings in critical languages.
Following lengthy deliberations the faculty selected Mandarin as the top priority for expansion.
The university began offering Mandarin in the fall of 2006 as individual courses. Then in 2008
North Georgia was awarded a Project GO grant and momentum began to build. The university
conducted its first pilot Summer Language Institute that year and shifted to intensive six credit
classes in the fall and spring semesters, simultaneously establishing a minor in Chinese
Language. A major was unanimously approved by the Regents in 2011, and North Georgia now
has the most rigorous Chinese language degree program in the state.
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NORTH GEORGIA COLLEGE & STATE UNIVERSITY CADETS FALL 2010
Academic Major Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior
Computer Science 7 2 1 0
Computer Information Systems 2 1 1 1
Special Education 0 1 2 1
Middle Grades Education 0 0 1 0
Early Childhood Education 3 1 0 0
Art Teacher Education 1 0 1 0
Music Teacher Education 2 0 3 0
Physical Education 6 6 6 3
French Language 1 0 1 0
Spanish Language 4 1 0 0
English 4 2 2 1
General Studies 0 1 1 1
Biology 26 8 6 4
Mathematics 12 7 6 0
Chemistry 9 2 1 0
Physics 20 5 1 2
Psychology 11 7 3 1
Criminal Justice 67 42 25 17
International Affairs 41 20 21 7
Political Science 18 13 19 8
Sociology 1 1 1 1
Art Marketing 0 0 1 0
Music 1 1 0 1
Athletic Training 4 2 1 0
Nursing 10 7 5 3
Management 18 11 13 6
Accounting 4 3 0 1
Finance 1 1 2 3
Marketing 2 4 6 2
History 15 25 19 15
Undeclared 48 4 0 1
TOTAL CADETS=744 338 178 149 79
NOTE: Chinese major approved in February 2011. Corps size projected at 800-820
Cadets in Fall of 2011.
In early 2008, the institution began actively seeking international partnerships to provide
needed immersion and also native speaking exchange students to assist with tutoring. This
resulted first in a semester/academic year exchange agreement with the prestigious Tsinghua
University in Beijing. However, the faculty felt it best to also establish a program at a location
where little or no English would be encountered. As a result, an agreement was signed in 2010
with Liaocheng University in Shandong Province for student and faculty exchanges including an
eight week summer immersion experience targeted at Cadets. Both Liaocheng and Tsinghua
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opportunities have been augmented by agreements with other universities in China for Education
majors including Xi’an Normal University.
120
100
80
CADET
60
CIV
40
20
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
CHINESE LANGUAGE COURSE ENROLLMENTS 2006-2010
PROJECT PLAN
The objective of this proposal is to increase the number of ROTC graduates who achieve
professional level competencies in three related areas. First, with regard to language proficiency,
the goal is to achieve Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) 3 in the areas of reading,
listening, and speaking. Currently the shared goal between the institution and US Army Cadet
Command (USACC) is the development of programs resulting in ILR 2/2/2 proficiency. With
the addition of the year abroad at the Nanjing University Overseas Flagship Center, this
automatically elevates the goal to ILR 3/3/3, superior level proficiency. Similar proficiency is
expected in the area of cultural understanding. Finally, Cadets are expected, in accordance with
pending guidance from US Army Cadet Command, to select a country or region of the world for
lifelong study. While Cadets may not achieve professional levels of understanding of all aspects
of the region, the language curriculum, especially certain aspects, will provide a firm foundation
for future regional studies while the language proficiency gained will allow them to study the
region or country through primary sources and interpret and analyze events and trends for
themselves, eventually leading to the required level of expertise.
INNOVATIVE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION
Mandarin is a Category IV language requiring up to four times the amount of instruction
to master a particular level compared to Category I languages such as French and Spanish.
Therefore, intensive or immersive language instruction is generally more effective in achieving
the highest levels of proficiency. The North Georgia model for Mandarin offers multiple
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strategies for achieving ILR 3/3/3 proficiency culminating in advanced instruction at the
Overseas Language Flagship Center at Nanjing University in China.
The North Georgia model for Mandarin and Category IV language instruction in general
is modular. The curriculum is constructed in three credit hour “blocks” and “modules” of six
credit hours that are interchangeable from various tracks. Six credit hour modules are available
as a summer language institute intensive program and as regular fall and spring term offerings.
This facilitates lateral entry of students into programs, while maintaining options for students
who experience difficulty to “opt out” of a cohort at a three credit hour waypoint without
significant damage to their grade point average. Students who opt out have the flexibility to go
into a less intensive language class and may add additional on line courses to maintain full time
status. Additionally, students may enter the program laterally at any point with demonstrated
proficiency. The modular construct enables AP students, graduates of the university’s new
secondary school language academy, transfer students and graduates of military language
training to find suitable entry points and pathways to ILR 3/3/3 proficiency.
Strategic Language Intensive Program
There are several approaches to intensive language instruction. However, the most
intensive model employs a modular structure of seamlessly integrated courses where students
study only the target language during a regular academic semester. Designated as the Strategic
Language Intensive Program (SLIP) at North Georgia, four intensive three credit courses in two
modules are conducted during the semester with a similar follow on sequence the following
semester. Area studies are integrated to achieve the language and culture goals previously
discussed. Through coordination with the ROTC leadership, Cadets also take their regular
Military Science classes as well. This intensive format is followed by a capstone immersion
experience abroad in the summer for approximately eight weeks.
This program is cohort based, but can be structured to accept lateral entry through testing
or through completion of earlier modules in a less intensive format such as six credit hour
courses in a regular semester, a Summer Language Institute, or a combination. The academic
program is structured to allow members of the cohort to “opt out” of SLIP and into a less
intensive program at selected points during a semester, precluding any significant negative
impact on overall GPA for students experiencing difficulty.
SLIP instructional teams are structured to maximize impact at an affordable cost to the
university. Each team includes two language credentialed faculty members, two teaching
assistants who must have degrees and two tutors. All must be native speakers. The group is
expected to live together (ROTC students are assigned to the same unit in the Corps of Cadets),
allowing not only for more effective study, but also facilitating integration of the language into
routine ROTC training events such as physical training. Assigning successful SLIP participants
as unit leaders also facilitates mentoring of students. Native speaking tutors will also be assigned
to the same unit as well, if they are Cadets.
North Georgia is currently conducting its initial SLIP pilot program for Mandarin and
Arabic. Students have completed two semesters of intensive instruction and are currently at
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immersion sites in China and Morocco. Students were provided Oral Proficiency Interviews
(OPI) at the conclusion of the second semester. Eight Mandarin students took the OPI. Of these,
two scored ACTFL Intermediate High (ILR 1+), three scored Intermediate Low (ILR 1), and one
scored Novice High (also ILR 1). The Arabic program had fewer and less experienced faculty,
and only three of seven tested scored in the Intermediate Low (ILR 1) range. It should be noted
that the DLIFLC proficiency goal for the 64 week Basic Course is ILR 2. SLIP students have at
this point received approximately 30 weeks of instruction.
EXAMPLE SLIP MODULAR CURRICULUM
SEMESTER MODULE COURSES CREDIT MAJOR ILR ACTFL
FALL MOD 1 ML 1001 ELEM FL I 3 N/A Novice-Low
ML 1002 ELEM FL II 3 N/A 0+ Novice-Mid
MOD 2 ML 2001 INT FL I 3 3
ML 2002 INT FL II 3 3
AS 1000 RGNL AREA STUDIES I2 2 1 Inter-Mid
WINTER BRK OPTION AS 2000 RGNL AREA STUDIES II 2 2
SPRING MOD 3 ML 3001 ADV FL I 3 3
ML 3002 ADV FL II 3 3
MOD 4 ML 3010 ADV FL III 3 3
ML 3020 ADV FL IV 3 3 1+ Inter-High
SUMMER MOD 5 ML 4001 3 3
IMMERSION AS 3000 RGNL AREA STUDIES III 2 2
(Eight Weeks) MOD 6 ML 4010 3 3
AS 4000 RGNL AREA STUDIES IV 2 2 2 Adv-Mid
TOTAL HRS 38 32
TOTAL UPPER 22 22
Minor requires minimum of 18 hours of related course work; 9 hours must be upper division. Major
requires minimum of 21 hours of upper division work in the academic field.
Following their eight weeks of immersion these Cadets will be tested again. We
anticipate that a significant percentage will achieve Advanced (ILR 2) proficiency, setting the
stage for participation in the Curriculum Inversion component of the program and possible
attendance at Overseas Flagship Centers in 2012. Recruiting for the SLIP program has been
extremely successful, and fall 2011cohorts have been filled for the second pilot iteration for
Mandarin, Arabic and a new Russian cohort. The SLIP program is open to any ROTC Cadet in
the nation at in-state tuition rates.
EXAMPLE SLIP COHORT STRUCTURE
PROFESSOR ASSISTANT PEER TUTOR PROFESSOR ASSISTANT PEER TUTOR
18 STUDENT COHORT
TEAM A-9 STUDENTS TEAM B-9 STUDENTS
STUDY GROUP STUDY GROUP STUDY GROUP STUDY GROUP STUDY GROUP STUDY GROUP
(3) (3) (3) (3) (3) (3)
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Summer Language Programs
The Summer Language Institute (SLI) program is intended to provide a flexible
opportunity for any ROTC student in the country to receive critical language instruction. At
North Georgia this is a five week intensive module of six credit hours. It is conducted during the
second short summer session to accommodate high school students who may wish to participate
either as entering freshmen or as Georgia “Early College” students. It has been targeted
primarily at SLIP Module 1 in previous years. However, through partnerships with other
institutions including other military colleges, we expect to expand offerings to include at least
Module 2 in the summer of 2012. For students seeking advanced proficiency, but desiring to
take some regular courses, SLI may be combined with a Module 2 intensive six credit course in
the fall semester. Students may then enter the SLIP program in the spring.
Overseas Immersion
North Georgia offers Mandarin overseas immersion in several formats. Students may
currently opt for an eight week intensive language and culture immersion at Liaocheng
University. While designed specifically for SLIP, this program can also accommodate ROTC
students with lower levels of proficiency. For students with advanced proficiency, North
Georgia has a partnership agreement with Tsinghua University in Beijing for semester and
academic year immersion. Students may take core courses or courses in their major in
Mandarin. The Tsinghua program is an overseas complimentary program that also reinforces
the second major component of the North Georgia instructional strategy, Curriculum Inversion.
Curriculum Inversion
Curriculum inversion requires early mastery of a language within the first 18 months of
entering college through intensive programs. Following achievement of advanced proficiency,
components of the core curriculum or discipline specific courses are taught in the target
language, facilitating acquisition of unique vocabulary, contextual, and culturally related
information. North Georgia is setting the conditions for this component through establishment of
multiple programs at Liaocheng, Tsinghua, and Xian Normal universities and will travel to
Taiwan to investigate similar opportunities with the Taiwanese Military Academy in August.
On campus, the university has pursued a dual language hiring strategy for faculty in
other disciplines resulting in fluent speakers of Mandarin in History, Computer Science and
Political Science. As a result we will have the capability to begin curriculum inversion pilot
courses in the fall of 2011. Our intent is to also partner with Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University (ERAU), another Project GO institution with a large Air Force ROTC population, in
this initiative. The dean and Mandarin faculty will visit and conduct initial coordination later this
summer along with members of the IIE Project GO staff.
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Skill Sustainment and Reinforcement
International Cadet Program
North Georgia intensive programs require tutors as part of the instructional team.
While we currently employ exchange students in this role, they are civilian students and do not
live with the Cadets in Corps housing. We are exploring two options to secure Mandarin
speaking cadets to serve as tutors and are discussing a third possibility. In August we will send a
small team including a faculty member and the Professor of Military Science to the Taiwan
Military Academy. The intent is to finalize a cadet exchange agreement.
Our second initiative is with the Liaocheng University Reserve Officer Selection and
Training Unit (ROSTU) program, a concept very similar to the American ROTC program.
Liaocheng University is a regional ROSTU institution. There have already been preliminary
discussions and the Liaocheng University equivalent of the Professor of Military Science will
visit North Georgia with a university delegation in September for additional discussions. A third
alternative, discussed but not yet explored, is an exchange program with the Officer Cadet
School, SAFTI Military Institute, Singapore. A combination of these options should allow us to
recruit four to six international cadets who could also serve as tutors, living with the Mandarin
students in Corps housing. This number would be adequate for three simultaneous SLIP cohorts.
Intercultural Dialogue Program
One other intervention, which is a derivative of the Project GO initiative, is the
Intercultural Dialogue Pilot (IDP). This program uses technology such as Skype to connect
Cadets with students in their region of focus for a facilitated dialogue about culture and global
issues. Results of the IDP conducted at North Georgia this fall were very promising in terms of
improved cultural skills. This program has exceptional potential as a language enhancement tool
as well. A permanent program requires collaboration among institutions here in the US and
abroad to coordinate student participation and facilitator support. Under the Flagship concept,
North Georgia would take a lead in building this program for Mandarin students.
Intersession Programs
Language and culture programs conducted abroad during summer or during winter and
spring breaks offer an opportunity to practice and reinforce language skills. North Georgia, in
cooperation with US Army Cadet Command, has already planned and conducted a winter break
program to Taiwan and will use this experience as a start point for planning additional
opportunities with the Taiwanese Military Academy. Similar programs are possible to China
and Singapore.
Cadet Translator/Interpreter Program
North Georgia has been a long time partner with the Georgia National Guard and this
partnership has led to an opportunity for Cadets to serve as document translators during
intersession periods. The Guard Language Training Center East at Clay Armory on Dobbins Air
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Reserve Base has a DOD mission to support document translation. The 221st MI Battalion,
which operates the center, has agreed to use Cadets with appropriate language proficiency skills
and security clearances to support this function. Under new personnel authorization changes, the
221st will have a reduced number of Chinese Mandarin linguists opening up additional
opportunities for qualified Cadets to sustain skills while supporting mission requirements.
Cadet Command Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) program
deployments are essentially service learning opportunities either with an NGO or as a Cadet
English Language Training Team (CELTT) designed to teach English to foreign military
personnel. In 2012 Cadet Command will deploy over 1000 Cadets abroad on these programs.
North Georgia will assist with these deployments including recruiting and selection of English as
a Second Language faculty. Additionally, most deployments require an interpreter if available.
Possible future deployments to Taiwan, China, and even Singapore could provide opportunities
for skill sustainment for ROTC Mandarin students.
Internships
While Flagship students will participate in internship opportunities provided by the
overseas center, earlier opportunities are needed for skill sustainment and enhancement. Cadets
with demonstrated proficiency levels of ILR 2/2/2 and above also generally have a security
clearance by the time they reach this level of proficiency. They can assist as interpreters,
translators and undergraduate research assistants at embassies, DOD Security Studies Centers,
Combatant/Service Component Commands or with units engaged in exercises with host nation
forces. North Georgia has previously placed interns with both the Asia Pacific Security Studies
Center and with US Army Pacific and has recently contracted with Minds Abroad
(http://mindsabroad.com/) to provide seven week internships teaching English in Kunming,
China. It is our intent to further explore opportunities at the US Embassy in Beijing as well as
the three consulates in China and the American Institute in Taiwan. Georgia also maintains an
economic development office in China, providing another possible opportunity.
Overseas Flagship Program Participation
Given the results of the initial SLIP pilot program and the potential of follow on
curriculum inversion strategies, students will be adequately prepared for participation in the
Chinese Overseas Flagship Program at Nanjing University. North Georgia has initiated
communication with the point of contact at BYU to discuss the way ahead. This final year
would represent the capstone experience of the ROTC Language Flagship program.
Senior Military College Consortium
The final component of the overall ROTC Flagship strategy is establishment of a
consortium of senior military colleges (SMC). This consortium includes Virginia Military
Institute, Virginia Tech, The Citadel, Norwich, Texas A&M, and North Georgia. Collectively,
the six SMCs represent the highest concentration of ROTC students (8,000) in the nation and
produce almost 10% of all ROTC commissions. North Georgia, with assistance from IIE Project
GO staff, has taken the leading role in bringing the SMCs together in a collaborative effort. Our
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expectation is that the consortium will work together to produce Cadets in large numbers who
are well prepared for the final year at an Overseas Center.
SMCs meet semiannually in the spring and fall semesters and recently held a special
session at the Citadel to review progress, share best practices and discuss the consortium.
Participants have agreed to pursue a synchronized and mutually supporting strategy including
development of common operating procedures for assessment, common standards for course
prerequisites, and common expectations for end of course learning outcomes. Consortium
members have also agreed to support one another through access to their study abroad programs,
and there is significant interest in developing an “ROTC Language Bowl” to allow institutions to
showcase their results and to provide a Flagship recruiting opportunity. The next SMC meeting
is in September and will feature a breakout session to finalize collective strategy for AY12-13.
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AND EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE
The North Georgia instructional support strategy has three major components; cohort/unit
structure with built in support mechanisms, learning support resources, and program incentives.
The intent of this support structure is to keep participants in the program and lead them to
success in achieving desired proficiency levels.
Cohort/Unit Structure
The SLIP cohort structure has already been very successful in developing a sense of
community among intensive language learners as has the SLI intensive program. The proposed
assignment of Mandarin students of all levels to the same Cadet unit further strengthens their
identity and provides opportunities for additional support. The unit based construct facilitates
peer tutoring as well as language study partners. This approach is enhanced through the
incorporation of native speaking international cadets. As a result, significant tutoring capability
is built in to the cohort structure.
In addition to tutors and study partners, more senior Mandarin students will be assigned
to leadership positions in the language focused unit. As a result, students will have built in
mentors to assist them with problems. Graduates of the program will be encouraged to engage
students through social networking media. Additionally, each company in the Corps of Cadets is
assigned a faculty advisor to assist with academic counseling and development of the student’s
plan of study as well as a Cadet Academic NCO who monitors Cadet performance. In the case
of the Mandarin unit, this faculty member would be selected from among the Mandarin
professors and the Academic NCO would be a successful Mandarin student. Finally, each
company has an ROTC cadre member assigned as an advisor. In this case, the cadre member
would be the Flagship project officer, allowing him to observe progress and resolve issues.
This tiered approach with Cadet, alumni, faculty and ROTC cadre participation
establishes a strong infrastructure of support for students. This team will be responsible for
insuring skill assessment at the conclusion of each semester or significant training event,
developing individual plans of study for students tailored to their needs, and coordinating
Military Science classes and lab schedules with the language program to avoid conflicts. The
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team will also be responsible for conducting a collective after action review at the conclusion of
each semester. This AAR will include all participating faculty and staff.
Learning Support Resources
Any instructional support plan requires instructional resources. North Georgia already
has adequate language lab space and software to support the Mandarin program and is exploring
Apple language translation software as a potentially useful tool for students. ROTC students and
instructors have access to the full range of supporting materials available from DLIFLC
including both regional and language instruction resources. Additionally, the university library
has an extensive selection of Mandarin books in its holdings as a result of generous donations
from Liaocheng University, and approximately $50,000 is programmed for the purchase of
additional periodical and book titles related to China and Asia.
One issue identified by the faculty is the inadequacy of textbooks currently available for
the SLIP program. As a result the university is examining an option to produce a no cost open
source e-textbook. This e-text would feature layered interactive and adaptive supporting
instructional materials. At the core would be a base text requiring access by permission from the
authors for modification. Next would be supporting materials that are used to accomplish or
reinforce learning outcomes, and a third layer would consist of content and other supporting
materials contributed by other instructors to personalize the text to their unique needs. Given its
open source access and ability for other instructors to make contributions this approach is a good
fit for collaborative development across Flagships and SMCs.
Program Incentives
The institution and ROTC program offer a number of significant incentives for Cadet
participation and retention. Cadets are provided Cadet Language Incentive Pay for taking
Mandarin and may be provided a full ride scholarship for majoring in the language. Now that
the university has an approved major in Mandarin, the scholarship program will become a
valuable recruiting and retention tool. The university also has a special scholarship account for
Cadets who wish to study a foreign language, and is examining the establishment of a frequent
flyer account that will allow the donation of miles to help defray air fare costs.
PARTICIPATION IN OVERSEAS FLAGSHIP CENTERS
The Nanjing Overseas Flagship Center program requires students to complete all
graduation requirements prior to entering the Flagship. The program consists of one semester at
Nanjing University and remainder of the year in an internship. The instructional design
previously described facilitates multiple pathways to adequately prepare for this program.
Students who are considered potential candidates will be identified at least one year in advance
to facilitate adjustments to the ROTC commissioning mission and to obtain a waiver if required.
Under current Cadet Command policy, it is likely that students reaching this level will be
scholarship recipients. In this case a fifth year waiver for scholarship support will be submitted
in order to extend benefits during the final year abroad.
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PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND LEADERSHIP
A strong relationship already exists among all participants based upon extensive
cooperation in the Project GO initiative and the unique organizational structure that places
language faculty and military faculty in the same school. The various roles of participants are
discussed in the letter at Annex B along with contact information for members of the team.
Additional information regarding participants is provided below.
Faculty
Key members of the Chinese Mandarin language team include Dr. Chungeng Zhu and
Dr. Yan Gao, both of whom received their Ph.D.s from Emory University, and Chi-Hsuan
Catterson, who earned her Master’s degree in East Asian Language and Literature from the
University of Hawai’i at Manoa.
Supporting the team of language instructors with the development of core courses
delivered in Chinese is Dr. Sungshin Kim, professor of Chinese History who received her Ph.D.
from the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Dr. Arthur Waldron, one of the
world’s foremost authorities in Chinese history and civilization. Additionally, Dr. Jun Taek
Kwon, a Political Science professor with a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia is involved in
the development of the curriculum inversion instruction for Global Issues and related courses.
Dr. Kwon’s field of expertise is Chinese and international politics. Dr. Yong Wei and Dr. Leeann
Chen will work collaboratively on a Computer Science inversion course.
The Professor of Military Science, Colonel Mike Pyott, will be entering his third year at
North Georgia this fall. COL Pyott has extensive and recent field experience, has fully
supported all Project GO initiatives, and is prepared to support North Georgia as an ROTC
Language Flagship. COL Pyott has been selected by US Army Cadet Command to serve as the
senior officer for a delegation visiting the Taiwan Military Academy in August of this year. His
designated project officer, Major Greg Killeen, is an Army Arabic linguist and also the Director
of Instruction for the ROTC department.
Administrators and Staff
Administratively, the initiative involves multiple operating systems including recruiting,
student affairs, academics, study abroad, and military liaison functions. Hence, the overall
university coordination for support of the initiative will be the responsibility of Executive
Affairs. The Vice President for Executive Affairs, Colonel (Retired) Billy Wells is a 30 year
Army veteran with three years as a professor of military science and six years as a senior
university administrator. Colonel Wells will chair the university advisory board.
The project director and principal investigator for this initiative is Dr. Chris Jespersen.
Dr. Jespersen holds a Ph.D. in History from Rutgers University. He is a recognized authority on
international affairs and Asia and has published several important works associated with
diplomatic history focused on this region. He has been the driving force behind much of the
university’s internationalization and strategic language efforts.
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Dr. Dlynn Armstrong-Williams is the Director, Center for Global Engagement. Dr.
Williams has a Ph.D. in Political Science from Miami University with regional expertise in Asia.
She has been in charge of international programs at North Georgia since 2000 and has been one
of the most active members of the international education community in the University System
of Georgia, chairing the system’s study abroad committee since 2007. Dr. Armstrong supervises
all international programs as well as the international student population.
Dr. Armstrong is assisted with the international internship and service learning
components of the program by Ms. Dora Ditchfield, Director, Career Services. Ms. Ditchfield
holds an MA in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Ball State University.
She has extensive international experience and is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer.
Ms. Suzanna Jemsby is the Executive Director of the Center for the Advancement and
Study of International Education (CASIE), the university’s partner in this initiative and critical
link for pipeline development and teacher education. CASIE has regional responsibility for
International Baccalaureate teacher preparation. Ms. Jemsby has a Master's degree from
Cambridge University, UK, in modern and medieval languages and served for six years as the
Head of Upper School at Atlanta International School. She is fluent in English, German and
French, and also speaks Italian and Swedish.
Dr. John Wilson serves as the language program developer for CASIE and is also on the
staff of the School of Education as the assistant director of the Center for Language Education.
He has a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Argosy University Atlanta, a
specialist and master' degree in Foreign Language Education from the University of Alabama,
and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from Middle Tennessee State University.
Before joining CASIE, he was the DeKalb County School System IB District Coordinator.
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Keith Antonia is the Director, Cadet Admissions. LTC
(Ret.) Antonia has an extensive special operations background and has a clear understanding of
the importance of language education to future officers. He has been in charge of Cadet
Recruiting since 2003 and has operational control of both university and Professor of Military
Science recruiting assets by long standing agreement with the ROTC department.
Lead Liaison
North Georgia is applying to serve as the Lead Liaison to Army ROTC and is prepared to
serve as liaison to the Air Force and Navy ROTC programs as well. The university is unique in
its relationship with US Army Cadet Command (USACC) in that it is already working under a
multi-year agreement with USACC to produce commissionees with ILR 2/2/2 proficiency level.
As a result of this arrangement, North Georgia will maintain two administrative positions in the
USACC Culture and Language Division and will be responsible for coordinating administrative
and logistical support for USACC sponsored international programs. Designation as the Lead
Liaison to USACC would build upon a significant existing relationship.
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In accordance with grant guidelines, the liaison officer would be responsible for
developing policy proposals related to development of language skills for future officers
including development of incentives and service wide strategies to increase recruiting and
retention as well as promote skill sustainment and utilization. Duties would include development
of a Language Professional Scholarship program proposal and a nationwide recruiting strategy
that includes high school heritage speakers, JROTC, IB program participants and secondary
schools with existing critical language programs.
If selected as the Army liaison, North Georgia would likely position its liaison officer at
Fort Knox with the Culture and Language Division. If selected to represent multiple services,
the liaison officer would be positioned at North Georgia for ease of travel to Maxwell Air Force
Base (Air Force ROTC HQ) and Naval Air Station Pensacola (Navy ROTC HQ) as well as to
Washington DC for coordination with IIE, NSEP, DOD regarding accessions policy.
Partnership Building Strategy
As previously mentioned, North Georgia is already partnered with USACC to support a
range of Cadet language and culture experiences. This partnership includes increasing CGE
staffing to eight personnel with two new positions at Fort Knox and two at North Georgia.
Additionally, North Georgia’s Cadet Recruiting routinely engages JROTC programs from all
services through their JROTC Leadership Evaluation, Assessment and Development (JLEAD)
summer program, which targets high performing JROTC Cadets for recruitment.
ROTC leadership transitions at North Georgia as an SMC are quite different that at other
ROTC programs. At an SMC the university president must approve the assignment of any
officer to the program including the Professor of Military Science (PMS). He may also provide
advance input to the process specifying the skills and experiences desired. At North Georgia the
PMS is designated by university statute as the primary military advisor to the president and
meets with him weekly to discuss the program. This relationship is much stronger than that
found on almost any other university campus and precludes issues related to leadership changes.
A close partnership already exists between the ROTC Department and the Modern
Language Department, home to the proposed Flagship faculty. These two departments, under
the guidance of the dean, have been working closely since 2006 (prior to Project GO) to provide
students with educational opportunities in strategic languages. To foster an additional level of
coordination, the Dean will establish a university Flagship Working Group composed of the
Mandarin language faculty, the ROTC cadre responsible for the program, the director of Cadet
Recruiting, the director of the Center for Global Engagement, the director of the Federal Service
Language Academy, the owning Cadet company commander, and the director of Career
Services. The associate dean of Arts and Letters in his normal role as coordinator of inter-
departmental activities will serve as the ROTC/Flagship Coordinator. This group will serve as
the primary entity responsible for planning and executing the Flagship program.
The institution will establish a University Flagship Board that will meet a minimum of
once each semester to review progress. This meeting will be held in conjunction with the end of
semester AAR. This board will be composed of the VP for Executive Affairs (chair), VP for
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Academic Affairs (co-chair), the VP for Student Affairs, VP for Business and Finance, and the
VP for Institutional Advancement. All four academic deans, chair of the Department of Modern
Languages and the Professor of Military Science will also serve on the board. The university
president will be an ex officio member. The board will make major policy recommendations to
the president regarding the Flagship program.
OUTREACH AND RECRUITING
Outreach and recruiting efforts focus on admitting new students into the Mandarin
program and developing partnerships that result in solid pipelines of students who already
possess some degree of Mandarin proficiency. Internal recruiting is also a factor. The dean of
Arts and Letters presents to every Military Science class and all Cadets are informed of these
opportunities through periodic cadre counseling. However, the main effort is recruiting of new
students coming into the university, ideally from a pipeline, facilitating early skill acquisition.
Cadet Admissions
North Georgia Cadet Admissions is one of the strongest ROTC recruiting organizations
in the nation. With a staff of ten personnel, including a fully integrated officer and NCO
provided by the PMS, they primarily target high school students interested in a military career.
They recruit nationwide with an offer of instate tuition to any prospective Cadet and admit
approximately 300 new Cadets each year. Their emphasis in the last two years has been
recruiting for critical languages. With the approval of the Mandarin degree program and
associated scholarship, a surge in Cadet participation is expected in the fall 2011 cohort.
The admissions team builds and maintains web pages where prospects and centers of
influence can learn about the international educational opportunities at North Georgia. These
pages include information on the Federal Service Language Academy, Summer Language
Institute, Strategic Language Intensive Program, International Affairs bachelor’s degree, study
abroad, and internship programs. They also include information about the scholarships and
grants available for those interested in pursuing these opportunities. Prospects searching the
internet and social media hit these sites and have an opportunity to learn more.
Admissions routinely reaches out to centers of influence such as high school guidance
counselors, high school foreign language department heads, IB program coordinators, JROTC
instructors, parents, and others by developing and distributing written promotional materials
(brochures and flyers); producing promotional videos which are made available on social media
(Facebook and YouTube) and on their web site; placing ads on the internet and in print media;
and presenting at language education conferences and other venues. They engage prospects
through social media, the internet, written promotional materials and personal contact and have
partnered with a search engine optimization and marketing firm to develop a Facebook
advertising campaign for language and culture programs. They also employ Google Analytics
and Facebook Insights as aids for determining productivity.
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Pipeline Development
North Georgia’s pipeline development focuses on engaging secondary schools with IB
and critical language programs, especially Mandarin. Beginning in 2006, North Georgia
promoted the initiative of the College Board and the Hanban to engage school administrators in
the development of Mandarin programs. As a result numerous K-12 system administrators in the
local area visited China and initiated program development upon their return. As a result
approximately 80 % of all Mandarin programs in the state are in a three county area in
immediate proximity to North Georgia. Additionally, North Georgia has access to a large
number of Department of Defense Educational Activity (DODEA) schools in the state including
Fort Benning which offers Mandarin and is engaged with JROTC programs in North Metro-
Atlanta schools with large Asian heritage speaking populations.
The Federal Service Language Academy pilot is North Georgia’s signature program for
recruiting students into the strategic languages. This campus based pilot program offers the
opportunity for students from districts without Mandarin to take an intensive course for high
school credit. The initial pilot offering Mandarin, Arabic and Russian is currently underway. In
order to participate, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or above, receive a recommendation from
their high school language faculty, and prepare an essay on their reasons for learning the
language and how they expect to apply it in a career of government service. During the course
they are given an opportunity to speak with military officers and North Georgia recruiters.
Recruiting for the program was extremely successful, with over 300 fully qualified applicants
from across the nation for the 90 available seats.
In addition to partnering with other SMCs, North Georgia is also exploring expanded
relationships with military junior colleges (MJC) and targeted recruiting of DLIFLC graduates
who are reserve component service members as additional pipeline opportunities. Several of the
MJCs offer critical language programs and many of their graduates continue their studies at
SMCs. MJCs are the second highest commissioning source in the nation behind the SMCs, with
all in the top 20% of officer producing institutions. The university recently signed a “2+2”
agreement with one MJC under a Cadet Command initiative and is exploring additional
partnerships. Additionally, reservists who are DLIFLC graduates are eligible for participation in
ROTC under the simultaneous membership program. Most are already at the ILR 2/2/2 level
upon graduation from DLI and are therefore prime candidates for lateral entry into the Flagship
program and attendance at an overseas center. The opportunity to complete a baccalaureate
degree in the language provides a strong incentive for their participation.
PROJECT TIMELINE
Projected timelines include three phases: Planning Phase Year 1 (September 2011-August
2012), Project Year 2 (September 2012-August 2013), and Project Year 3 (September 2013-
August 2014). At the conclusion of the third year of the pilot, North Georgia expects to produce
approximately 15 fully qualified candidates for participation in the capstone Overseas Flagship
Center Program and to increase that number in subsequent years to at least 20 students per year.
Timelines are at Annex A.
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EXPECTED OUTCOMES
As previously described, this proposal expects to recruit adequate numbers of students
into the North Georgia Mandarin program to sustain the pre-capstone production of ILR 2/2/2
proficient ROTC Cadets at 15 students at the conclusion of the pilot and to advance that number
to at least 20 in subsequent years. This will require admissions to recruit a minimum of 45
Cadets per year into the Mandarin program with at least 18 participating each year in SLIP.
Lateral entry from AP students, graduates of the FSLA, MJC transfers and reserve component
DLIFLC graduates will provide additional throughput.
CONCLUSION
This model can be replicated at other institutions and particularly at other senior military
colleges. The curriculum’s modular construction provides flexibility and numerous pathways to
proficiency. The structure of the instructional team is both efficient and effective and provides
solid in depth capability at an affordable cost. Its approach to reinforcing language education
through content courses is also affordable through institutional exchange programs and dual
language hiring practices in other disciplines. Finally, incorporation of the Overseas Flagship
Centers provides the intensive capstone experience required for students to reach the professional
level of proficiency. If selected as an ROTC Language Flagship, North Georgia is poised to
continue development of this model in partnership with other institutions and the Services with
the goal of graduating 15 to 20 ILR 3/3/3 proficient lieutenants per year.
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ANNEX A: ANNUAL TIMELINES
YEAR 1-PLANNING-SEP 2011-AUG 2012
WHO WHAT WHEN
Cadet Admissions Recruit 300 new Cadets 2010-2011
Cadet Admissions Recruit 30 new Cadets into Mandarin courses 2010-2011
Cadet Admissions Recruit 18 Cadets into Mandarin SLIP Cohort #2 2010-2011
President Establish University Advisory Board July 2011
Dean, SAL Establish Flagship Team July 2011
Dean, SAL Establish National Liaison position September 2011
Flagship Team Begin Curriculum Inversion for 2010-11 SLIP August 2011-May
graduates; Computer Science course 2012
Flagship Team Conduct Mandarin SLIP Cohort #2 Aug2011-Jul 2012
Cadet Admissions Initiate lateral entry recruiting effort September 2011
(MJC/DLIFLC/AP/FSLA)
School of Education, Conduct second year Federal Service Language June 2012
Center for Language Academy; increase capacity.
Education
Flagship Team Initiate e-text development to support intensive September 2011
program
Cadet Admissions, Engage regional DODEA schools September 2011
Flagship Team
ROTC/Corps of Establish Mandarin student based unit in Corps August 2011
Cadets
Center for Global Establish Cadet exchange opportunities with August 2011
Engagement Liaocheng University and Taiwanese Military
Academy
Center for Global Establish pre-capstone internship program August 2011-
Engagement; Career opportunities with Asia Pacific Center for Security September 2012
Services Studies, US Army Pacific and Pacific Command
Center for Global Establish pre-capstone internship opportunities August 2011
Engagement; Career with Minds Abroad
Services
Center for Global Establish pre-capstone internship opportunities August 2011-
Engagement; Career with US Embassy and consulates in PRC and September 2012
Services American Institute in Taiwan
Center for Global Establish Pre-capstone internship opportunities August 2011-
Engagement; Career with Georgia Department of Economic September 2012
Services Development China Office, Beijing
Executive Affairs Establish SMC consortium to increase production September 2011
of ILR 2/2/2 candidates for capstone
Center for Global Assume responsibility for supporting all USACC October 2011
Engagement Cadet overseas programs
Center for Global Engage Officer Cadet School, SAFTI Military September/October
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Engagement; Institute, Singapore 2011
USACC
Center for Global Hire additional staff to support Cadet Command August 2011
Engagement partnership
Dean SAL, Flagship Hire additional faculty to expand course options August 2011;
Team and pathways January 2012
Dean SAL, Flagship Establish intersession program (winter break) for January 2012
Team USACC in PRC, Taiwan, Singapore
Dean SAL, Flagship Conduct end of term and annual AARs December 2011;
Team May 2012; August
2012
Dean SAL, Flagship Conduct end of term proficiency assessments December 2011;
Team May 2012; August
2012
Dean SAL, Flagship Provide 3-5 candidates for Overseas Center NLT August 2012
Team capstone experience
YEAR 2-INITIAL PILOT YEAR-SEP 2012-AUG 2013
WHO WHAT WHEN
Cadet Admissions Recruit a minimum of 300 Cadets 2011-2012
Cadet Admissions Recruit 30-45 Cadets into Mandarin program 2011-2012
Cadet Admissions Recruit 18 Cadets to fill SLIP Cohort #3 2011-2012
Cadet Admissions Recruit minimum of two Mandarin speaking Fall Semester 2012
international cadets
Flagship Team Expand curriculum inversion development; World August 2012-May
History as second core course offered 2013
Flagship Team Conduct Mandarin SLIP Cohort #3 August 2012-July
2013
Flagship Team Expand SLI Program to incorporate Module #2 June-July 2013
Center for Global Conduct internships previously established August 2012-July
Engagement; Career 2013
Services
Enter for Global Conduct intersession (winter break) programs in December 2012
Engagement, Taiwan, PRC and Singapore
Flagship Team
Flagship Team Conduct end of term and annual AARs December 2012;
May 2013; August
2013
Flagship Team Conduct end of term proficiency assessments December 2011;
May 2012; August
2012
Executive Affairs, Schedule Cadet interpreter/translator opportunities December 2012-
Center for Global w/National Guard and USACC August 2013
Engagement
School of Education, Expand FSLA in year three to include advanced June 2013
Center for Language levels of instruction and teacher training
Education
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School of Education, Coordinate with local education agencies to January-July 2013
Center for Language establish summer day camp structure for middle
Education school students
Flagship Team Complete intensive Mandarin e-text project August 2013
through MOD 2
Flagship Team Provide 5-10 candidates for Overseas Center NLT August 2013
capstone experience
YEAR 3-FINAL PILOT YEAR-SEP 2013-AUG 2014
WHO WHAT WHEN
Cadet Admissions Recruit a minimum of 300 Cadets 2012-2013
Cadet Admissions Recruit 45 Cadets into Mandarin program 2012-2013
Cadet Admissions Recruit 18 Cadets to fill SLIP Cohort #4 2012-2013
Cadet Admissions Recruit to sustain four native speaking 2012-2013
international Cadets in Mandarin unit
Flagship Team Expand Curriculum inversion to Global Issues as August 2013-May
third core curriculum course 2014
Flagship Team Complete intensive Mandarin e-text project August 2014
through MOD 4
Flagship Team Conduct Mandarin SLIP Cohort #4 August 2013-July
2014
Flagship Team Expand SLI Program to incorporate Module #3 June-July 2013
Center for Global Sustain pre-capstone internship opportunities September 2013-
Engagement; Career August 2014
Services
Flagship Team Provide 15 candidates for Overseas Center NLT August 2014
capstone experience
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