FLTA Workshop Orientation

Father Jenkins' Address

June, 2011

Dear Fulbright FLTAs:
Welcome to the United States of America, welcome to the State of Indiana, and welcome to the University of Notre Dame from your homes in Afghanistan, Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chechnya, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Philippines, Russia, Spain, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Congratulations on your appointment as Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant. We are delighted and honored to host this orientation workshop for you. It is my sincere hope that the sessions provided by our faculty and staff will benefit you greatly and prepare you for the rewarding challenges that await you as language teachers at your respective host institutions across the length and breadth of the United States.

It is only fitting that Notre Dame host the Fulbright orientation for foreign language teachers. Founded in 1842 by Rev. Edward F. Sorin, C.S.C., a French priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross , the University now offers regular graduate and undergraduate courses in Arabic, Bangla, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Portuguese, Quechua, Russian, and Spanish. As the world’s preeminent Catholic university, we care deeply about teaching and strive to cultivate a sense of wonder in our students, inviting them to discover not only how they should make a difference in the world, but also why they should. Languages are the key to cultural and mutual understanding. As we encourage our students to excel in a globalized culture, embracing linguistic diversity and mastering language proficiency is essential.

Welcome again to Notre Dame, a distinctive university committed to advancing knowledge through advanced research and dynamic teaching and producing the leaders of tomorrow. I hope you enjoy your time here with us and in future will look back with fond memories on lasting friendships made and invaluable lessons learned.

In Notre Dame,
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. President