Caleb Ferger Signature Writing Assignment June 12th, 2017

My college experience has been much different than the traditional students. I started my

college career at a local college in my hometown. At the time, I did not have an open mind about

going somewhere new and experiencing life. After my second semester at home, however, my

family talked me into going to a school in one of my favorite places: Flagstaff, Arizona. I spent a

year and a half in Flagstaff and, aside from being homesick, loved every minute of my time

there. Unexpectedly, however, last year I learned that my grandpa had become very ill in which I

decided it would be beneficial to move closer to home in case of any emergencies that may arise

since we had a close relationship. I had heard of Carroll from a few friends that were already

students here and decided to apply as a transfer. When I received the acceptance letter, I was

very happy and excited to be joining friends here and be part of the Carroll community. My

experience at Carroll from a customers perspective has been anything but enjoyable, but I have

learned many valuable lessons as a Communication student in the many classes I have taken thus

far.

The courses that Ive had to take in my short time here have helped open different

perspectives that I wouldve otherwise not been aware of. For example, Intercultural

Communication was a course that really helped to expand my thinking from a domesticated to a

globalized perspective. Too often, many students tend to forget that there is a world beyond our

borders and that nations operate much differently than we do. In that class, we looked at

examples from many different cultures to explain why it is difficult for people of varying

cultures to respect and understand their norms. We watched the movie My Big Fat Greek

Wedding so that we could see how the two main characters cultural differences almost caused

them not to be able to wed. In addition, we watched a few other videos to show cultural

differences in third world countries and how some peoples way of life is dependent on basic
Caleb Ferger Signature Writing Assignment June 12th, 2017

survival while people from America and other, wealthier, nations are more worried about quality

of life issues. Overall, I would say that the many classes I was required to take in my time at

Carroll helped me to gain perspective on cultures and methodologies that I wouldve otherwise

been blind to. These classes were important for my success in todays workforce as we are

moving toward a more globalized economy and it is necessary for a global economy to be

maintained with understanding and embracing perspectives of varying cultures.

In correlation with that ideology, these courses have helped me to look at the broader

spectrum of communication through different cultures. Much of the turmoil that happens

between cultures is miscommunication or failure to acknowledge cultural differences. For

example, something as simple as a relationship or friendship is disrupted by miscommunication

or contempt for failure to be aware of their beliefs and values. On a global scale,

miscommunication and contempt can be detrimental to the health of a between-culture

relationship, and as a result, can hinder the success of a global economy. For example, the United

States, as well as other countries, have had trouble effectively communicating with governing

powers of many Middle Eastern countries in recent times. Although it seemed to have improved,

there are still issues that were left unresolved which have caused radical groups to become

increasingly threatening to our nation, as well as others.

As we discussed in a few of my classes, much of these disagreements are a direct result

of poor communication or not respecting the culture. Of course, there are many other attributing

factors to the conflicts involved with some countries in the Middle East, but miscommunication

is most certainly a notable cause. This idea is important to understand because we may not

always agree with the way that some people or cultures operate, but nonetheless, the United
Caleb Ferger Signature Writing Assignment June 12th, 2017

States and other world leaders do not have complete authority and must respect the way other

cultures conduct business and their governing power.

Finally, from the perspective of being successful in an ever-changing workforce, Carroll

has definitely provided me with the necessary tools to be accommodating to unknown situations

that may arise on a day-to-day basis. Although my experience at Carroll has not all been positive,

I am thankful for the opportunities provided to me to gain understanding for various cultures. My

Cross-Cultural Experience was especially enlightening because I was immersed in a culture I

knew nothing about and I had to adapt and learn how to respect their values and beliefs. Along

the way, I made many new friends from different cultural backgrounds, and it definitely opened

my mind to being aware and accepting the differing perspectives of other people. Additionally, it

is important to have these skills because of the diverse workforce that has evolved in the business

world today. With the extremely competitive job market, having these skills to be able to

effectively communicate with people of differing backgrounds will be a step ahead of other

candidates. Many of the friends that I have at other schools always question why I have to learn

about certain cross-cultural skills because they do not receive the same experiences within their

curriculum, but that is what has made Carroll unique. Carroll has adapted to the skills that

employers look for in new job candidates and that alone should sell the importance of why

Carroll graduates are highly sought after. I am grateful to have obtained these skills and that they

will be applicable in life and any profession I decide to pursue.

In conclusion, I feel extremely privileged to have attained an education from Carroll for

all of the reasons discussed. In todays globalized world, these skills are necessary because it is

imperative that people from various backgrounds work together in order to gain understanding

and be receptive of others values and cultural norms. People from various cultural backgrounds
Caleb Ferger Signature Writing Assignment June 12th, 2017

can no longer function as separate entities, and global trade is dependent on the collective health

of each individual economy, with which these communicative skills are mandatory.