Community Outreach

The department is involved in a wide range of community outreach initiatives, including those below.

Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA)
CARLA supports interrelated programs of research, professional development for educators, instructional materials development, and assessment innovation. Working closely with the center’s director and staff, GNSD faculty and instructors are active in shaping its research agenda and co-teach CARLA summer seminars on a regular basis.

CLA Language Center
GNSD benefits from a close working relationship with the CLA Language Center that supports student learning at every stage—from placement testing to ready access to multimedia content in courses and assessment of achieved language learning outcomes. Staff members in collaboration with departments provide an extensive list of language links and multi-language resources of use to K-12 students, teachers, and the general public.

College in the Schools
Begun in 1986, the College in the Schools' German Program allows advanced high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit at their own high school by taking introductory-level University of Minnesota courses in a variety of subjects. GNSD supports participating high schools by offering professional development workshops for teachers, sharing curriculum, inviting students to campus for fall and spring field days, and arranging visits to high schools by graduate students under the Mears Fellowships to conduct outreach presentations.

Green German Project
This website is a collection of open-access teaching materials and curricular resources related to sustainability and environmental topics. Developed for use by teachers, students, and curriculum designers, its intended audience is German language and culture courses at the intermediate-advanced level. These materials have been used and adapted by high schools, colleges, and universities across the US.

The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA)
The GNSD department has connections with the Museum of Russian Art in south Minneapolis, a unique cultural institution that serves as the Twins Cities' window onto Russian art, history, and culture. Both TMORA and GNSD educate the community on global cultures and languages to foster deeper cooperation and understanding among people. Our students participate in the museum's annual Interdisciplinary Students' Research Symposium, where students have the opportunity to learn more about one of the unique cultures that make up the broad cultural landscape of the Twin Cities. Our students also have the opportunity for internships and volunteering at TMORA, which provides invaluable experience.