This chapter examines the creation of a uniquely innovative program explicitly addressing the cultural agility of first-year students. To develop interculturally effective global leaders, pre-freshman were asked to undergo two sequential cultural immersion experiences within a few short months – studying abroad before officially matriculating on campus, then participating in a first-semester leadership module while transitioning from high-schoolers to college students. The program's purpose has been to deliver a developmental experience that could provide an impactful foundation for students' collegiate careers. This chapter contributes to the literature by investigating the effects of an innovative program model and the understudied population of pre-freshman with a particular focus on assessing intercultural development. Findings, along with an extended narrative description of the program's evolution over a decade, provide practical implications for the design, implementation, and assessment of intercultural, leadership-based programing conducted at home and abroad.
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Possessing high levels of intercultural agility is considered by some as a key ingredient, and the future of leadership (Duff, Tahbaz & Chan, 2012; Gupta, 2009). Governmental agencies as well as scholars have repeatedly foregrounded the need for leaders to be at ease in various cultural contexts (Abbe, Gulick & Herman, 2007; British Council, Booz Allen Hamilton & Ipsos, 2013; EducationUSA, 2021; Goodman, 2012; Guo-Brennan & Guo-Brennan, 2022; Matveev, 2017; Moodian, 2008; National Research Council, 2012). The need for leaders with global skills is well recognized within the community of scholars who research and publish about education abroad (Vande Berg et al., 2012). No longer are the knowledge, skills, and attitudes focused on in campus globalization efforts only intended for those with jobs that take them overseas (Armstrong, 2020; Gulati & Weir, 2022; Shen, 2015; Washington, 2020). Being dexterous when dealing with difference is becoming understood as a coveted asset not only in international business settings, but in academic, social, as well as civic environments (Coelen & Gribble, 2019; DeJaeghere & Zhang, 2008; Guzman et al, 2020; Matveev & Miller, 2004).
A close cousin of intercultural competence, cultural agility involves self-management, a tolerance for ambiguity, openness, and curiosity (Segismundo, 2022). As summarized by Armstrong (2020, pp. 3-4): “The interculturally competent leader overcomes ethnocentrism (Fennes & Hapgood, 1997) while communicating and analyzing the cultural context and selecting appropriate behavior (Samovar & Porter, 2001). Such behavior includes the management of psychological stress and interpersonal relationships (Pusch, 1994).”