Plan of Operation 

a. Provide a brief introduction to your institution, program and/or project. 

Bennett College is a small, private, historically black four·year liberal arts 

college. It was founded in 1873 and was reorganized as a college for women in 1926. It 

is located in Greensboro, North Carolina, the third largest city in the central part of the 

state. The college is located less than a mile from the city center and is in a consortial 

relationship with six other institutions of higher education in the Greater Greensboro area 

whereby the students in the consortium can pursue courses at any of the participating 

institutions. Along with Winston·Salem and High Point, North Carolina, Greensboro 

makes up what is known as the Piedmont Triad, one of the South's thriving metropolitan 

areas. It is located in close proximity to Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, North 

Carolina which make up what is known as the Research Triangle, an area known for 

excellence in technology and medical research. 

We regard Bennett as an oasis that educates, celebrates and transfonns young 

women into 21 SI century leaders and global thinkers. Students leave Bennett prepared for 

success in the world of work and further studies, possessing a greater appreciation of the 

history and culture of Africa and the African Diaspom, of the struggles and 

accomplishments of women, and of their own ability and the possibilities to help change 

the world. 

Throughout their collegiate journey, Bennett students are introduced to the four 

academic cornerstones of the college: communications, entrepreneurship, global studies 

and leadership. 

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The proposed program for which funding is sought through the Undergraduate 

International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) program is titled The Arabic 

Language and Culture Program at Bennett College. It is designed to expand Bennett's 

foreign language offerings to include elementary and intermediate Arabic, to prepare the 

participants for careers in a strategically important region of the world through offering 

Arabic language and culture curricular and co·curricular courses and programs, and to 

design an Arab World regional focus for the college's global studies minor and certificate 

programs. These goals will be accomplished primarily through hiring an Arabic faculty 

member for one year who will teach Arabic language and culture courses during the 

spring 201 3 academic term and during an intensive two·session, four weeks each, 2013 

summer term. The project has an expected participant enrollment cap of 30. In addition, 

the Arabic faculty member will work with key personnel at the college to design a course 

of study for the college's global studies minor and certificate programs which will result 

in a proposed regional concentration-the Arab World. 

b. Describe how the design or the project shows high quality. 

The Arabic Language and Culture Program at Bennett College has been in the concept 

phase for several years. The program design did not result from the notice inviting 

applications for award. Rather, the concept for the program has been part of discussions with 

all of the major entities at the college who will be responsible for its implementation, 

including the Division of Humanities; the Department of English and Foreign Languages; the 

Center for Global Studies; and the external and internal advisory committees for global 

studies. All of these units are committed to expanding international studies and foreign 

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language offerings at the college and have been eager to identify funding to support the 

program. 

Bennett is seeking funding to support an Arabic language and culture program that has 

resulted from many years of discussion with all of the key constituents about how best to 

expand Bennett's foreign language offerings to include strategic and less commonly taught 

languages and how to prepare Bennett students for careers in strategically important regions 

of the world. The high quality of the plan is reflected in the wide-based collaboration that led 

to the design of the program and in the full commitment expressed by the key players at 

Bennett to ensure its success. 

c. Describe how effective the plan of operation is and to what extent it will ensure 

proper and efficient administration. 

The plan of operation for the Arabic Language and Culture Program at Bennett 

has resulted from an extensive review of similar programs at comparable institutions and 

has been designed consistent with best practices for language and culture programs in the 

United States. This review has informed our plan and we have structured a program that 

is unique for Bennett, but which takes advantage of program designs that have already 

proven successful in this domain. 

Through the collaboration oftbe Department of English and Foreign Languages 

and the Center for Global Studies, Bennett offered Arabic language and culture in academic 

year 2009-20 I 0 though the Department of State's Foreign Language Teaching Assistant 

(FLTA) program. We were able to offer Arabic in two sections to 23 students. However, we 

were not able to continue with Arabic the following year because our selected candidate, 

from Yemen, could not get a visa to travel to the United States. This was a huge 

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disappointment because our students were eager to continue their Arabic language study by 

proceeding to the intennediate level and we were excited at the prospect of learning more 

about Arabic culture. 

Since that time, Bennett has not been awarded an Arabic FL TA, although we have 

applied for a placement each year. We have, however, been awarded Swahili and through 

this placement have continued some aspects of programming related to Arabic language and 

culture because of the incorporation of Arabic in Swahili. Therefore, this application for 

support of the Arabic Language and Culture Program is very important for Bennett. 

Our prior successful operation and administration of the FLTA program in 2009-2010 

provided the experience in teaching Arabic and in administering an Arabic-focused program 

that provides the basis for our assurance of the proper and effi cient administration of this 

grant. The key collaborators have already demonstrated their ability to effecti vely and 

efficiently operate a program of similar structure and design. The number of students who 

have expressed a desire to take Arabic and the members of the community at-large who have 

inquired about our offering Arabic courses again demonstrate that there is interest in this 

language and in Arabic culture. 

d. Describe to what extent the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the 

program. 

The Arabic-speaking world is becoming more and more a strategicall y important region 

of national significance to the United States. Offering students in general and African American 

women students specifically courses that fami liarize them wilh the cultures of the peoples in the 

Arab-speaking world and courses in Arabic language studies will significantly enhance their 

ability 10 assume roles of responsibility and leadership in the global arena in this critical need 

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area. The objectives of the Arabic Language and Culture Program and the purpose of the 

program are identical: increasing the number o f students (specifi call y Afri can American 

women) with Arabic language and culture profic iency and increasing our students' global 

perspectives in intercultural knowledge and competence from benchmark to capstone in their 

skills and characteristics as a result of the program, especially re lated to the Arab World. 

e. Describe the ways resources and personnel will be used to achieve the objectives of 

the project. 

The federal and the federal funds components of the proposed budget cover the 

essential elements in achieving the objecti ves of th e Arabic program. In addition, there are 

other resources and personnel that will also be complementary to the program and re nect a 

considerable investment by the college of additional fi nancial and human resources, such as 

the oversight that will be provided by the chair of the Division of Humanities and the provost 

in the routine carrying out of their regularly assigned duties. Essentially, however, the 

program will achieve the stated objectives through the direct efforts of the Arabic instructor, 

with the assistance and support of the staff of the Center for Global Studies and the 

Department of English and Foreign Languages. For the program to be successful, the staff of 

the Center for Global Studies and the chair of the Department of English and Foreign 

Languages will full y embrace the objectives of the program and work enthusiastically with 

those who enroll in the courses and with the Arabic professor. 

f. Explain how the applicant will provide equal access and treatment to members of 

racial and ethnic minorities, women, handicapped persons, and the elderly. 

As an historicall y black college for women, one of onl y two such institutions in the 

United States, Bennett is most mindful of the importance of equal access and treatment of 

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members of racia l and ethnic minorities, women, persons with disabilities and the elderl y. The 

college, through its Human Resources Department and through ils Offi ce of Admissions, 

emphasizes this policy in all of its employment and admission decisions. A statement of equal 

employment and non-discrimination appears on all of the college's employment and admission 

fonns, is renected on the website and in our entire official out-reach publications and ads. 

Quality of Key Personnel 

a. Desc ribe the project director(s) education, experience a nd other qualifications. 

Indicate the required time commitment of the project director(s). Include any 

evidence of past experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the 

project, as well as other relevant information such as administrative, geographic 

area, a nd subject area expertise. 

The Arabic Language and Culture Program will be overseen by two project directors, 

consistent with their positions at the college: Dr. Gwendolyn M. Bookman, director of the 

Center for Global Studies and External Partnerships and Assoc iate Professor of Political Science; 

and Dr. A. Giselle Jones-Jones, chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages and 

Associate Professor of English. 

Dr. Bookman has been employed at Bennett since 2002 in a number of administrative 

and academic positions. She began her tenure at the college as the assistant to the 14111 president, 

Dr. Johnnetta 8. Cole, and as secretary of the college. In this position, Dr. Bookman served as a 

member of the college's Senior StafT and as the primary liaison between the administration and 

the Board of Trustees. Through this exposure and her prior experiences at seven (7) previous 

institutions of higher education, Bookman has an outstanding grasp of the inner workings of the 

academy and the relationship of each unit to the whole. This insight has made her an 

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exceptionally effective administrator and manger, a talent that she brings to the Arabic Language 

and Culture Program. 

In 2005, Bookman moved from central administration to the academic side of the college 

by a presidential appointment to the position of interim chair of the Division of Social Sciences 

and Education. In this role, she oversaw the administration of four (4) academic departments: 

Business and Economics; Curriculum and Instruction; Journalism and Media Studies; and 

Political Science, Social Work and Sociology. When the 15th president, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, 

was appointed in July 2007, Bookman served as her interim provost during the summer 

transition and was the associate provost from fall 2007-fa11 2009, when she was appointed by 

President Malveaux as the director of the college's Center for Global Studies. Through this 

appointment, Dr. Bookman was charged by the president to oversee this priority academic area 

and all aspects of Bennett's internationalization of the curriculum and the co-curriculum. 

Dr. Malveaux has stated the Bennett's mission as follows: "Bennett is an oasis where we 

educate, celebrate and transform young women into 21 st century leaders and global thinkers." To 

achieve this mission, Dr. Malveaux, along with the Board of Trustees, identified four (4) primary 

foci for a Bennett student's education: communication, entrepreneurship, leadership and global 

studies. Dr. Bookman is the engine for the global studies component and she brings both 

academic and professional expertise to this engagement. Her training as an attorney and her 

graduate study at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in international economics, politics 

and law has positioned her well to lead this program. In addition to these attributes, she brings 

passion for international travel and love of language study as exemplified by her own study of 

Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili. She received a Fulbright 

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award in summer 2011 and spent six-weeks studying Arabic language and culture in Morocco 

and Tunisia. 

As such, Bookman has significantly increased student participation in study abroad and 

she has significantly raised the profile of this area of work both on- and off- Bennett's campus. 

Through her personal involvement in and commitment to global education, Bookman serves as a 

role model for our students and will be an excellent director of the Arabic program. She will 

devote 50% of her time to the management of the project. She is a l2-month employee. 

Dr. A. Giselle Jones-Jones began her career as a faculty member in English in 1997 after 

completing her Master's degree. She went on to earn her doctorate in 2005, at which time she 

joined the faculty at Bennett as an assistant professor. The following year, in 2006, she was 

appointed chairperson of the Department of English and Foreign Languages at Bennett and was 

promoted to Associate Professor, positions which she currently holds. In these roles, JonesJones oversees both the college's English major and minor, and the college's minors in French 

and Spanish. She will serve as co-director of the Arabic Language and Cuhure Program since 

the Arabic professor will report directly to her as a member of the foreign language department. 

Jones-Jones' role in the Arabic program will be to serve as the liaison for the Arabic 

professor in the administrative mechanics of his faculty role at the college. In conjunction with 

the administrative assistant for the Division of Humanities and the Department of English and 

Foreign Languages, Dr. Jones-Jones will ensure that the Arabic classes are listed for registration, 

that books are ordered for the classes, that the appropriate classroom is assigned, that grades are 

submitted, that the faculty member is appropriately supported, etc. Most importantly, she will 

serve as a faculty mentor for the Arabic professor and will visit his classroom several times 

during the semester to evaluate his classroom management and teaching. 

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In addition to her director role as chair of the dcpartment, Dr. Jones-Jones is an active 

participant in the life of the Bennett community and a "master" teacher. She currentl y serves as 

the president of the Faculty Senate and was selected as Teacher of the Year for the Division of 

Humanities by the Student North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE) in fall 2010, 2008 

and 2007. She was nominated for the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006 and the Board of 

Trustees' Teacher of the Year award in May 2010. 

Dr. Jones-Jones serves on the advisory board for the Middle Coll ege at Bennett, our 

public high school partner and one of the target popUlations for students for our Arabic Language 

and Culture Program. 

In academic year 2008-2009, Jones-Jones participated in the college's Scholarship of 

Teaching Project which involved a highly selective and competitive process to reward faculty 

members who had made outstanding contributions to pedagogy at Bennett. She is an active 

scholar and she writes and presents often on Zora Neale Hurston, the subject of her dissertation 

and one of her favorite research topics. 

Dr. Jones-Jones will devote 15% of her time to the project. 

b. Describe the other key personnel's education, experience and other qualifications. 

Indicate the required time commitment and include evidence of relevant experience as 

discussed above. 

Administrative support for the program will be provided through three offices: the 

Center for Global Studies, the Division of Humanities and the Department of English and 

Foreign Languages. Support through these offices will be provided by the administrative 

assistant in the Division of Humanities, who also serves as the support person for the Department 

of English and Foreign Languages; and by the assistant director of the Center for Global Studies. 

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The administrative assistant in the Division of Humanities will provide support to the 

Arabic Language and Culture Program through the execution of her regular duties in support of 

faculty in the division. This conforms to the amount of time that the administrative assistant will 

be devoted to the support of the Arabi c instructor as a faculty member in that di vision. The 

administrative assistant in the Division of Humanities is a long-term employee at the college in 

this role and she is respected as a professional in carrying out her duties. She provides support to 

the division chair, to the department chairs in the di vision and to the faculty in the departments, 

approximately 30 faculty members. This support includes assistance with classroom 

assignments, grade submission, course registration, book orders, etc. Bennett does not operate 

any academic departments during the summer because we do not generally offer summer classes. 

This administrative assistant, therefore, will be available to provide an increased level of support 

to the Arabic program during the summer when needed. 

The assistant director of the Center for Global Studies works most directly with Study 

Abroad, assisting students with site and course selections. She also works with the Center's 

other global initiatives as assigned. She will provide 50% support to the Arabi c Language and 

Culture Program. This percentage conforms to the amount oftime that the assistant director will 

devote to the support of the Arabic instructor specifically and to the Arabic co-curricular 

programming in general. Because the language lab for Arabic will be housed in the offices of 

the Center for Global Studies and because the Global Learning Center (GLC) will be the location 

of most of the program activities, the assistant director will be directly in contact with and 

responsible for oversight of the student/participant use of the language lab and of other OLC 

spaces. She is a professional in the field of international education and has a Master's degree in 

liberal studies. She is originally from Australia, has studied abroad and brings genuine 

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enthusiasm to her work with students at the college. She will be particularly helpful with the 

Arabic program because of her personal interest in the Middle East, which was an area of focus 

during her graduate studies. 

In addition to her direct assistance with students in the lab and with other GLC spaces, 

she will be the primary contact for the Arabic instructor in tenns of the liaison between the 

Center and the Department of English and Foreign Languages and the Division of Humanities. 

Because Bennett does not operate academic departments during the summer and because support 

for students in the selection of Study Abroad sites is less active, the assistant director will 

provide an increased level of support to the Arabic program during the summer. The assistant 

director will work closely with the instructor in the implementation and oversight of the intensive 

summer component of the program and in the execution of the co-curricular activities, including 

arrangements for film screenings and guest lecturers. 

c. Show, as part of the institution's non-discriminatory employment practices, how 

applications for employment from underrepresented groups will be encouraged. 

As an historically black college for women, Bennett is especially mindful of equal 

cmployment opportunity and non-discrimination in its employment practices. Throughout the 

years, Bennett's faculty, staff and administration have been well represented in both gender and 

race. We have consistently had male and female faculty, staff and administrators, as well as 

many faculty, staff and administrators from other countries. We advertise our open positions in a 

variety of public places, as well as on our website. In all of our ads, we expressly state our nondiscrimination in hiring and we encourage applications from all candidates. Our application for 

employment states: "We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, 

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religion, sex, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, the presence of a non-jab-related 

medical condition or handi cap, or any other legall y protected status." 

Prior to any interviews of candidates, our Human Resources director provides guidelines 

for appropriate questioning during the interview process. The chair of each search commiuee is 

directed to discuss the guidelines with his or her interview team. 

We promote Bennett as a welcoming environment and proudly refer to it as an "oasis." 

Budget and Cost Effectiveness 

a. Demonstrate how the budget supports the project activities by providing a detailed 

breakout for each year for which Federal funding is requested. 

b. Discuss the project's cost effectiveness and show the relationship between the cost of 

the project and the project's objectives. 

This proposal is requesting funding for one year for the inauguration of an Arabic 

Language and Culture Program and the development of a proposed program of study for a 

concentration in the Arab World as part of Bennett's globa l studies minor and certificate 

programs. A detailed budget and a budget narrati ve are included as appendices. The project will 

begin by hiring an Arabic instructor and offering elementary Arabic and an Arabic culture course 

in spring 20 I 3; it will include an intensive summer component of elementary and intcnnediate 

Arabic, plus Arabic co-curricular programming. Since the project's primary objective is to 

increase the number of Bennett students and community participants who are exposed to Arabic 

language and culture and to increase their global competency, the elements of the budget and the 

goals/objectives of the project are directly related to (I) the salaries of the Arabic instructor who 

will teach the courses and guide the co-curricular activities and the college staff and 

administrators who will be the primary liaisons for the instructor; (2) the cost of support for the 

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students' materials, including books and other printed instructional supplies; (3) the cost of trave l 

to the UISFL Project Directors meeting; and (4) the project evaluation. 

A detailed breakout of the U.S. Department of Education funds requested consists of 

personnel expenses to cover the salary for an Arabic instructor to prepare and teach the spring 

and summer Arabic language and culture courses and to assist with the development of an Arab 

World concentration for the global studies minor/certificate programs calculated at nine (9) 

months from November to July. During the academic year and during the summer, the instructor 

will also develop and participate in related co-curricular activities, such as language table, 

tutoring, and cultural excursions. The fringe benefits for the Arabic instructor are also included 

at 20% of salary. 

Travel covers the cost for one (I) co-director to attend the meeting of the UISFL Project 

Directors. All travel is domestic only and will be consistent with the carrier requirements of the 

Fly America Act for both federal and matching fu nds. 

Supplies covers the cost of a book stipend for the students for the two (2) primary 

textbooks that will be used for the program-Alif Baa with Multimedia: Introduction 10 Arabic 

Letters and Sounds and AI-Kitaabfii Tacallum al-cArabiyya with DVDs: A Textbook/or 

Beginning Arabic and for other printed materi als related to instruction and co-curricular 

acti vities. 

An amount is also requested for project evaluation and the indirect costs line is calculated 

at 8% of total direct costs. 

A detailed breakout of the non-Federal, cost share funds consists of the relevant portion 

of the salaries and fringe benefits for the chair of the Department of English and Foreign 

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Languages and for the director and the assistant director of the Center for Global Studies. The 

fringe benefits are calculated at 20% of the proposed salaries. (Bennett College unrestricted 

operating funds and funds from The Andrcw W. Mellon Foundation) 

An amount is provided as cost share for office supplies for the project. (Mellon) 

Other expenses include a cost share for the project evaluation and for the teaching, 

tutoring and language laboratory spaces in the Global Learning Center and in the Center for 

Global Studies. (Bennett) 

Plan of Evaluation 

a. Provide a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the project. 

The main objectives of the program are (I) to increase the number of students at Bennett 

and community participants at-large who are exposed to Arabic language and culture, through 

fonnal course offerings and through co-curricular programming; (2) to increase the number of 

students at Bennett, specifically, who are exposed to career opportunities where Arabic language 

and culture are critical; and (3) to develop a plan of study for a regional concentration in the 

Arab World for the global studies minor and certificate programs. The effectiveness of the 

program will in large measure, therefore, be evaluated by the number of participants the program 

is able to reach which will be reflected in class rosters for enrollment and in attendance sheets for 

co-curricular activities; and by the development of a proposed plan of study for an Arab World 

concentration. 

A secondary objective is facilitating students in the program to progress in their cultural 

competency as global citizens. This objective is a student learning outcome that is expected of 

any courses that our students take in the global studies curriculum. While there are no clearly 

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definitive assessment tools in operation to date that stand as an agreed upon method of 

measuring progress in global competency, there are some suggested tools and some draft tools 

which we will use. (Sec Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Value Rubric and the MFCI 

Assessment Tool (Draft) in the Appendix.) 

b. Indicate the criteria to be used to evaluate the results of the project. 

We will use Bennett's normal attendance processes to capture the student and community 

participation in the courses offered and in the cultural co-curricular programming. These will 

primarily be class attendance rosters and sign-in sheets for other out-of-class programming. 

Bennett's Department of Institutional Effectiveness and Research will work with the program 

co-directors to develop additional assessment instruments as needed. However, because the 

primary objectives as described above can be measured quantitatively by the recording and 

comparison of numbers of students in attendance, the evaluation of the results will not be 

complex. 

The cultural competency component will be measured by an analysis of pre- and posttesting using the competency measures discussed above and attached in the Appendix. The 

expectation is that through the course work, the co-curricular activities, and the guided 

reflections and discussions, the students will progress from one stage of development to 

another on the scale of global competency and in their understanding of Arabic culture. 

Bennett is currently engaged with Cassandra Drennon & Associates, Inc. (CD&A), an 

independent consulting finn which provides educational evaluation services, as the external 

evaluators on one of our foundation grants. We anticipate engaging this finn to assist with 

the Arabic language and culture project evaluation, in addition to the evaluation services that 

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we have available on campus through our institutional research personnel. CD&A is located 

in Athens, Georgia. 

c. Describe the methods of evaluation. Describe the kinds of data to be collected and 

analyzed. Will this provide an evaluation that is objective and quantifiable? 

Indicate how evaluation results will be used to shape the development of the project. 

In addition to the quantifiable data that will be collected in the attendance and 

participation records, students will be evaluated through the grading of written reflections on 

assigned topics using the mcasurements along the scale of cultural competency in the 

instruments that we will use as previously described. This measure will permit us to collect and 

analyze the movement of our students along the cultural competency scale before and after 

program courses and activities (i.e., how the class readings and discussions about culture and 

language are helping them to re-conceptualize their experiences and the ir views of "the other"). 

Movement or the lack of movement along the scale will help us determine whether we need to 

adjust the material that we are presenting them in the program. The evaluations will be both 

objective and quantifiable. 

d. Describe or provide examples (in the appendices) of evaluation tools. Present a 

proposed timetable for conducting evaluations. 

The Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Value Rubric and the MFCI Assessment 

Tool (Draft) are provided as examples of potential competency scales in the appendices. The 

administration of these type instruments, as well as other assessment tools for global competency 

which we are exploring, will be administered at the beginning of the program in spring 2013 and 

wi ll be administered at the end of the program as a post-test at the end of the semester. 

Additional administrations of the instruments will be done for the summer 2013 sessions to 

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detennine whether the participants advanced in their global understanding and especially in their 

understanding of Arabic culture. 

Adequacy of Resources 

a. Show that the facilities, equipment, supplies and other resources, including where 

appropriate, library and language facilities, are adequate to carry out the activities 

of the project. 

Bennett has recently completed a major facilities upgrade on the campus. The most 

recently constructed building is directly related to the implementation of the Arabic 

Language and Culture Program- the Global Learning Center (GLC). The Global Learning 

Center was officially opened in March 20 II . This facility is a first-class center which houses 

the Executive Office of the President and two programs that are central to the College's core 

mission as an institution of higher education focused on training African American women 

from a global village--the Center for Global Studies and the Center for Entrepreneurial 

Studies. The academic curriculum at Bennett has been enhanced by the expanded rigorous 

academic programming offered by these two centers. 

The Arabic Language and Culture Program is an example of the enhancement of the 

curriculum that was envisioned when the Global Learning Center was conceptualized. At the 

opening of the facility, then President Malveaux stated: "Bennett's commitment to prepare 

women to fully engage in the world in which they live is embodied in the very walls and 

mission of the Global Learning Center. It is here that we will delve into the work that will 

mold our students into the global leaders that they must become." 

In the OLC there are four (4) classrooms, four (4) student study rooms, a state-of-the-art 

lecture hall with hi-tech audio-visual capabi lities, an infonnation technology support center 

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and a largc multi-purpose area offeri ng an elegant venue for spec ial events. This new 

technology-rich facility will serve both administrative and academi c functions for Bennett 

and will be th e primary academi c and co-curricul ar space for all aspects of operation of the 

Arabic Language and Culture Program. 

In addition to Bennett's main Holgate Library holdings related to the Arabic program, the 

Center for Global Studi es also has an e~ sive library of relevant materials. to the fall of 

2010, the centcr established a Rosetta Stone language laboratory which includes software for 

Arabi c self-study and tutoring for faculty, staff and students. 

Commitment to International Education 

a. Show current strengths as measured by the number of international studies courses 

offered. 

Bennett inaugurated a global studies minor and a certificate program in 2005. Both of the 

programs are interdisciplinary and require the completion of 18 credits across the three (3) 

divisions of the college: the humanities, the natural and behavioral sciences, and the social 

sciences and education. Under the current structure, students must take two (2) courses from 

each of the three divisions for the minor or the certificate ; and, in addition for the certificate, 

students must study abroad and make a presentation of a research project completed while 

abroad upon return to the United States. There arc 31 courses listed in the College Catalog as 

part of the global studies curriculum. Since the global studi es curriculum was first approved, 

however, several new courses have been added to the curriculum and arc in the process of being 

reviewed and approved as global studi es courses for inclusion in the 2012-20 13 catalog. 

The director of the Center for Global Studies and the members of the Faculty Senate 

Global Studies Advisory Committee are reviewing the current structure of the certificate and 

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minor programs with a view to recommending that the programs be revised and restructured to 

reflect a regional focus as opposed to a credit-hour focus. The Arab World is one of the global 

regions to be recommended. During the grant year, the Arabic professor and the co-directors 

will develop a proposed course of study focused on an Arab World regional concentration. 

h. Explain how faculty and administrators have been involved in the planning for the 

implementation of the proposed program. 

The global studies academic program is housed in the Department of History, 

Philosophy, Religion and Interdisciplinary Studies (HPRIS) (in the Division of Humanities) and 

it is through this relationship that the center is given advice and counsel directly from department 

faculty. All decisions related to the operation of the center programs arc discussed at the 

monthly meetings at the department- and at the division-level. The concept for the Arabic 

Language and Culture Program has been discussed at the department meetings and has been 

enthusiastically embraced by the department faculty. 

Administratively, the Center for Global Studies reports to the provost through the senior 

associate provost. Prior to beginning work on the grant application, the Provost's Office 

received an Intent to Submit fonn (mandated by the Office of Sponsored Program at the college) 

outlining the details of the proposal for the program. The proposal was enthusiastically reviewed 

at the provost level. 

There is also a very close working relationship between the Center for Global Studies, the 

Office of the President and the Board of Trustees because of the status of global studies as one of 

the college's academic priorities. During her presidency, Dr. Julianne Malveaux established the 

center as one of her presidential directives and she was very supportive and excited about the 

idea of an Arabic Language and Culture Program at Bennett. Dr. Esther Terry, as the interim 

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president for the college, has expressed her intention to continue the fonner president's strategic 

direction with a priority on global studies. Interim President Terry has provided a letter of 

support for this proposal. (See President Terry's letter in the Appendix.) 

As noted above, Bennett has a Faculty Senate Global Studies Advisory Committee which 

works directly with the director of the Center for Global Studies. This committee has one (I) 

representative from each of the college's three (3) divisions: the humanities, the social sciences 

and education, and the natural and behavioral sciences. This committee meets regularly with the 

director to provide advice and counsel on the implementation of global studies initiatives. 

Most importantly, the members of the advisory committee serve the function of liaison 

between the center and the faculty members in the departments. It is primarily through the 

members of the advisory committee that the center has a feedback loop with the faculty. This 

function has been extremely important and helpful in making sure that the entire faculty is 

involved in helping to make the global studies program effective. Regularly, the director of the 

center gives an update to the entire faculty as part of the Faculty Senate monthly meeting agenda. 

The proposed Arabic Language and Culture Program has been discussed at the department level 

with the entire facu lty responsible for global studies, at the division level, and with the chair of 

the English and Foreign Languages Department, who will serve as a co-director of the program. 

c. Describe the institutional commitment to the establishment, operation and 

continuation of the program as demonstrated by optimal use of available personnel 

and other resources. 

Bennett College has been involved in the international arena for many years. Its earliest 

involvement was primari ly orchestrated through the global ministries of the United Methodist 

Church with which it is affiliated. In 2003, under its 14th president, Dr. lohnnetta B. Cole, 

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Bennett began a centralization of its international programming by establishing an Office of 

International Affairs with a part-time director. This was Bennett's first recent centralization of 

strategic international planning for the campus. Dr. Cole while president of Bennett stated: 

"You cannot fully understand your own life without knowing and thinking beyond your life, 

your own neighborhood, and even your own nation." As an anthropologist, she highly valued 

knowing "the other" and began a strategic and global focus for a Bennett student's education. 

Under the direction of the college's 15th president, Dr. Juli anne Malveaux, the 

centralization of international programming moved to a higher positioning through the 

designation ofa full-time director, an assistant director, and an administrative assistant for the 

Center for Global Studies. Several students serve as "global ambassadors" many of whom have 

experienced intemationalliving through their families or through Study Abroad. 

All of the international programming for the college is now located in the newly 

constructed, state-of-the-art Global Learning Center (discussed above). The director and the 

staff of the Center for Global Studies will provide major support for the Arabic Language and 

Culture Program with the president's full support. 

Bennett is "an oasis where we educate, celebrate and transform young women into 21 51 

Century leaders and global thinkers." The Board of Trustees has approved the designation of the 

four (4) academic cornerstones for a Bennett education. As such, these four areas are in a 

position of clear importance in terms of Bennett's academic undertakings. As the most 

developed and long-standing academic area of the four, global studies is in the forefront of 

demonstrating how these four areas can be incorporated into the fabric of the campus in terms of 

the allocation of personnel and financial resources. Center programs have been the recipient of 

several discretionary disbursements of foundation and federal funding under the president's 

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direct control. As Bennett begins to explore the possibility of a Capital Campaign in the ncar 

future, global studies will certainly remain one of the college's primary areas of focus, 

particularly for scholarships and financial support to assist students with study abroad and global 

experiences. Language acquisition is critical for students to maximize these opportunities. 

d. Show level of institutional commitment as demonstrated by the use of institutional 

funds to support program objectives. 

Through a presidential designation, the Center was invited to write a foundation 

proposal that was subsequently awarded in an amount that enabled the Center to move 

forward with four (4) activities that were ready for implementation. This foundation funding 

is proposed as the source ofa portion of the non-institutional, non-federal match that is 

required for this grant. 

In addition, the college is making a commitment to the match through the provision of 

unrestricted operating funds to meet the program objectives as detailed in the budget and in 

the budget narrative. Additional support, as outlined in this narrative, most specifically in 

personnel who will support the program in their routinely assigned duties, will also be 

available. The interim president has provided a strong letter of support and is committed to 

the program objectives. (See interim president's letter of support in the Appendix.) 

Elements of the Proposed International Studies Program 

a. Describe how the proposed activities contribute to the implementation of a program 

in international studies and foreign languages. 

Bennett has previously offered Arabic through the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant 

program. Although we continue to apply each cycle, we are not assured of securing an Arabic 

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placement. As indicated previously, we were successful in 2009-2010, but have not been able to 

secure an Arabic placement since then. In this cycle, we are waiting. 

The proposed activities will give us the opportunity to design our own unique approach to 

an intensive language experience for our students and will be the beginning steps for our 

approach to a regional focus for our global studies certificate and minor. By concentrating on 

the development of a series of courses specifically designed with language as the core and 

culture courses as supplements, we can begin the restructuring of our global studies curriculum 

b. Show how adequate and appropriate the interdisciplinary aspects of the program 

are. 

Bennett's global studies curriculum was designed in 2005 as an interdisciplinary minor. 

The program is housed academically in the Department of History, Philosophy, Religion and 

Interdisciplinary Studies (HPRlS), along with other programs at the college that are 

specifically designed as interdisciplinary (examples are women's studies and the 

entrepreneurial program). The culture courses will draw from many different disciplines, 

such as literature, theatre, history, political science, women's studies, art, religion, and will 

depend on the specific disciplinary area of expertise and interest of the Arabic faculty 

member who is hired. 

c. Demonstrate how the number of new and revised courses will be adequate to meet 

programmatic needs. 

Because this program is new and the first effort at the college to structure a regional 

approach within the global studies curriculum, the addition of one (1) elementary and one (I) 

intennediate Arabic language course, plus culture courses and/or co-curricular programming that 

might focus on film, history, or women's issues, for example, will be adequate to address initial 

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programmatic needs which are to prepare our students (0 study and work in regions of the world 

where Arabic is spoken. 

d. Explain how adequate the plans are for improving and expanding language 

instruction. 

Bennett currently offers a rninor in French and Spanish. We have been very successful 

over the past couple of years in augmenting these offerings through the Foreign Language 

Teaching Assistant prograrn. Consistently we have been awarded a teaching assistant in 

Swahili and our students have eagerly enrolled in these classes. With the introduction of 

Arabic as one of our offerings in 2009 we were able to see that this language is also one that 

our students find attractive and for which the enrollments are good. The addition of an 

Arabic faculty through this grant and the design and implementation of the proposed program 

will clearly improve and expand our language offering in an area that is currently nonexistent on our campus and in the larger GreensborolTriad area. The intention would be to 

use this inaugural year to put in place an Arabic program that could be sustained as a unique 

niche for Bennett as an historically black college. 

Need for and Prospective Results of the Proposed Program 

Bennett College for Women has established a bold commitment to the internationalization 

of its curriculum and student body over the past decade. The commitment to Global Studies is 

demonstrated by the grand opening of its Global Learning Center on March 25, 2011 . This 

Center not only points to Bennett's history and vision for being in the forefront of social and 

cultural change, but also for the need to ensure that all Bennett graduates are well prepared to 

become global leaders. 

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Over the years, Bennett College for Women, one of only two historically black colleges 

and universities (HBCUs) exclusively for women, has made a major effort and commitment to 

ensure that all students enrolled are involved and engaged in the community in which we live. 

All students at Bennett must perform community service as a part of their requirements for 

graduation. That community now expands the globe rather than just North Carolina or even the 

United States. Therefore, Bennett needs to expand the kinds of activities that define community 

service. 

In that vein, the teaching and learning of another culture and language that enriches and 

expands the African experience for our students becomes essential for the education of futurc 

global thinker and leaders on the world stage. The proposed Arabic Language and Culture 

Program at Bennett College will expose our students, most ofwhorn are first generation college 

students, to a cultural immersion experience into language, religion and art that will be 

transformative in their growth as 21 Sl century educated women. 

The need for Americans to learn Arabic and the rich Islamic culture that is associated with 

it is of critical importance now more than ever. For black women to really appreciate their 

origins and the evolution of social order, studying and learning Arabic will inform them of their 

own rich backgrounds and culture. The ancient Egyptians were instrumental in the development 

of much of the Arabic or Islamic culture. Egypt, even though it is considered by many as Middle 

Eastern, is physically African. In addition, Arabic is spoken in more than half of the countries on 

the continent of Africa. 

There are many similarities and commonalities between African Americans and the people 

whose native tongue is Arabic, yet many African Americans are still unaware or have not had the 

opportunity to be exposed to the richness of their own cultural origins. We believe the need to 

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infonn the current generation of African American women o f these simil arities, as well as 

differences, can best be accomplished by the study of the language and culture of Arabic. 

African American women need to learn Arabic, not only because of its rich history, but 

also it is a way to begin to understand why youths in the Middl e Eastern regions of the globe and 

in North Africa are beginning to protest that they are suffering injustices at the hands of their 

leaders and governments.(Time Magazine , February 28, 20 11 ) In reality, the protestors in many 

of these countries have taken lessons for their protests directly from the Civil Rights Movement 

of the I 960s. This history is important for our students to know. 

Dr. Willa B. Player, who was elected preside nt of Bennett College in 1956 as the first 

woman president of a four-year college in the United States, was an important actor in the Civil 

Rights Movement in Greensboro. She and many of the women students enrolled at Bennett 

during the late 1950s and early I 960s were the initiators of the Sit-In Movement in Greensboro 

and many remain even today the unsung heroines of that era. 

It is this kind of historical perspectives that Bennett students bring to geo-political and 

cultural affairs. Further, it is this kind of perspective, coupled with a thorough knowledge and 

apprec iation of Arabic language and culture, which will allow them to be prepared to work in a 

world without walls. The interdependent nature of almost all events are sparked by local or 

regi onal problems, and then explode internationally, now almost in a matter of minutes because 

of the Internet, Facebook and other well-linked telecommunications soc ial media networks. The 

fact that there is such global interdependence points to the need for a wel1-infonned American 

citizenry. We believe this is best accomplished through understanding the language and culture 

of various regions of the world. Therefore, we view the Arabic Language and Culture Program 

as an important component of Bennett's global initiatives. 

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The United States Government has designated Arabic as a " less commonly taught" language 

that is strategic to our national security and defense. Currently, Bennett offers only French and 

Spanish as foreign language minors. As discussed earlier, however, Bennett in the past has 

offered Arabic, Swahi li, Turkish and even Russian. Many students participated in these foreign 

language courses and in the companion cultural co-curricular activities. Of all of the offerings, 

Arabic was most heavily enrolled by Bennett students and community participants. 

As we continue to identify and diversity the study abroad offering for Bennett students and as 

colleges expand options in the Arab World, we believe our students will be much better 

prepared to benefit from these study abroad options if they have acquired a working knowledge 

of the language and culture before they participate. 

In addition, literature published by the Institute ofInternational Education shows that Arabic 

is rarely offered at the K-12 level in the United States and most students do not begin Arabic 

study until coll ege. Thus, many students who study abroad in Arabic-speaking countries arrive 

abroad with only the most rudimentary language skills and many have not studied Arabic at all. 

(Expanding US Study Abroad in the Arab World: Challenges and Opportunities, Issue Number 

4, February 2009). 

With this in mind, Bennett is very pleased to have the opportunity to offer this program to 

the EarlylM iddle College at Bennett College students as well. This will be done through our 

collaborative arrangement with the Guilford (NC) County School system. The EarlylMiddle 

College at Bennett is the first all-female public school in North Carol ina and one of only a few in 

the nation. This program at Bennett provides a unique opportunity for high school female 

students to take college courses and to receive up to two (2) years of college credits as they 

complete work toward their high school diplomas. Housed on Bennett's campus, these female 

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students have complete access to all courses offered in the Bennett curriculum, with the approval 

and counsel of their principal and advisers. We plan to work with the EarlylMiddle College 

principal and faculty to have these high school students participate in our Arabic Language and 

Culture program through both fonnal academic and co-curricular activities. The courses will 

also be open to the faculty and staff at the Middle College as it will be open to the Greensboro 

community at-large. The principal of the Early/Middle College, Ms. Esther Coble, has provided 

a letter of support for this proposal. (See Appendix.) 

Implementation ofa Bennett Program in International Studies and Foreign Languages. 

Bennett College for Women has and will continue to be a responsible steward of public funds 

and the public trust. The college serves a population of underserved women within the United 

States and from many African countries and other developing countries, including Haiti, the 

Phillipines, Nicaragua and Pakistan. Many of our students would never be given a chance to 

realize their dreams and goals, except for an institution such as Bennett that is devoted to 

mentoring and providing nurturing support to emerging scholars. Bennett has intentionally 

decided to accept about 25 percent of its students who are non-traditional or come to college with 

low high school achievement. This population of students requires innovative teaching and 

learning strategies that help expand their horizons. The learning and teaching of a new language 

and culture is an experience that allows students to move from an environment that may have 

had negative impacts on their growth and development to a new way of being and thinking 

(Downes, Language and Society (1998)). Therefore, teaching Arabic to this population benefits 

society at-large in a number of ways. 

First, it empowers a new generation of potential women leaders for the global workforce, 

including government, corporate and education arenas. Secondly, it enriches the lives of women 

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who will be the mothers and nurturers of the next generation of students. And thirdly, it offers 

unlimited possibilities to uplift the next generation of African Americans as a whole. (Jarrells, 

2006). Offering Arabic to all majors at Bennett College will allow them to layer their current 

majors with a strategic skill, which has implications for their competitive advantage and mobility 

in the workplace. (Muslim Action! Day (2009». 

The social and cultural implications of providing a world language such as Arabic to African 

American women students, who typically have little or no knowledge of their own cultural and 

historical origins, would no doubt open new vistas for them. The benefits at this time are not 

specifically quantifiable, but we expect the introduction of Arabic into the curriculum at Bennett 

College to have longstanding and transfonnative effects. 

Need for and Potential Impact of the Proposed Program 

Bennett College is the recipient of Title III funds. In the past, these federal funds have been 

used to create innovative programs such as the Global Studies Program, the Center for Teaching, 

Learning and Technology (CTLT) and similar initiatives. Faculty members are given small 

incentive grants to create new funding sources. These catalytic actions and strong advocacy by 

the upper level administrators have been instrumental in establishing the Global Studies 

Program. 

We envision that initial support from the Department of Education to implement the 

proposed Arabic Language and Culture Program will lead to other external support and 

donations by our very active and strong Alumnae Association and by our External Advisory 

Committee for Global Studies. (See Letter of Support from the advisory committee chair, Mr. 

"Luddy" Hayden.) We will appeal to the alumnae, to corporations, and to other federal agencies, 

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including the Department of Defense, which has a strong interest in supporting the National 

Strategic Language Initiative for support of the Arabic Language and Culture Program. 

We anticipate that Bennett students will have an increased opportunity over the next few 

years to travel to and study in countries where Arabic is spoken. Through their participation in 

this program, they will be better equipped to take full advantage to experience these 

opportunities based on the level of proficiency that they attain during their course work in Arabic 

during the academic year and during the intensive summer component that will be offered. 

In addition, as a part of the College's initiative to encourage at least 50% of all Bennett 

Belles to participate in study abroad experiences as undergraduates, students will be encouraged 

and provided support to apply for scholarships, such as the Gilman and the Boren Awards, which 

a number of Bennett students have already received to support their international experiences in 

the Arab World. Many Bennett students are eligible to receive Pell Grants to support their 

education as well. These grants and other financial aid will continue to be used to support 

international experiences and the study abroad component of a Bennett student's undergraduate 

education. 

In our long-term vision, we anticipate that the level of student interest generated by the 

Arabic Language and Culture Program will lead to the development of an undergraduate minor, 

major, certificate or concentration in the Arab World as part of the college's global studies 

program. Our longer-term vision includes the possibility of developing an Arabic or Islamic 

Studies program at Bennett. 

Currently, Bennett College does not offer a major in any foreign language, even though 

students can minor in either French or Spanish. A regionally focused program in the Arab World 

will be transformative for the College and will provide a very attractive option for students who 

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are interested in international studies and relations and in less commonly taught/strategic 

languages. 

Our new global learning center, with its video-teleconferencing capabi lities, wi ll allow 

Bennett College the possibility to offer some portions of the curriculum online using scholars 

and faculty from across the Arabic-speaking world. The proposed co-director of this project, Dr. 

Bookman, began to establish contacts with faculty and scholars in Morocco and Tunisia last 

summer as part of her Fu lbright summer seminar experience. Many of these scholars could easily 

leach courses online in the next year or so. 

In addition, one of the persons who served as a resource on this proposal had a Fulbright 

Fellowship in 2008 from the University of Tunis to develop a model curriculum for an 

undergraduate major in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Dr. Ahmed Touili's curriculum (See Table I 

below) will be part of the discussion during the project year as we explore how our global studies 

curriculum might include an Arab World regional focus. 

Table I: Sample Courses for Proposed Regional Concentration in the Arab World 

Second Year. Fall Semester Second Year, Sprine: Semester 

History of the Rise of Islam: Mohammed at History of the Omeyade and Abassid Reign 

Mecca, Mohammed at Medina and the 

Caliohate 

The Q'uran The Hadith and the Sunna 

The Pillars of Islam The Pillars of Faith 

Islam ic Countries in the World 

Third Year, Fall Semester Third Year. Sorinp: Semester 

History of AndaLuzia History of Ottoman Empire 

The Islamic Doctrine: Sects, 12 Shiisms, The Fikh (the Imams) 

Ismailism, Zaydism, Khariiism 

Islamic Civilization I : Translations, Islamic Civilization II: The Mysticism/ 

PhilosophY, Scholars Movement 

Modern Arabic Literature ( Poetry. Prose) Introduction to Historical Research 

Fourth Year, Fall Semester Fourth Year, Sprine: Semester 

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Contemporary History of Islamic Culture The State of Women in Islam 

The Reformation Movement Re lations between Islam and other Religions 

Festiva ls and Religious Observations (Videos! Fine Arts in Islam: Architecture, Music, 

Movies) Calligraphy 

The Reformist Movement in the World Today Islam Today: Problems and Contemporary 

Challenges 

We envision that the proposed Arab World regional concentration will also require one 

year of study abroad in one of the Arabic-speaking countries where Bennett wi ll have already 

established relations, such as a university in Morocco. A number o f the courses listed in this 

curriculum might also be taken during a stud y abroad semester or year. If Bennett were to adapt 

this curriculum with small variations, much of the ground work will have already been 

accomplished. The major remaining task wou ld be in identifyi ng specialists and scholars who 

could develop the syllabi and teach these courses in our proposed curriculum. 

Bennett has been successful in the past in obtaining the services of Fulbright Scholars to 

spend time at the College. These scholars could be identified and engaged to develop courses in 

their specialty for online de livery. We will also work close ly with our External Advisory 

Committee for Global Studies to utilize their expertise and to identify the expertise of their 

professional contacts. 

There is a growing interest at Bennett that has partially been fueled by the Center for 

Global Studies, as we ll as by the emphasis of the current higher administration on developing 

global citizens and advancing international studies. Bennett graduates have been major 

contributors to world affairs, education, medicine, law and federal , state and local service 

organizations as teachers and community affa irs leaders. We expect this legacy of success to 

continue and the possibility ofa course of study in Arabic Language and Culture would allow 

Bennett College to educate a large cadre of we ll-prepared students in foreign service and in 

international and corporate affairs. Our students would be ready to meet loday's numerous 

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global challenges and they would be prepared for critical jobs in intelligence and nationa l 

security for the United States. 

Impact of the Bennett Arabic Language and Culture Program 

Based on our current knowledge, no histo ricall y black colleges or universities (HBCUs) in 

the country currently offer an accredited degree program in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Most 

importantly, our research shows that there are no on·going Arabic language and culture courses 

offered by any institutions of higher education in the Greater Greensboro area. A recent 

publication indicated that French and Spanish, as at Bennett, are the primary foreign languages 

taught at HBCUs. Less than 12% of HBCUs were reported in the 2005 publication by the United 

Negro College Fund's Special Program Corporation Institute for Intern ationa l Public Policy, 

Minority Student Participation in International Programs and Activities: Attitudes, Obstacles 

and Future Directions, to offer instruction in Arabic. In our survey of loca l Greensboro colleges 

and uni versities, none offers Arabic language and culture on a regular basis as part of their 

standing curriculum. Based on our past expe ri ence, as well as the expected interest, the 

proposed Arabic Language and Culture Program would have a very signifi cant regional and 

national impact. 

This kind of program is newsworthy in itse lf. However, the fact that a large number of 

underserved African American women wou ld be engaged in such a program wou ld again put 

Bennett College in the forefront of nationa l issues that are critica l to Bennett remaining a leader 

in world affairs and diplomacy. Through our historic mission and call to action in matters 

perta ining to national need, the proposed project would be pivotal in our commitment towards 

internationalizing our curriculum and kindling our students' interest in global community service 

and the plight of other women in cultures other than their own. 

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Recently, former First Lady Laura Bush called for American women to begin working 

with other women throughout the world. This proposed project could educate African American 

women so that they could begin to improve the human condition of women on the African 

continent, for example. The students educated through this program would have a deep 

understanding and knowledge of the language and culture of women in the Arab World. This 

would be an enormous contribution. 

Distribution of Program Results 

Bennett College has a website where most college programs and faculty are able to post 

essential information for dissemination. In addition, there is a professional style magazine that is 

produced by students at Bennett (called Bennett Belles) that has a wide distribution to alumnae, 

donors and corporations that serve as benefactors to the college. A special article will be written 

for distribution in the Bennett Belle Magazine. There is a daily Greensboro newspaper and also a 

local weekly black newspaper that frequently carry articles about Bennett College programs and 

activities. 

The Center for Global Studies has a website developed on the Bennett homepage for 

dissemination of information about the accomplishments and plans for all program activities 

related to global education. In addition, the advertisements about the course offerings in Arabic 

will be emailed to all students. 

Since the Center for Global Studies is currently high on the radar screen of officials at the 

College, including the Board of Trustees, we will ask the President Emerita Julianne Malveaux 

(a noted economist and public intellectual who completed her term as Bennett's president in May 

2012) to write about this program in one of her weekly syndicated newspaper columns that is 

published in a large number of newspapers throughout the United States. 

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Further, we expect the students who become immersed in the study of Arabic to be 

ambassadors for other students to learn the language. As students travel to Arabic-speaking 

countries and return to Bennett to share their experiences with the campus community during our 

bi-weekly convocations, interest in the slUdy of Arabic and its rich culture will be widely 

disseminated to current students, as well as to incoming students and to the Greater Greensboro 

community at large. 

Competitive Preference Priority I 

Bennett requires entering students to have successfully completed at least two (2) years 

of secondary school foreign language instruction and therefore qualifies for Competitive 

Preference Priority 1. 

Competitive Preference Priority 2 

The proposal that Bennett is submitting expands opportunities for learning Arabic, which 

is a less commonly taught language and is one of the priority languages on the U.S. Department 

of Education's list. The project also will enable undergraduates to achieve a more advanced 

level of proficiency in a less commonly taught language that would otherwise not be possible 

since the proposal will offer Arabic to the intermediate level. Bennett therefore qualifies for 

Competitive Preference Priority 2. 

Invitational Priority I 

Bennett is an historically black college for women and as such qualifies for Invitational 

Priority 1 as a minority serving institution. 

Invitational Priority 2 

Bennett's proposal focuses on Arabic language instruction and on the development of an 

Arabic area program which is one of the 78 priority languages selected from the U.S. 

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