Humanities Student Spotlight:

Special Holiday Event Held at Crane Café

On December 22, the Crane Café, part of the College’s World Media Culture Center, was full of good cheer as the Columbus Blue Jackets, with an assist from the Foreign Language Center, Department of Slavic and East European Languages, and the Center for Slavic and East European Studies, scored big with local children of Slavic descent. Coordination between the three units resulted in a spirited holiday celebration in the café, the hub of international activities on campus.

Blue Jacket Coach Ken Hitchcock along with superstars Sergei Fedorov (Russia), Rostislav Klesla (Czech Republic) and Nikolai Zherdev (Ukraine) welcomed 30 local Czech-, Russian-, and Ukrainian-speaking school children ages 6-13 and their families to the event, speaking in their respective native languages. The hockey stars read stories, sang songs, watched cartoons, played games, signed autographs, and shared some holiday treats. "The event was designed to provide local children an opportunity they normally wouldn't have to meet their sports heroes, with whom they share a common heritage and language. The event is a fun time for the kids, yet also allows them to feel more connected to their native cultures," said Lance Erickson, assistant director for the Center for Slavic and East European Studies.

This event was one of many that take place year-round in the Crane Café, which is an essential part of the mission of the World Media and Culture Center: the development of advanced language skills through the understanding of the media of other cultures. Thanks to the generous support of Spanish alumna, Loann Crane, Ohio State students can try out their language skills by watching broadcasts in the languages that they are studying and participate in conversation groups. Interactive game kiosks in the café highlight knowledge of international languages and cultures, and provide fun, entertaining, and educational activities.

Members of the university community and the community at large are also invited to visit and view international news and other satellite television programs from around the world such as the World Soccer Cup, the Olympics, and the Tour de France. "We are always looking for opportunities to use the resources of the World Media Culture Center to reach out to the local community," said Diane Birckbichler, director of the Foreign Language Center.