Domestic Internationalization Developed Through Collegiate Activities

With growing technological advances, the emergence of a global economy has been facilitated. In order to effectively compete in today’s international economy, businesses must now be flexible in regards to cultural diversity. At Middle Tennessee State University student involvement in organizations such as the Experimental Vehicles Program (EVP) and Master of Science in Professional Science (MSPS) Club provides students an unparalleled experience with not only technical skills, but also cross-cultural interaction. The EVP is a program that consists of five experimental vehicles designed, manufactured and constructed by students in time for annual competitions. These vehicles consist of the Lunar Rover, SAE Baja, Solar Boat, Formula SAE, and the Solar Hybrid. This program is available to undergraduate students of any academic and cultural background. The MSPS Club is oriented to students of the Master of Science in Professional Science program which contains six concentrations: Actuarial Science, Biostatistics, Biotechnology, Engineering Management, Geoscience, and Healthcare Informatics. Lack of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and communication difficulties can create cultural bias. Interaction with diverse cultures gives an opportunity for acceptance of difference cultures. Through the EVP and MSPS Club, students are given a chance to work and communicate with cultures different from their own. These two programs are prime examples of domestic internationalization on the MTSU campus.