SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Goodfellow Air Force Base and Angelo State University collaborated in their second joint Language and Culture Fair at ASU, April 26.
“Today you’ll see various booths and languages on display that will directly impact the National Defense Strategy,” said Col. James Finlayson, 17th Training Wing vice commander. “This will enable students from both Goodfellow AFB and ASU to learn about the global picture, and the cultures that affect the United States.”
The Language and Culture Fair demonstrates the vibrant community partnership between the college and base, showcasing various perspectives from around the globe and celebrating diversity. The theme of the event was: One World, Many Cultures.
“I was born and raised in Panama, and I’m a proud Panamanian,” said Space Force Spc. 3 Grace Reina, 316th Training Squadron student. “For me, it’s very important to share some of the history and teach others about my home country, so that everyone can see what an amazing place it is.”
At the event, 17th TRW linguists, ASU students, and foreign nationals, showcased the different languages’ history and shared their knowledge of the cultures and languages.
There were over ten languages represented during the event, spanning regions across the globe. Each station represented a different country, which featured: books, finger food, maps, sample words, and facts about the country.
There was also a station staffed by members of the 517th Training Group, who showcased a virtual reality experience. They demonstrated how VR can help students of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center practice their language skills in a fun and engaging format.
“Culture is all about sharing,” said Tech. Sgt. Anthony Martin, 316th TRS Spanish global language mentor. “It’s important for them to get embedded into the world around them, outside of the military environment.”