MONTGOMERY, AL. – Troy University and U.S. Air Force officials believe that seven new foreign language courses being offered by the University will translate into better prepared military personnel.

TROY began offering the classes at Montgomery’s Maxwell Air Force Base at the beginning of the fall semester at the request of the 42nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Peter Costello. The seven courses requested were Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Farsi (Persian).

“This effort is driven by a Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force initiative to help better prepare military men and women in the languages and cultures of countries to which they might me deployed,” said Ray White, interim vice chancellor of TROY’s Montgomery Campus. “An additional goal for the military is to help prepare more personnel to take the Defense Language Proficiency Test, which would earn them additional pay if successfully passed.”

Four of the courses – Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish – are currently being taught to 53 military and civilian students, and the University plans to offer Arabic I and II, Spanish I and II, Russian I and II, French I, Farsi I and Mandarin Chinese I during the second term of the fall semester, which begins Oct. 16.

“Our intent is to offer all courses in a series up to six or eight levels depending on the interest from students,” White said.

The University’s long history of offering degree programs to military personnel made TROY the perfect fit for the program.

“We have had an agreement to serve Maxwell/Gunter Air Force Base since 1965,” White said. “Because of TROY’s longstanding relationship with the military and our experience in offering degree programs on military bases throughout the world, this was a smooth transition for us and a challenge that we felt we could achieve.”

Despite TROY’s history of working with the military, the University faced a short timeline in development of the language courses, according to White.

“We only had about a month and a half to develop the curricula, hire faculty and advertise for students,” he said. “We worked through the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. to determine what our concentrations should be for each course. We wanted to ensure that what we were teaching would be beneficial to military personnel.”

The University drew faculty from the local high school and university community, present TROY faculty, as well as from an Air Force Professional Military Education School at Maxwell.

Dr. Maryjo Cochran, dean of the University’s College of Communication and Fine Arts, said the partnership not only was beneficial for military personnel but also opened doors for current TROY students.

“We are happy to partner with Maxwell Air Force Base to offer these language courses,” Dr. Cochran said. “Because of the ready made audience that the military personnel at Maxwell provide, we are able to offer opportunities for our current TROY students that might not otherwise be available.”

Dr. Ed Roach, executive vice chancellor and provost, said the program provides a partnership that addresses significant world issues.

“By offering these language classes, we are responding to this vital need of our military personnel,” Roach said. “Our ability to serve these needs is what TROY is all about.”

Students interested in registering for the foreign language classes should contact Troy University Undergraduate Advisor Art Baker at 334-241-9610.

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