Then the Language Engagement Project (LEP) is for you.
The Language Engagement Project is not a traditional language requirement. It consists of a series of curricular initiatives, built on two premises:
1) Languages are all around us.
Languages are not an insular subject nor a niche specialty. As a vital part of the very fabric of the “globalized” world in which we live, they are best learned in active connection with other domains of experience and areas of study, from the Humanities to the Sciences to Professional fields. This is particularly true of multilingual and multicultural New Jersey, where more than 30% of the population speak a language other than English at home.
2) Languages are here at Rutgers.
Rutgers is host to one of the most linguistically diverse student, faculty, and staff populations in America. Dozens of languages are present and spoken on campus in one fashion or another, by international, out-of-state, and New Jersey students alike.
The LEP strives not only to honor this amazing diversity, but to give it a prominent, unprecedented role both in student life and in academics. Its fundamental goal is to embrace and nurture the language culture(s) of Rutgers students, whether they are heritage speakers, native speakers from other countries, or new learners of languages entirely different from their own. Ultimately, the LEP will create a rich “Culture of Language” that is central to all aspects of Rutgers.
