French in Business Course Shows Benefits of Studying Language

November 14, 2022

An in-class project has led to real-world expansion for a local business, with an upcoming talk highlighting international entrepreneurship from one of its former students.

In 2020, Kerrie Stacks, co-owner of Bold Mariner Brewing Co. in Norfolk, enrolled in the 300-level course "French for Business: Language and Culture" with Peter Schulman, Eminent Scholar and professor in the World Languages and Cultures Department.

The class, which focuses on using language and culture as practical aspects of business-forward thinking, had a final project prompting students to design an international business initiative.

"Because I already had a business, I thought, "How can I make it more productive?" and looked into opportunities for international collaboration," Stacks said. A nontraditional student who plans to graduate with a major in French in Spring 2023, Stacks hopes to earn a master's degree in French, as well.

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