Starting Level of Inter-Cultural Competency Among Undergraduates

The U.S. Bureau of the Census estimates America\u27s whites will become a minority in 2043. All in all, minorities, now 37 percent of the U.S. population, are projected to comprise 57 percent of the population in 2060. The total minority population would more than double, from 116.2 million to 241.3 million over the period.” (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2016). As the population changes, everybody will need to become more inter-culturally competent, including MSU graduates. Therefore, this study examined the starting level of inter-cultural competency (ICC) among undergraduates at MSU, Mankato. According to Hammer & Bennett (2010), ICC is the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonality.” Cultural competency is “the ability to communicate and behave in appropriate ways with those who are culturally different - and to co-create shared spaces, teams, and organizations that are inclusive, effective, innovative, and satisfying.” This research analyzed pre-existing, archived data from about 800 MSU students enrolled in the course, Human Relations in a Multicultural Society (EEC222W). ICC was assessed by the Intercultural Development Inventory (Hammer & Bennett, 2010). Results indicated that individuals perceived they had a high level of inter-cultural competency. However, data showed that they actually had a relatively low level of ICC. MSU may use this information in considering the effectiveness of its cultural diversity goal: experience diversity with supervised reflection and recognize and respond to conditions of marginalized populations