There’s something different about the students in this specific freshman class.
First, a quick survey of the room reveals that about half the class is non-white. Along with pencil, paper and a coursebook, many of the students have portable electronic translators. No one is too intimidated to participate in a class discussion.
Magid Shirzadegan, director of International Programs, is the instructor of the class, but at moments it’s hard to tell because the
students seem to learn just as much from each other as they do from him.
The class, called “Breaking Barriers,” is no
ordinary freshman class — it’s a freshman
seminar designed by Shirzadegan to facilitate “intercultural communication.” He has taught this and similar courses for the past 12 years.
Shirzadegan hand-picked the students in the class to achieve an almost one-to-one ratio of
international to domestic students.
“When you’re talking about diversity, you need to have it present in the classroom,” he said.
While the class focuses on communication, Shirzadegan said students will spend about half the class examining their own values and culture.
“The better we know ourselves, the better we can communicate,” he said.
Some of the values discussed are much more complex than they originally appear.
On this day, the class starts with something simple: being on time.
In the United States, the culture generally
dictates that people be on time, freshman Becky Brown said.
“In our culture, we’re always thinking about what we’re doing next,” she said in class.
Shirzadegan, originally from Iran, said many Middle Eastern cultures have a completely
different idea of punctuality.
“It is very rude in my culture if you show up on time. You always show up a half hour to an hour late,” he said in class. “We respect people more than time.”
As the discussion continued, the class explored more subtle and sensitive cultural differences, such as the concept of individualism versus collectivism.
Mariko Yamaguchi said she
felt collectivism was more prevalent in Japan and compared her experiences with self expression in both cultures.
“I can be more myself here
because American people are
willing to listen to what I am thinking,” she said.
The class also gives students the opportunity to share the difficulties of living in a new environment.
Freshman Katherine Compton spent a year of high school in Japan and was the only white student.
“Even though it was hard being the ‘white girl,’ the people were very generous,” she said.
Freshman Aleah-Marie Beephan came to the United States four and a half years ago from Trinidad.
“I would say it’s getting better,” she said in class. “From the first day I came to Oregon I hated it.”
Freshman Philip Bristol, who spent a year in Germany as an exchange student, said people often underestimate the challenges that international students face.
“This class has reinforced my awareness about how difficult it can be to be a student in another
country,” he said.
Exchange student Maki Fujuhaja of Japan said the class has made the transition to the University a little smoother.
“This class makes me more active because there are a lot of international students,” she said. “In other classes, we don’t have the opportunity to discuss very seriously.”
Shirzadegan said the course is important because it equips
students with the skills necessary to survive in an increasingly
multicultural job market.
“We’re living in a more and more global community,” he said. “You can’t function today in the job market if you can’t communicate across your differences and cultures.”

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