NJCU Professor Donna Farina Pens Thought-Provoking Op-Ed on Languages Represented on Campus

JERSEY CITY, N.J. | Dr. Donna Farina, a professor in the New Jersey City University Department of Multicultural Leadership, has penned an op-ed in NJ.com and The Jersey Journal entitled “‘𝗡𝗲𝘄’ 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗝𝗖𝗨.” This brilliant essay discusses her excitement as a linguist when meeting someone who speaks a language that is new to her, and how that can happen every day at a campus such as NJCU where more than 100 languages are represented. Dr. Farina also tells the story of several students she has taught who speak unique languages and describes their success stories.

While NJCU is revered in the community for being a transformative force, Dr. Farina poses the following question: "The question is, who exactly is being transformed? The amazing polyglot of students at New Jersey City University whose languages are a national treasure, or the rest of us who benefit every day from these immigrant students’ energy, motivation, vitality, talent, and grit?"

Read the thought-provoking article here:
https://www.nj.com/opinion/2024/04/new-languages-rightly-celebrated-respected-at-njcu-opinion.html