from 3-11-10 this post got posted on the wrong blog- I apologize

I believe that all universities and colleges should require foreign language studies for graduation and/or admission. This type of reform, in my opinion, is necessary in order to insure our graduate students are successful in a global economy. This requirement would only strengthen the structure and foundation of any student looking to compete for a position in the global workforce. The world has many different cultures and languages, which can only understand through proper study and instruction.With more than six billion people in the world, I think it is safe to say that there is a definite need for young individual to be more diverse in respect to languages capabilities. The value and demand of individuals who are bilingual has greatly increased in the work force. These individuals are often sought because they have diverse backgrounds, and have demonstrated the skills necessary to be successful employees. One place this trend is highly visible the United States. The use of English has always been the language of choice and still is, but a major influx in southern immigrants has caused a nation to embrace Spanish as its second language (unofficially).Many countries have or use multiple languages in order to conduct business, and successful individual will demonstrate good understanding of various ethnic backgrounds.It is important for young individual to develop global social skills, and the best place for this is at colleges or universities. These institutions have the obligation to prepare our youth to compete on the global scale. The studying of a foreign language allows student to be diverse and increases their knowledge of world cultures and events, it also allows students to be more comfortable when faced with difficult situations. We all know that life is full of adversities and lack of a language skill can greatly complicate things especially in a nation where many different languages are spoken.The foreign language I studied was Spanish. This skill has helped me tremendously; having this skill has allowed me to be a better citizen and employee. During my studies of this language, I became more reluctant to judge people of different ethnic backgrounds. I found that all ethnic backgrounds share the same characteristics, the want for knowledge and the general compassion from those who do not fully understand their culture. Without the college imposing this requirement upon me, I would like to think I would still be oblivious to how other cultures conduct themselves. This is why I think it is a great idea for Colleges and Universities to require foreign languages studies. In fact, I do not have a reason why this requirement should not be in place. Foreign language is a tool that can be used to enhance an individual overall performance in some many aspects. Being able to communicate is the single most important tool a human can have. Without proper communication between humans, no information can passed or received.