Mountain Interstate Forum on Languages & Cultures (MIFLC 2026)

Human size letters spell ELON, and sit in the grass in front of a large brick building and students walking in the late afternoon sun

Elon University’s Department of World Languages and Cultures Welcomes the MIFLC!

Join us October 1-3, 2026 for the

76th Mountain Interstate Forum on Languages & Cultures

This year’s central question is:

How do we effectively leverage language, literature, and culture as a proficiency-based system to lead students towards intercultural and global learning?

Plenary Keynote

“Intercultural Competence as a Pathway to Change in Language and Culture Education”

Change is an inevitable feature of human experience and a defining characteristic of healthy organizations. Despite its importance, few individuals look forward to change. Indeed, fighting change is the status quo for many. At a time when higher education is under increased scrutiny and society questions its value, it is imperative that language and culture educators consider how they can meet the moment – one that demands strategic change. This interactive address pushes participants to explore the ways in which educators can leverage intercultural competence to foster linguistic, cultural, and higher educational transformation. We will explore human perceptions of change, change management, and how to leverage intercultural competence skills to move ourselves and our institutions from positions of resistance to active architects of change. Participants will engage with the content and each other to expand their thinking about ways in which they can play a central role in promoting change.

Interactive Workshop

(Optional)

“Galvanizing Intercultural Competence for Growth: Building Capacities in People, Classrooms, and Organizations”

Building on the keynote, this workshop centers intercultural competence as an essential component of global learning that supports the development of many of the skills necessary for academic and professional success. It is a foundational component of most teaching and skill-building related to global education, yet international educators often treat it as a byproduct of global engagement rather than a competency that requires intentional development. Through the lens of developing global career-ready graduates, this workshop challenges globally engaged faculty to employ a three-pronged approach to global learning. First, we will explore ways educators can improve their own intercultural learning to ensure they are equipped to support their students and organizations. Then, we will share methods for integrating the developmental process of intercultural growth into classrooms for the purpose of advancing NACE’s career-readiness competencies. Finally, we will conclude by challenging ourselves to channel our intercultural growth as a catalyst for greater organizational focus on globally oriented processes and outcomes. Each segment of the workshop will provide participants with tools, strategies, and skills to implement in their professional endeavors.

Keynote Speaker

Todd Lee Goen

A veteran international educator, Tood Lee Goen is Founder & Principal of Global Puzzles, LLC, a consulting firm focusing on strategic solutions and training for international education.

He has served as Director of Global Education and Senior International Officer at Virginia Military Institute, directed seven study abroad programs, and held faculty appointments at several universities, teaching human communication and quantitative.

Goen is active with AIEA, NAFSA, the Forum on Education Abroad, the Southern States Communication Association, and the World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence. He is recipient of SSCA’s Sisco Excellence in Teaching Award and NAFSA’s Lily von Klemperer Award.
Find more about Goen at Global Puzzles.

About the Mountain Interstate Forum on Languages and Cultures

MIFLC logo The Mountain Interstate Forum on Languages and Cultures (MIFLC) is an organization of teachers, scholars, and graduate students dedicated to the advancement of literary, linguistic, cultural, and pedagogical scholarship in world languages. MIFLC’s annual conference is held each fall at a host university in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia, although the draw is national and international in scope. This annual event includes three days of presentations in multiple sessions, with a banquet and keynote speaker(s).