As Atlanta hosts a slate of matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Georgia State University Perimeter College instructor Stephanie Langston, a senior lecturer in Spanish, is using the opportunity to create global educational experiences for her students.

Having traveled the world extensively, Langston says soccer unites people from different backgrounds and different cultures — even those who speak different languages.

That’s why she incorporated the World Cup into her Spanish 1002 curriculum, engaging second-year students in a project to focus on Atlanta’s proximity to the sport, its teams and its players.

Using Padlet, a free, web-based platform for sharing text, audio, video, slides and writing, Langston asked students to complete a Word Cup-themed assignment.

“They might pick a favorite World Cup player to create a player profile or post a short video or a photo essay of a represented country,” she said. “They can also do a podcast of any experience, such as attending a match or a GSU Campus Watch Party. Since many students in my class are enrolled in different pathways, this assignment is a fantastic way for them to connect and engage in an interdisciplinary way.”

Sahasra Guggilam, a student in Langston’s online Spanish 1002 course, acted as a journalist and created a report about Spanish phenom Lamine Yamal.

“Working on this project helped me further improve my Spanish communication skills while learning more about Spain, its culture and the impact soccer has around the world,” Guggilam said. “I enjoyed connecting language learning with a global event like the World Cup, which unites people across nations and cultures through a shared love of soccer while highlighting the diversity and traditions that make each country unique."

Perimeter College serves a diverse international student population, and as part of its commitment to student success, it integrates learning a different language with real-world and interdisciplinary experiences. Students who study business administration, economics, various health professions and more may select a language, such as Spanish, to complete graduation requirements.

For Langston’s Spanish project, business students might focus on tourism, broadcasting rights, merchandising and ticket prices for those attending the games. Students interested in geography can map participating countries and compare population sizes and migration patterns. Mathematics students can compute team rankings and model probabilities for tournament outcomes.

Langston is committed to preparing students for future careers through global engagement, and her strong international academic background has contributed to her teaching approach.

She studied at the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain and the Forrester Institute in San José, Costa Rica, before receiving her graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Georgia. Langston started her teaching career at Georgia Perimeter College’s Lawrenceville Campus in 2005, then transitioned to the Newton Campus shortly after it opened in 2007. Georgia Perimeter College was consolidated with Georgia State University in 2016.

In addition to teaching Spanish, Langston served as a faculty associate and coordinator of Perimeter College’s International Education Week (IEW). During the 2024-25 academic year, she oversaw 70 events, which reached nearly 3,000 students. Langston currently serves as an IEW liaison for Perimeter College to the university's Office of International Initiatives.

Last year, Langston received the Georgia State University Global Engagement Award in Teaching, Service and Outreach. Previous honors include the GSU Perimeter College Service Excellence Award and the GSU Perimeter College Global Engagement Award. She and her students also host campus exhibits tied to events like Día de los Muertos, Pan American Day, Hispanic Heritage, IEW and 360 Global Learning Experiences, for which she has received a minigrant.

Drawing on experiences from visiting 61 countries, Langston highlights the importance of experiential learning.

“Language students are in a position to practice their skills with native speakers in Atlanta during the World Cup,” she said. “I look forward to seeing how they find unique ways to study their craft now and in the future.”