Multilingual entrepreneurialism

I recently read an interesting article on the Fort Worth Business Press web site (http://www.fwbusinesspress.com/display.php?id=9962). Catholic Charities in Fort Worth has built up an impressive translation and interpreting capability in response to its refugee and immigrant ministries. A major part of working with immigrant populations is helping them communicate as they navigate various federal, state and local government, legal and social service offices. According to the article, Catholic Charities’ translation/interpretation service handles about 325 appointments a month and is able to provide interpreting in 72 languages. It currently works with about 125 trained interpreters. Now Catholic Charities is using that same resource to help provide financial support for its ministry. The agency recognizes that there is a big demand in the business sector for translation and interpreting services in the Fort Worth-Dallas area. Thus, with a big demand in the market and a well-developed language service capability, Catholic Charities’ Translation & Interpretation Network (TIN) is launching out to become a major language service provider to the business community as well as to immigrant populations. Ninety percent of the fees collected by the service go to support the work of Catholic Charities.

What is happening in Fort Worth is a good example of using entrepreneurial skills and multicultural awareness to support a valuable outreach ministry. I wonder if SNU’s translation major could not also use a little entrepreneurial skill to provide outreach. My experience as a translator in Oklahoma City shows me that there are many immigrants who need simple documents translated (birth certificates, marriage licenses, school diplomas) but who do not have the money that most professional translators would charge for such service. My experience as a translation company owner shows me that translation of personal documents for fees that most immigrants can pay is at best a break-even proposition. However, what if we set up a translation lab at SNU and used advanced translation students, under the supervision of a professional translator, to provide low-priced translations of personal documents? Our students would gain valuable experience and we would provide a much-needed service. Think about it.