Research Symposium Program - Individual Details

5th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 17, 2025

Siena Siciliano she her


Siena Photo.jpg

BIO


It’ll only be me presenting the work. I enjoy journalism, advertising, marketing, social media managing, and writing overall. I love to travel and have been to Japan, Italy, Paris, many places in Mexico. What I will present will be a reflection of knowledge I have from learning from other cultures combined with resources I’ve gathered from my interview with Irem to online resources.

Cultural Integration and Communication: Exploring Work Relationships in Multilingual Cafe Environments

Authors: Siena Siciliano, Dr. Sandra Pugh
Student Major: Professional Communication
Mentor: Dr. Sandra Pugh
Mentor's Department: Communication
Mentor's College: Florida State University PC
Co-Presenters:

Abstract


This study explored the communication barriers that existed between employees who spoke different first languages, particularly those who did not speak English fluently. Understanding these communication dynamics was essential to uncover the reasons behind conflict and confusion that arose in multilingual work environments. The research addressed these issues by examining the nature of microaggressions and identifying strategies to improve communication and inclusivity among café employees with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The study investigated how communication between workers who did not share the same first language was shaped by cultural differences. Specifically, it focused on the experiences of non-English-speaking café employees, exploring how these differences impacted daily workplace interactions and overall collaboration.

Keywords: cross-cultural, work, diversity