In response to the changing world economic market, foreign language teachers of the University of Akron and Akron Public Schools (Ohio) began a joint project, federally supported, to strengthen foreign language teacher proficiency in the area of careers in business, education, and government service, strengthen oral proficiency of high school language students, and develop an exploratory career program in international studies for urban and minority high school students. Akron's Critical Foreign Languages Program included: (1) a 2-week intensive summer institute for 20 high school foreign language teachers; (2) a conversational partner program for high school students studying French, Spanish, and Chinese; and (3) a 4-year high school curriculum plan for international studies. The summer institute was designed to increase teachers' knowledge of the role of foreign languages in international careers, develop proficiency and cultural awareness in business French and Spanish, and encourage expansion of foreign language curricula. General and language-specific sessions were included. The conversational partners program paired high school and college students for opportunities to improve language skills in an informal setting. An interdisciplinary, international studies curriculum was developed as a model for school districts, to emphasize that foreign language skills and intercultural awareness can enhance career opportunities. A sample Spanish lesson on applying for a job is appended. Contains 5 references. (MSE)