By Kristina Goetz
The Cincinnati Enquirer

University of Cincinnati students enrolled in Global Civility have their "final exam'' at Jean-Robert at Pigall's downtown Wednesday. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

Instead of the "bed head,'' red-eyed look after an all-night cram session, 22 University of Cincinnati students arrived impeccably dressed for their final exam Wednesday night at the city's newest French restaurant.

The test was for Global Civility class, and the exam had no fill-in-the-blank or multiple-choice questions. The students, all technology-related majors in the College of Applied Science, were rated on dining skills, conversation and comportment while at Jean-Robert at Pigall's on Fourth Street downtown.

"I told them, `If you show up in Reeboks, I will kill you on the spot,' " said Linda Ginter Brown, an associate professor and head of the Media and Cultural Studies department at UC.

"They're doing me proud," she said, adding, "Trust me. They do not look like this on campus."

Global Civility is designed to give students an edge in landing a job or a promotion by focusing on business etiquette and international protocol. It is the second year the 10-week course has been offered at UC.

"I don't think anybody has an entire course on it," Dr. Ginter Brown said. "They have workshops, but nothing like this."

The course requires students to research professional conduct around the world, as well as learn how to plan an event. The final exam focused on dining etiquette.

"We've been made aware of how to interact with people," said Denita Wilson, a 29-year-old senior from North Fairmount. "It's the small things that add up. The purpose of going to a business lunch is not to eat."

Under the dim light of chandeliers, students quietly sipped glasses of wine and knew - many for the first time - the bread plate from the salad plate, the butter knife from the dessert spoon. They knew what signals to send the waiter by how they placed their utensils on the plate.

"They're so used to eating fast food," Dr. Ginter Brown said. "They're used to walking into class with their baseball caps on backwards. We're a strong technical college, and while students have confidence in themselves in terms of doing the actual work, they don't necessarily have the social background for the global market."

Learning that civility is about respect - not necessarily being agreeable - is the most important lesson, Dr. Ginter Brown said.

"I consider myself professional," said Tangela Stephens, a 22-year-old senior in construction management. "But I'm out in the field on construction sites. I'm in the mud; it's grungy. So for me, professionalism has to be about more than how you look."

Attitude and manners are just as important, the Finneytown native said. "Knowing your field is key, but culturally correct etiquette can take you to the next level," she said.

E-mail kgoetz@enquirer.com