2017 Umd Critical Language Scholarship Recipients

Thirteen UMD students receive Critical Language Scholarships.

Thirteen University of Maryland undergraduate and graduate students from your programs have accepted U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarships (CLS) to study abroad during summer 2017. Seven of these students are from ARHU.

The CLS Program is part of the U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. The program awards approximately 550 scholarships every year. In addition to the thirteen students listed below who have accepted their CLS awards, two other Maryland students declined CLS offers in favor of other opportunities.

Over the past ten years, the CLS Program has sent over 5,000 American undergraduate and graduate students overseas to learn critical languages all over the world. It provides fully-funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences. CLS Program participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers. The CLS Program is administered by American Councils for International Education.

The awardees’ names, languages of study and and affiliations are detailed below:

ARHU Recipients

Kalyn Cai is a senior majoring in American studies in the College of Arts and Humanities. She is also minoring in Arabic, Chinese, and international relations and conflict resolution. She earned a citation from the Language House Immersion program and is a current participant in the Global Fellows program. She will study Arabic in Ibri, Oman. Margaret Ebacher-Rini is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Humanities majoring in Chinese as well as government and politics. She is a member of the Honors Humanities program in the Honors College. She will study Chinese in Suzhou, China. Emily Lord is a junior majoring in linguistics in the College of Arts and Humanities. She is a member of the University Honors program in the Honors College. She will study Korean in Gwangju, South Korea. Judith Williams is a sophomore majoring in Arabic Studies in the College of Arts and Humanities. She will study Arabic in Ibri, Oman. Kristina Yin is a sophomore majoring in Central European, Russian & Eurasian Studies in the College of Arts and Humanities. She is a member of the University Honors program in the Honors College. She will study Russian in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Garrett Yocklin is a sophomore majoring in romance languages and linguistics in the College of Arts and Humanities. He is a member of the University Honors program in the Honors College. He will study Persian in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Zoe Smith is a sophomore in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences majoring in government and politics and Japanese. She is a member of the College Park Scholars International Studies program. She will study Japanese in Hikone, Japan.

Recipients from other UMD colleges

Anne Mohler is a freshman majoring in government and politics in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. She is a member of the Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students program in the Honors College. She will study Persian in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Gurleen Kaur is a senior majoring in Global Public Health and Development with the Individual Studies Program in the Office of Undergraduate Studies. She is an alumna of the College Park Scholars Global Health Program. She will study Punjabi in Chandigarh, India. Irene Solaiman is a senior majoring in international relations with the Individual Studies Program, Office of Undergraduate Studies. She is a member of the University Honors program in the Honors College and participant in the Global Fellows program. She will study Bangla in Kolkata, India. Kathleen Noble is a master’s student in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education in the College of Education. She will study Chinese in Xi’an, China. Kerry Burgott is a master’s student in the School of Public Policy focusing on international development.  She will study Bangla in Kolkata, India. Lauren Sooy is a master’s student in the School of Public Policy focusing on international development as well as international security and economic policy. She will study Indonesian in Malang, Indonesia.