Four University of Alabama students were selected for Critical Language Scholarships to study overseas this summer.
The Critical Language Scholarship, or CLS program, is part of a U.S. State Department effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. CLS scholars gain critical language and cultural skills that enable them to contribute to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.
Aniyah Curry, a spring cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Birmingham, was selected to study Korean in Gwangju, South Korea. Aniyah would like to enter the technology industry as a frontend developer and eventually go into game development.
Aidan Flynn, a political science and international studies major from Katy, Texas, was selected to study Turkish in Ankara, Turkey. Flynn is part of the Accelerated Master’s Program for a master’s degree in public administration and Honors College Assembly. Aidan hopes to work in the foreign service with the Department of State.
William Muller, a history and political science major from Roswell, Georgia, was selected to study Russian through the CLS Spark virtual program. William plans to pursue a career in international humanitarian rights law to advocate on behalf of those whose plight may go unnoticed and/or undefended.
Logann Shorter, a graduate student earning her Master of Art in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Dothan, was selected to study Korean in Busan, South Korea. Shorter earned her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Auburn University at Montgomery in 2023. Logann was recently appointed as an adjunct ESL instructor with UA’s English Language Institute.
The CLS program offers scholarships to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to spend eight to 10 weeks overseas studying one of 12 critical languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, Turkish or Urdu.
The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. CLS scholars are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future careers.
The UA Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships assists students in the pursuit of national and international awards. Students interested in applying for awards that require an institutional endorsement can learn more on the External Scholarships and Fellowships website.