VCU Student Awarded Critical Language Scholarship

March 31, 2016 by natlscholar

March 22, 2016

A Virginia Commonwealth University student has received a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study the Hindi language in Jaipur, India.

Coleman “Cole” Williams, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is a senior majoring in Religious Studies in the School of World Studies. Williams is also a member of the Religious Studies Society at VCU.

After he graduates in May, Williams will study Hindi at the beginner level in Jaipur from June through August. Williams has no prior experience studying Hindi.

“As I gained an interest in South Asia and understanding of Indian religions and cultures, I realized the importance of language in my research focus,” Williams said. “CLS offered an immersive and valuable opportunity for progressing my goals. The CLS program for Hindi was a logical step in my academic journey, offering generous funding and an opportunity for cultural and linguistic immersion. I felt that the scholarship could advance my goals, and the application itself could help me articulate and clarify my motivations.”

After his experience with CLS, Williams will be attending graduate school with a focus on religion, philosophy, or social anthropology

Williams is one of approximately 550 U.S. undergraduate and graduate students who received a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State’s CLS Program for summer 2016.

CLS participants spend seven to 10 weeks in intensive language institutes this summer in one of 13 countries to study Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish or Urdu.

The Critical Language Scholarship Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. It provides fully funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.

Williams worked with the National Scholarship Office (NSO) while applying for the CLS. The NSO works with VCU students and alumni who wish to compete for prestigious national and international scholarships, such as the Critical Language Scholarship.

“I would advise future applicants to not be intimidated, and really devote oneself to the writing portion of the application,” Williams said. “Allow lots of flexibility for your essays to change, sometimes radically. Take advantage of the tremendous help that the National Scholarship Office at VCU is willing to provide; this reflection can make a profound difference in the strength of an application.”

If you are interested in applying for the Critical Language Scholarship or other nationally or internationally competitive scholarships, please contact the NSO at natlscholar@vcu.edu.