Two Arts and Sciences students receive national scholarships to study critical languages

Two students from Florida State University’s College of Arts and Sciences are among four from FSU who will study abroad in an intensive language and cultural immersion program after being awarded prestigious Critical Language Scholarships, offered through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The scholarships are an effort by the federal government to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity.

“We’re so proud of our students’ commitment to immerse themselves in these under-engaged communities,” said Joshua Stanek, associate director of Florida State’s Office of National Fellowships. “FSU students are setting themselves up to be the liaisons between the United States and the world.”

Critical Language Scholars spend eight to 10 weeks abroad studying one of 14 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. It plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century’s globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness.

The students from the College of Arts and Sciences who received Critical Language Scholarships are:

• Tatum Shannon, a junior from Jacksonville double-majoring in Chinese and international affairs.
• William “Brett” Crawford of Tallahassee, who recently graduated from FSU with a double major in Middle Eastern studies and economics.

Shannon will study at the Dalian University of Technology in Dalian, China, this summer. In the future, she hopes to work at the U.S. Department of State on diplomatic and foreign policy issues in East Asia.

“I am looking forward to living with a Chinese host family and experiencing local life and culture with them,” Shannon said. “I am very interested in the specific fields of public and cultural diplomacy, and I hope to use my Chinese language skills in these fields.”

Crawford, meanwhile, will study Arabic in Amman, Jordan. Afterward, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in applied economics at FSU.

“Prior to college, I served four years in the Navy,” Crawford said. “I became interested in Arabic to better understand my experiences in the military, while my interest in economics arose from the analytical and empirical methods provided by the field. I have also dabbled in computer science, as I feel the internet of things and the vast amounts of data generated by it has revolutionized the way data can be collected and analyzed.”

The Critical Language Scholarship covers all aspects of the students’ experience, including tuition, airfare, room and board, and health insurance.

“This is an incredible opportunity that will allow me to continue my language studies after graduation,” Crawford said. “The experience of studying a language where it lives can never be replicated in the classroom.”

The Critical Language Scholarship was not Crawford’s first in recognition of his dedication to language learning; he was chosen to receive FSU’s Winthrop-King Scholarship in the summer of 2017.

Also selected to receive Critical Language Scholarships this year were FSU students Akice Agwa and Matthew Hebron, both in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. In addition, Caroline Wiegus, a senior double-majoring in Russian and international affairs, was named an alternate.