FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Courtney Davis
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Prince George’s Community College
daviscl@pgcc.edu
Prince George's Community College Student Selected for U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program
National cohort competitively selected for program with less than 10 percent acceptance rate
LARGO, Md. (June 24, 2021) – Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) announced today that nursing student Frances Oladimeji has been awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship to study Hindi during summer 2021.
The U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is part of a U.S. government 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. Frances, who is a member of the College’s Honors Academy, is one of nearly 700 competitively selected American students at U.S. colleges and universities who received a prestigious CLS award in 2021.
“Although it was challenging in the beginning of the program to study a new language for about 5 hours every weekday, I later began to enjoy it and it became easier,” said PGCC student Frances Oladimeji. “I learned that success begins from the little steps we take toward progress. The knowledge and experience I gained about Hindi language and culture through the CLS Program has equipped me to be able to give back to the Hindi-speaking population in the U.S. As a nurse, I am able to provide my Hindi-speaking clients with culturally congruent care and communicate with them effectively.”
The CLS Program provides opportunities to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to spend eight to ten weeks studying one of 15 critical languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, or Urdu. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.
The CLS Program is developed in partnership with local institutions in countries where these languages are commonly spoken. CLS scholars are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future careers.
“I am excited that in lieu of a formal study abroad program at the College, we were able to partner with the CLS Program, which affords students opportunities to learn a new language at varying levels,” said Dr. Kathy Yorkshire, coordinator of the College’s Honors Program and professor of business and entrepreneurship. “I am so proud of Frances Oladimeji, Honors Academy member, who is the first student at PGCC to be selected to participate. It's a very competitive scholarship, and we hope more students will apply and be selected in the future.”
The CLS Program plays an important role in preparing U.S. students for the 21st century’s globalized workforce, increasing American competitiveness and contributing to national security. As Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “People to people exchanges bring our world closer together and convey the best of America to the world, especially to its young people.”
Due to the global pandemic, the majority of CLS institutes in 2021 will be offered as a virtual program. CLS Virtual Institutes in 2020 resulted in impressive language gains among participants with opportunities for virtual engagement with host communities abroad.
CLS scholars represent a broad diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. The CLS Program actively recruits in states and regions of the United States that have been historically underrepresented in international education. Recipients of the 2021 CLS awards include students from over 255 institutions of higher education across the United States, including public and private universities, liberal arts colleges, minority-serving institutions, military academies, and community colleges. They come from almost every U.S. state and territory, as well as the District of Columbia.
The CLS Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State and is supported in its administration by American Councils for International Education. For more information about the Critical Language Scholarship, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov or visit the website at https://www.clscholarship.org/.
Fall 2021 classes at Prince George’s Community College begin August 23, with flexible learning options that allow students to pursue a degree or credentials on their terms. Scholarship opportunities are available for first-time and returning students. To learn more or to register, contact enrollmentservices@pgcc.edu.
About Prince George’s Community College
Named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance designated by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security (2015-2020), Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) provides high-quality education and training for the progressive and career-oriented residents of Prince George’s County. From new high school graduates and career seekers to more seasoned professionals and senior citizens looking to enhance their skillsets, PGCC is comprised of students who represent a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and goals. Serving nearly 35,000 individuals annually, the College is the first choice for higher education for residents of Prince George’s County. Collaborative partnerships, responsive degree and training programs, and a commitment to student success enables PGCC to address diverse education and workforce development demands.
For more information, visit the College website at www.pgcc.edu. Prince George’s Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (267-284-5000); www.msche.org. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.
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