When Chelsea Cervantes De Blois first imagined her career, she saw herself as a scientist. Today, she works at the intersection of research, geospatial analysis, and public service, using expertise in geographic information systems (GIS), population studies, and regional languages to support U.S. d…
CLS Program News — July 13, 2026
Four University of Nebraska–Lincoln undergraduates and a recent alumna have earned nationally competitive language-learning fellowships that will support intensive study abroad and strengthen their preparation for globally focused careers.
CLS in the Press — July 13, 2026
Winthrop University senior Levi Becht will spend two months this summer in Japan on a U.S. Department of State scholarship to work on his language skills.
CLS in the Press — June 16, 2026
The U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program invites alumni to apply for the AI in Action International Alumni Seminar, taking place in Riga, Latvia, from October 17–24, 2026. This weeklong seminar will convene up to 25 CLS alumni for hands-on sessions with topic expe…
CLS Program News — June 03, 2026
Dairen Castro ’28 has been selected for the 2026 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program. Castro was one of 315 students selected from a competitive pool of more than 4,500 applicants and will continue the longstanding tradition of Carls participating in the program. She will spend the summer studying Arabic at the Arab American Language Institute in Meknes, Morocco.
CLS in the Press — June 01, 2026
In April, the CLS Program hosted the 2026 CLS Alumni Ambassador Forum in Washington, D.C. – a multi-day training focused on outreach, leadership development, and expanding the program’s impact. These ambassadors will represent CLS, engage prospective applicants, and build institutional partnerships…
CLS Program News — May 29, 2026
Five Dartmouth students have received federal awards for foreign language and cultural study abroad.
CLS in the Press — May 29, 2026
Whitworth University student Jordyn Bennett ’27 has been selected as a finalist for the highly competitive U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program in Swahili. Bennett is headed to Tanzania on June 9, 2026, where she will participate in an intensive, two-month language and cultural immersion experience.
CLS in the Press — May 28, 2026
U of A graduating senior Anna Fielder has been awarded the highly competitive Critical Language Scholarship to study Russian in Kyrgyzstan this summer and Princeton in Asia to Kazakhstan in the 2026-27 academic year.
CLS in the Press — May 27, 2026
In pursuing ‘transformative opportunities,’ UND students and faculty win 19 nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships across academic year
CLS in the Press — May 22, 2026
A Program of the 
