Dana Fager is a two-time CLS Japanese scholar, participating in the program in Kyoto, Japan. After graduating with a degree in International Studies, she went on to study in the Master of Science in Foreign Service program at Georgetown University. She now works at the Department of Commerce as an …
Alumni Profile — February 18, 2020
While Vincent was growing up, his family lived close to a Gurdwara—a Sikh temple—which sparked his interest in learning more about the language and culture of the Punjab region. He was awarded the Critical Language Scholarship twice to study Punjabi in 2015 and 2017 in Chandigarh, India. While Vinc…
Alumni Profile — February 11, 2020
Amy participated in CLS Bangla in 2009 and 2010 as a graduate student at Lehigh University studying International Education Leadership. Her advisor worked in Bangladesh and sparked her interest in learning Bangla. Amy quickly connected Bangla with her passion for a career in international education…
Alumni Profile — February 04, 2020
Noah participated in the CLS advanced Chinese program in Guangzhou in the summer of 2014 after his sophomore year at Amherst College. Even after living in China for a year prior, the CLS Program had a great impact on advancing his Chinese language proficiency. After returning to the United States a…
Alumni Profile — January 30, 2020
“The CLS Program is what helped me form my own identity, which helped me be a better representative of both the United States and India. Growing up in an Indian household allowed me to connect to my CLS community, and foster mutual understanding.” Avan Antia participated in the CLS Hindi program in…
Alumni Profile — January 21, 2020
“CLS was a turning point in my life. It wasn’t just a trip to another country to learn a foreign language. On the contrary, it was a trip of cultural understanding, personal growth, relationship building, and a milestone to my personal identity.” Vanessa Huerta was a participant in CLS Russian in …
Alumni Profile — January 21, 2020
“Being awarded the Critical Language Scholarship was a special moment for me as it allowed me to finally learn Bahasa Indonesia in a formal setting and connect with my Indonesian family.” Annisah Smith participated in CLS Indonesian in 2015 and 2016 in Malang, Indonesia. She grew up in Kuala Lumpu…
Alumni Profile — January 14, 2020
“After the CLS Program I spent the better part of a decade working in ex-Soviet Central Asia, which is how I ended up in D.C. working on international development programs. Russian has been essential to every job I’ve had.” Matt began studying Russian as an undergraduate at Pennsylvania State Univ…
Alumni Profile — January 08, 2020
“From a young age, I became interested in learning languages and exploring the cultural differences that shape the way we think about the world. The CLS Program solidified those interests and inspired a clear career pathway for me.” Radhika Arora’s interest in the Middle East started when she was s…
Alumni Profile — January 02, 2020
“My CLS experience sent me in an entirely new direction of learning and research. I am now a scholar of East Africa and the Indian Ocean.” When Janet started to study art history, she was primarily focused on West and Central Africa. After learning that her university offered Swahili classes, she b…
Alumni Profile — December 13, 2019
A Program of the 
