Honors News Archive

News in Brief

Critical Language Scholars

Apr 28, 2009

The Honors Office is pleased to announce that two of our own Honors Program Students, Steve Margitan and Spencer James, have received this prestigious award. Steve and Spencer are among 525 Intensive Summer Institute awardees chosen from a pool of over 5, 400 applicant nationwide. The Critical Languages Scholarship provides students an opportunity to intensely study a foreign language and engage in cultural activities overseas.

Steve Margitan, an Economic and International Studies Major, will be studying Advanced Mandarin at Suzhou University in Jiangso, China. This particular program is intense, with five hours of language class in the morning and then cultural classes every afternoon. Steve's goals for the program are to, "learn to play mahjong, memorize a Li Bai poem, and cook three dishes well enough to impress dinner guests." Steve also says that aside from classes and studying, he hopes to, "find time to make it to the karaoke houses to finally perform again after practicing all year in the car." While in China, Steve will also take a group trip to Yunnan - a region famous for its minority cultures and physical beauty. Steve says the program will introduce him to new regions of China and help him further his understanding of the culture and language.

Spencer, a Biochemistry major, will be studying Intermediate Arabic in Alexandria, Egypt. Spencer first became interested in studying Arabic when he traveled through the Middle East during his Honors Program Bonderman Travel Fellowship two years ago. He also took an intensive Arabic course in Lebanon at the American University of Beirut lat summer at their Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies. He says of his upcoming trip, "I'm incredibly excited to continue my studies in Alexandria, which is a beautiful city right on the Mediterranean!" Spencer will be in Alexandria from late May through the end of July. After the program, he hopes to spend a month or so traveling in the Middle East before flying home.

Congratulations, Steve and Spencer!

Learn more about Critical Language Scholarships »