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College of Arts and Sciences senior receives Critical Language Scholarship
[03.17.2014]

TAMPA, Fla. -- Nia Jackson, a senior majoring in sociology, recently was awarded the Critical Language Scholarship to study advanced beginning Arabic in Tangier, Morocco for eight weeks this summer.

The Critical Language Scholarship award is fully funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The award also provides an orientation in Washington, D.C., in addition to language courses abroad during the summer of 2014.

Jackson is currently in Tallahassee interning for the lobbying firm Robert M. Levy and Associates through the Tallahassee Internship Program. The College of Arts and Sciences student also serves as Secretary of Student Success at USF where she advances Student Government’s mission by cultivating partnerships with key university departments.

In addition, she is treasurer of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a USF Ambassador. She has served as a Legislative Intern for Office of State Representative Janet Cruz and was a Student Research Assistant at Moffitt Cancer Center.

She plans to use her Arabic language training to create educational programs that reduce social distance between the Arab world and the United States through the U.S. Department of State.

Next year, Jackson will attend graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in public administration and then seek employment as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State.

“The Critical Language Scholarship award to study Arabic is an outstanding next step for Nia, who we are certain will be making important contributions in her future,” said Linda Lucas, Ph.D., director of the Office of National Scholarships.

The Office of National Scholarships identifies, recruits and mentors high achieving students to apply for national merit scholarships across all disciplines. The scholarships and fellowships are for creative, motivated and academically strong students who are leaders in and out of the classroom.

The Critical Language Scholarship offers fully funded, group-based intensive language instruction and summer language institutes for U.S. university undergraduate and graduate students. Students may study any of 13 critical foreign languages for the summer term in locations where the language is natively spoken. The selection process is administered by the American Councils for International Education. Ohio State University/Ohio University oversees the program itself with awards approved by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Cultural Affairs.

-USF-

Filed under:Arts and Sciences     
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Author: Katherine Gennelle Chatman
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