Penn State students Tomoko Bowser (Engineering) and Sarah Newby (Chinese/Biochemistry) have both been awarded Critical Language Scholarships for intensive study of an Asian language during the summer of 2013. The Critical Language Scholarships (CLS) Program offers fully-funded summer language institutes for U.S. University Students and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Tomoko, who will be attending Dokyo University in Himeji, Japan said, “I am honored to be a CLS participant. This summer, I will improve my language skills through cultural immersion and get closer towards my goal of conducting biomedical engineering research with Japanese scientists.”

Newby will be attending Xiamen University in the People’s Republic of China and says, “At the time of my application, I was at a crossroads in my education, and I realized that the CLS Program will open doors that I had not considered, such as adding a double major in Chinese to my primary major, Biochemistry.” Newby adds that this will be her first opportunity to study abroad.  “I am expecting a culture shock, and I am excited to embrace all that the program will throw at me.”

CLS is a program offered through the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Scholarships are offered for language institutes in thirteen critical foreign languages. The program is administered by American Councils, The Ohio State University, and Ohio University.