STATE DEPARTMENT AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS

AMSA junior Sarah Diggins, after completing a rigorous online application process, traveled to Seoul, South Korea, last summer as part of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y).  Upon reviewing essays, letters of recommendation, and submitted transcripts, the State Department awarded Sarah and 625 other applicants’ scholarships that provided an opportunity to study the Korean language for six weeks while living with a host family.

Sarah and forty-nine other group members participated in Korean classes at the Seoul National University every day from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The classes are intense and conducted in Korean to promote faster learning. By the end of the program, Sarah went from knowing no Korean at all to being able to speak in light conversations.

Apart from the schooling, Sarah found the city itself to be enlightening and completely different from the typical American metropolis. In comparison to Sarah’s hometown, Berlin, Seoul was a huge change—it is home to more than ten million people, whereas Berlin’s population is fewer than three thousand.

Sarah’s trip gave her invaluable experience and she highly recommends it to anyone interested in the program. When asked if she could would she go again, Sarah replied “Definitely!” She added that she plans to expand upon her experience and take more courses in Seoul for a year before college. 

Each year since 2006, NSLI-Y has awarded merit-based scholarships to a select few of its applicants to encourage cultural immersion, giving students the opportunity to learn less commonly taught languages. The program is specifically designed to promote international cooperation by exposing students to new cultures, providing a greater understanding of the world outside of the United States.

AMSA is not waiting for the world to change…we are changing the world one student at a time…every day. www.amsacs.org