Elizabethtown College International Business and Political Science major Laura Cardona ’23 has been awarded a prestigious U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Mandarin.
Cardona will travel abroad to Tamkang University (TKU) in New Taipei City, Taiwan to participate in the program that runs from June 14 to Aug. 10.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to improve my Mandarin skills in a fully immersive environment and to explore the local area with my host family and cohort peers,” Cardona said. “Additionally, I’m thrilled to learn more about the TKU program’s themes of Sustainable Development and Business and Entrepreneurship, which are directly aligned with my personal and career interests.”
The CLS scholarship is one of the most competitive scholarships in the U.S. and is the most prestigious language program for U.S. citizens. With an acceptance rate of less than 10%, the program covers about one academic year of university-level language coursework during an eight-to-10-week program.
CLS scholars are required to sign a language pact to only speak in their target language throughout the in-country portion. Cardona will receive two language partners, selected to work closely with CLS participants to support their conversational skills and provide insight into the host city.
The program includes formal classroom instruction for approximately 15 hours per week, as well as dynamic cultural activities. Cardona will live with a Taiwanese host family for half of the program, and with students from Tamkang University for the remaining portion.
Throughout her time at Etown, Cardona experienced strong student-mentor bonds that gave her the confidence to pursue prestigious opportunities like CLS. She is a Stamps Scholar and a member of the Etown Momentum and Honors programs.
“At Etown, I have been fortunate to be mentored by several professors – within both of my degree programs,” Cardona explained. “Professors at Etown genuinely care about their students and I have found that when I have a goal, no matter how far-reaching it may seem, I can rely on my professors for advice and support throughout the process.”
The CLS Program is part of a government initiative to increase the number of Americans mastering foreign languages critical to national security and economic prosperity. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the American Councils for International Education.
From Sept. 2022 to March 2023, Cardona participated in the CLS Spark program, a remote pilot program created because of the success of virtual CLS programs made available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cardona is the first Elizabethtown College student to receive a CLS since Tyler Butkus ’17 in 2016.
