University of Nevada, Reno student Alana Bannourah and Honors Program student Robert Fisch spent their summer studying abroad as awardees of the 2017 U.S. Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship.

The Critical Language Scholarship Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.  

University student Alana Bannourah traveled and studied in Meknes, Morocco as part of the Critical Language Scholarship program this last summer.

For eight weeks, Bannourah participated in Arabic courses at the Arab American Language Institute of Morocco in Meknes, Morocco, and Fisch participated in Urdu courses at the American Institute of Indian Studies in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. They lived with host families and met regularly with local peers to learn more about the local language and develop their personal networks.  

Bannourah and 29 other students from across the country had the opportunity to travel to the Sahara Desert and interview residents of the town of Merzouga about nomadic cultures of southern Morocco. Fisch and 26 other U.S. students visited the town of Mahmoudabad and toured the former palace with the former Indian king's son.  

The scholarship program is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. The Critical Language Scholarship plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century's globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness.  

{{RelatedPrograms}}

Bannourah and Fisch were the latest students of a total of seven University of Nevada, Reno students to participate in the Critical Language Scholarship Program since 2010.  

The University Honors Program is committed to fostering academic talent both in the classroom and out. Students are encouraged to study abroad whenever they can during their academic career.  

Applications for the 2018 Critical Language Scholarship program are available at clscholarship.org. Applications are due Nov. 15, 2017.