Published on September 11, 2024  
Jarrard Kendall

Samford University alumna Kendall Jarrard has been selected to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s prestigious Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program for the summer of 2024. Jarrard, one of approximately 500 American students chosen from over 5,000 applicants, studied Chinese through the program.

After graduating from Samford in the spring, Jarrard spent the summer studying Chinese in Taiwan, thanks to the Department of State scholarship. As an undergraduate, she first studied Chinese through Samford’s Critical Languages Program (CLP) and later worked as a Chinese lab assistant in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLAC). Jarrard is currently a student at Cumberland School of Law but will continue her work as an assistant in the CLP.

The CLS Program is a key initiative of the U.S. government aimed at increasing the number of Americans proficient in critical foreign languages. Scholars selected for this program gain essential language and cultural skills that support U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Jarrard’s participation in the CLS Program underscores Samford’s commitment to global engagement and academic excellence.

Over the course of eight to ten weeks, CLS scholars like Jarrard engage in intensive language instruction and cultural immersion. The program offers the opportunity to study one of more than a dozen critical languages including Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Persian. In addition to language acquisition, the program emphasizes cultural exchange, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of the societies where these languages are spoken.

The CLS Program, through its CLS Spark initiative, also provides beginner-level virtual instruction for select languages broadening access to critical language education. Scholars are encouraged to continue their language study beyond the program applying their new skills in future professional roles.

For more information about the CLS Program and other U.S. Department of State exchange opportunities, please contact ECAPress@state.gov or visit clscholarship.org and studyabroad.state.gov.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.