Name: Alex Christensen
Major/Minor: Global Studies minor with National Security Studies minor
Year at UNL: Junior
Why Global Studies?
I’ve always been fascinated by subjects like international relations, geography, history, and politics. Global Studies was a perfect choice for me because of how versatile it is; all of the above subjects are represented in our course material and it’s easy to see how I can apply that knowledge in my future. One of my favorite classes was GLST 201: Intro to Global Studies, which I took my freshman year. I loved it because it was a great overview of what I’d be studying as a Global Studies major, and there were many opportunities to network and get involved outside of the classroom by making resumes, going to the career fair, and attending guest speaker events. One suggestion for new Global Studies majors is to have a solid plan on how this major will help you achieve your career goals later in life. There are a lot of options for Global Studies, so it’s important to think about how what you’re studying will help you in the future.
Tell us about your CLS experience?
Oh boy. Where to begin...I guess it all started last August, when I got an email form our amazing and super-talented assistant director, Emira, encouraging students to apply. CLS had always interested me since my Freshman year (I attended all the informational sessions, got all the pamphlets, etc.), so I figured now was as good a time as any to take a shot at it. I met with Emira (which I recommend you all do if you want solid application essays!), and we talked about which program would be right for me, given my current academic trajectory. Even though I had some experience with Arabic, I decided on Urdu because it was a developing regional interest and because I was part of a research team that examined nuclear tension between India and Pakistan; Urdu was the language that tied my current research to my desired study abroad program.
Looking back, this was absolutely the most important part of my application essays. CLS wants to know how learning your language will either a.) Supplement your current studies; b.) Better prepare you for your desired career; or c.) Both of the above! If you can effectively make the case for why studying this language is right for you at this time, and how you’ll use it to further your career and build positive relationships abroad, you will get the scholarship. In the application process, that’s probably the best advice I can give. Of course it’s important to have great letters of recommendation, but linking your research/studies/career trajectory to your desired language is what they are looking for.
Now as for the program itself, I can only speak for my own experience, which was certainly unique. I began my CLS program knowing absolutely no Urdu, and I was only of four in my cohort of eighteen American students total who could claim that. I knew there were definitely going to be some challenges ahead, but I reminded myself why I was there. What I really didn’t expect is that my host family was the only one in the Urdu group that didn’t speak a word of English. In the first week, having no Urdu experience whatsoever, this obviously intimidated me. There was a short time where we were relying on hand gestures and the internet in order to communicate. Once classes began, however, my progress was pretty astounding. While I’m definitely not fluent in Urdu now and am actively looking for new ways to build upon my existing language skills, being placed in a homestay where I was forced to use only my Urdu helped me soar in the long run.
The language classes were also very intense, so be aware that it is product as advertised. Monday thru Friday, four hours a day, with CLS-led cultural excursions every other weekend. The city I stayed in, Lucknow, had several historical sites from the Mughal Empire and the British colonialists. On our free weekends, me and some friends wasted no time booking domestic flights (and trying our luck with travel buses— not for the faint of heart) and traveling all over Northern India. Some of the places we visited were the Taj Mahal, Delhi, the Ghats of Varanasi, Jaipur, and Rishikesh, which is basically located at the base of the Himalayas. I highly recommend you travel on your free weekends— you never know when you’ll be back!
What are your plans for the next few years?
In the coming years, I’m going to be keeping an eye out for more study abroad opportunities. I haven't ruled out applying for CLS again, and I’m also very interested in giving the Boren a try. There are also several fantastic language programs up at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, so I haven’t ruled anything out yet.
To learn more about Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) visit https://www.clscholarship.org/
More details at: https://www.clscholarship.org/