Anna Rumpz, a senior from Little Rock, will spend her summer in Kyrgyzstan studying the Russian language as a recipient of the U.S. Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship.

Rumpz is a double major in history and international and global studies with a minor in Russian studies. She applied for the program as an opportunity to hone her "vocabulary and conversational abilities."

"The Critical Language Scholarship program offers invaluable experience with languages of particular importance to national interests," she said. "Given the limited opportunities to study Russian in the current political climate, this program is only uniquely positioned to advance my studies and refine my skillset for a future in international relations."

"The Russian language is grammatically quite challenging at first, but the challenge makes it fun," she added. "I enjoy the 'ah-ha moment' of grasping the subtle nuances as well as making connections between foreign languages and English."

Rumpz was one of 500 students representing 245 institutions selected for the program, which is an immersive summer opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America's engagement with the world.

The scholarship gives Rumpz the opportunity to enhance her language skills in Russian, which she became interested in as it is a critical language for national security that aligns with her career interests.

"I am overjoyed at being offered this opportunity," she said. "Since I am a senior, this will be an ideal time for me to step out of my comfort zone by travelling abroad."

More information on the Critical Language Scholarship can be found on the CLS website. More information on study abroad opportunities can be found on the Study Abroad website.