University of Tennessee, Knoxville, senior Lauren Urbi has been accepted to CLS Spark, an initiative of the Critical Language Scholarship program.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the program will support Urbi as she gains critical language skills and intercultural competence that will bolster her career readiness.

CLS Spark provides opportunities for American undergraduate students to study Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Russian online at a beginner level. Students who participate receive academic credit, a stipend for equipment costs, and noncompetitive eligibility for employment in the U.S. government for up to three years after program completion.

Urbi, of Williston, North Dakota, is studying economics and political science with a minor in data science and will graduate this spring.

She plans to study Korean, which will enable her to develop linguistic proficiency and cultural understanding critical to her goal of becoming an intelligence analyst for the Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research.

“I’m incredibly honored to be selected for the CLS Spark Program, especially in a time when the world feels increasingly disconnected,“ said Urbi. ”Now more than ever, bridging cultural and linguistic divides is essential, and this opportunity will equip me with the skills to foster global understanding and contribute to a career in international diplomacy.”

At UT, Undergraduate Research and Fellowships supports students and alumni as they apply for nationally competitive awards and programs like the Critical Language Scholarship and CLS Spark. The office offers individualized advising, application essay writing workshops and interview preparation to help students develop competitive candidacies.

“Lauren is an exceptional scholar dedicated to language and cultural development,” said Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. “We could not be happier for her as she pursues her studies through CLS Spark.”

Learn more about the Critical Language Scholarship.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Maggie Palmer (865-974-3993, mpalme19@utk.edu)