Three University of Wyoming students, including one from Powell, have been awarded U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarships (CLS) to study languages this summer. Students selected have diverse interests and are from a wide range of fields of study and career paths. The CLS Program gives students the opportunity to practice these language skills in classrooms, culture and their daily lives.

Nicole Sanders, of Powell, an undergraduate student majoring in psychology, will study Chinese. The other recipients are Corey Gonzales, an undergraduate student from Cheyenne who will study Arabic and Brandon Hays, a graduate student majoring in zoology from Greensboro, North Carolina, who will study the Indonesian language.

Founded in 1974, the CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand the number of Americans studying foreign languages. The program is an intensive cultural and language immersion lasting eight to 10 weeks, with students studying one of 15 critical languages.

Since 2006, CLS has helped over 8,000 American students study abroad to learn critical languages. The program aims to provide students with the knowledge of mastering foreign languages for the 21st century’s globalized workforce and national competitiveness.

It’s sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and supported by American Councils for International Education.