Korean Language Student Receives Prestigious Scholarship

May 23, 2021

Zoe Wright was introduced to Korean culture through Korean pop music and dramas and started learning Korean on her own in high school.

“Since I was young I had always wanted to learn a second language,” she said.

Now 20 and pursuing a major in fashion marketing and a minor in photographic arts, the Oklahoma City native has continued to learn Korean at UCO. Her pursuit has now paid off, as Zoe has received a prestigious Critical Language Scholarship through a program administered by the U.S. State Department.

“I first found out about the CLS program from my Korean professor, Dr. Eunhye Kim Hess. She’s such an incredible professor and she’s the one who initially encouraged me to apply,” Wright said.

“My first year of applying I did not receive the scholarship, but I was still determined to go to Korea and study someday; so last fall I applied again. I heard back in early March that I was an alternate, for the second year in a row, but I was confident that I would get it when the time was right,” she said. “Finally, a few days ago, I woke up to the surprising news that I had been promoted from alternate to finalist.”

According to the State Department, the program is designed to expand the number of Americans studying foreign languages “that are critical to national security and economic prosperity.” Slots for the CLS program are extremely competitive. In 2020, the program selected students representing 306 institutions from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will operate virtually, but Wright will receive instruction from Pusan National University in Busan, South Korea. The program, which lasts nearly two months will consist of 20 hours a week of instruction and interaction, including 10 hours of face-to-face small group classes and 10 to 15 hours of synchronous and asynchronous activities, including cultural activities and directed independent study.

“I’m looking forward to fine-tuning my proficiency in Korean, learning more about the culture, and making new friends who are just as passionate about learning Korean as I am,” she said. “I’m beyond excited about this opportunity and I’m so happy to have many friends and family just as excited for me.”