Cooper Horton
Office of Media Relations
By: Kyra Waller
The University of Central Arkansas recently announced that the U.S. Department of State has awarded Cooper Horton the highly competitive Critical Language Scholarship (CLS).
The Critical Language Scholarship program is a U.S. Department of State-sponsored program designed to give American college students cultural immersion experiences abroad and grow the number of U.S. students who study a foreign language. The program aims to increase fluency in languages that are significant in the global workforce.
Horton is a senior majoring in linguistics with minors in international studies and honors interdisciplinary studies.
Horton has been studying Russian for a year and a half.
“Learning Russian has definitely been a challenge, but the people I have been able to meet and the experiences that I’ve had make it well worth the difficulty,” Horton said. “I look forward to continuing my study of Russian after the program ends, and I cannot wait to see what experiences and opportunities I will have as a result.”
He previously studied Russian in Kazakhstan during a semester exchange program in spring 2023, and this scholarship will enable him to continue his Russian language studies this summer.
Horton said, ”Receiving this scholarship is one of the biggest achievements of my college career, and I am so excited to see what awaits me during the program.”
Horton is a member of UCA Model United Nations and has served as an Honors Ambassador and a member of the Honors Council.
Horton is set to graduate in May 2025 and is interested in attending law school to study international law.
About the Critical Language Scholarship programThe Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 15 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. CLS, a program of the U.S. Department of State, is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century’s globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness.
