By Nichola Monroe ’27
History major and politics minor Noa Polish ’26 has always been interested in languages. Growing up reading a bit of Hebrew, she studied Spanish in high school before being accepted into the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), an immersive language acquisition program sponsored by the US Department of State.
Accepted students choose a language to study and are placed in a cohort abroad for the summer. On a whim, Polish selected her next adventure: Learning Arabic in Jordan.
“I thought I would learn things in whichever Arabic-speaking country I was placed in that I probably would not learn if I did not go there. I was excited to seek out new experiences and new learning,” Polish explains.
Clearly Arabic stuck. At Scripps, Polish has been learning the language for almost three years and has seized further opportunities to study it abroad.
Her sophomore year, Polish was accepted into the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program, a prestigious 10–12-week summer opportunity for undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students to study languages deemed critical in enhancing America’s international engagement, such as Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Russian, and Urdu. Designed by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the CLS scholarship aims to strengthen students’ language and cultural skills, elevate American national security and economic competitiveness, and dispel stereotypes by fostering lasting relationships with host countries.
Polish spent the summer of 2024 in Nizwa, Oman, with 24 other students. They studied in the morning and early afternoon, then most days rested after class: cooking, playing sports (albeit in 115-degree weather), and unpacking complex Arabic dialects.
Navigating the language was difficult, Polish notes—but the long-term benefits are undeniable.
“As I’ve studied more Arabic, I’ve had new reasons to keep learning the language. I think now a lot of that drive comes from just wanting to talk to people,” she says. “I know there are a lot of Americans who only speak one language, and I think it’s just better when we can talk to each other—it equips us to build stronger communities and genuine relationships.”
Aside from studying, CLS students were also able to travel within Oman, like Salalah in the south, or to the capital, Muscat. Students were paired with a language partner to practice speaking. Polish often spent time with her partner, visiting the goats and camels on their family’s farm.
It’s just better when we can talk to each other—it equips us to build stronger communities and genuine relationships
“I probably would never have gone to Oman in my life if I hadn’t done the program,” Polish remarks. “Just having been there and now knowing people there is really special.”
Obviously, the heat was well worth the adventure, but more importantly, so was the learning.
“There is so much that you get from learning a language that is beyond grammar and vocabulary. You learn stories, expressions, and histories,” says Polish. “I found it valuable to use my Arabic to learn history and politics that I would not have access to otherwise. I can read documents and talk to people in Jordan and Oman about their stories and views in the world. I feel really grateful to be able to talk to people in new ways.”
For Polish, following a curiosity has led her to new opportunities and rare experiences. Although studying Arabic was unplanned, it’s become a valuable resume-builder, fueling a passion that’s led her back to Jordan where she’s currently studying through Scripps’ Study Abroad and Global Education program. Thanks to NSLI-Y and the Critical Language Scholarship, her time in West Asia has only strengthened her desire to connect humans of diverse backgrounds as she explores careers in advocacy and community organizing.
“We need to put in the effort to understand each other. Part of that is language and history learning,” Polish says. “The language learning I did over the summer and the ability to listen to hard ideas and sit with them is valuable and important in any type of work—but especially in fighting for equitable futures for everyone.”