Malvika Khadiya, a University of Iowa political science student from Cedar Falls, Iowa, has been awarded a 2025 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study in Latvia this summer at Dauzgavpils University for an intensive Russian language program.
The CLS scholarship is a U.S. Department of State program designed to broaden the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages while fostering relationships between people of the U.S. and other countries.
“As I took Russian classes at Iowa, I was drawn to CLS because of the chance it would offer me to be immersed in my target language and use it in daily life,” said Khadiya. “Hearing other students' experiences with the program and becoming more involved in the Russian department convinced me to pursue a CLS after graduation to deepen my linguistic and cultural knowledge.”
Khadiya’s interest in the Russian language began with a desire to learn a language with a different writing system.
“I really enjoy studying languages and wanted to try learning a language with a different script while at Iowa,” said Khadiya. “I decided to take Russian after taking the course, Russia Today, in my first semester at Iowa, and also because as a political science major, I was interested in learning more about the complex history between Russia and the U.S. Learning the language has also given me a more well-rounded understanding of the history and culture of Russia and Russian-speaking regions.”
“In the future, I plan to attend law school to work in immigration or international law and am interested in focusing on Eastern Europe and Russia.”
CLS participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period and apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.
“In the future, I plan to attend law school to work in immigration or international law and am interested in focusing on Eastern Europe and Russia,” shared Khadiya. “My CLS experience will allow me to enhance language skills that I'll need to connect with and learn from Russian speakers, and having those skills will open up more opportunities to live and work in the region in the future."
When asked about advice for fellow Hawkeyes who might feel intimidated by the competitive scholarship process, Khadiya encourages them to take the leap, emphasizing the valuable resources available through International Programs.
“It may seem daunting to apply for CLS because of its selectiveness, but it's absolutely worth it if you're at all interested!” explained Khadiya. “I worked with Dr. Karen Wachsmuth and Sylvia Dean, who were fantastic to work with. In addition, reaching out to past CLS participants can also be helpful so that you can learn from their experiences with the program as you consider applying.”
Learn more about the Critical Language Scholarship
International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.