Courmier tabbed Critical Language Scholarship Spark award recipient

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Learning a new language opens a world of possibilities. Kate Courmier is about to take advantage of them.

A Mauriceville native and senior anthropology major in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Anthropology, Geography and Sociology, Courmier recently was awarded the Critical Language Scholarship Spark award, which funds the cost of intensive language training.

CLS Spark is a virtual program that allows U.S. undergraduates to study critical languages — Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Russian — when on-campus options are unavailable, according to the CLS website. Through online classes and activities led by native speakers, students gain essential language skills for global engagement. Once the student has a strong grasp of the critical language, subsequent years of language education will occur abroad.

A program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the CLS Program and CLS Spark are part of a government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity.

The roughly 10% of applicants selected for the prestigious program must not have any prior formal classroom instruction in the language they intend to study to be eligible for this award. With a strong passion for Asian studies, Courmier will use this opportunity to study Chinese.

“I’ve been eager to gain fluency in several spoken languages for a long time,” Courmier said. “I am particularly interested in Asian languages like Korean and Chinese. SFA does not offer Chinese language instruction, so the CLS award will be my first time with formal classroom learning in Chinese with linguistic experts in China.”

Courmier discovered her love for Asian studies early in her college journey. Originally a marketing major, she found her true calling after taking an elective anthropology course. Inspired by the subject and encouraged by her professors, she switched majors and soon began presenting at regional and national conferences. Her interest deepened further through a study abroad experience in South Korea offered through the department.

Eager to become a history teacher after graduation, Courmier said the award has opened new doors, allowing her to explore a long-standing interest in international diplomacy and global affairs. She hopes to use this expanded knowledge to help her future students better understand the world and appreciate cultural differences.

“Katie is extremely motivated and has shown interest, determination and drive to start thinking about what comes next since she was a freshman,” said Dr. Karol Chandler-Ezell, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, Geography and Sociology. “She is motivated and hardworking with her eyes on the long-term goals and steps needed to reach those goals in a way I rarely see in students.”

According to Courmier, the department opened a world of new and enjoyable opportunities for her, and she credits Chandler-Ezell and Dr. Roslyn Fraser, associate professor of sociology and Fulbright Scholar, as tremendous mentors.

“I have been supported through every step of the journey,” Courmier said about the department. “Earning a liberal arts degree can sometimes seem daunting when trying to determine a future career. But there is always information about what you can do with the degree, information about upcoming opportunities, and time when you can talk to the professors to get more direct and experienced information. Not only that, but through the department, I learned that my interests – while niche – are shared by faculty members with doctorates who enjoy studying what I like.”

Along with becoming a teacher, Courmier wants to further her education with a master’s degree in either international affairs or Asian studies and obtain an interpreter’s license so she can help others communicate more effectively. 

Learn more about the opportunities that await you in SFA’s Department of Anthropology, Geography and Sociology through the department’s website.