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A West Virginia University student with aspirations for a career in foreign service is a recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship, providing an opportunity to study a foreign language abroad this summer.
Benjamin “Ben” Caltrider, a native of Charles Town who is double majoring in international studies and history in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, received the scholarship to spend eight weeks abroad studying Mandarin in Tainan City, Taiwan.
The scholarship program seeks to expand the number of Americans studying languages that are essential for the United States’ engagement with the world by providing fully funded, intensive language instruction and cultural enrichment experiences.
As an international studies major, Caltrider knew he would need to study a foreign language to be competitive for jobs in foreign service. Having studied French in high school and not connecting with the language or learning process, he challenged himself to explore a structurally different language.
“My interest in Mandarin came out of the blue,” he said. “I think that the style of communication is very interesting. Your dialogue and character and writing is word-based, as opposed to alphabetical like English or other languages that have a Romance-language base.”
According to Caltrider, Mandarin is often considered one of the hardest languages to learn; however, he said he believes the challenge comes less from difficulty and more from time invested.
“There’s a completely different process for learning the language,” he said. “You have to learn each word individually as well as the grammatical structures. I don’t think it’s one of the hardest languages, but there’s more content and commitment.”
The type of person who faces a challenge head on, he’s looking forward to spending two months fully immersed in the language and culture.
“I have to communicate strictly in Mandarin in educational and social settings during the program, so the first few weeks are going to be quite difficult,” Caltrider said. “But this program is going to help me think on my feet, act more quickly and train me for a lot of things diplomats have to do during their careers.”
Spending time abroad and learning a new language also offers a strategic advantage as he looks toward a career in foreign service, particularly in political and diplomatic roles.
“Studying Mandarin is a very unique skill that not a lot of people in the United States possess,” he said. “I will be able to communicate with more people and access opportunities in parts of the world where the language is widely used.”
Beyond preparing for a professional career, the Critical Language Scholarship also presents personal growth opportunities.
“Tainan City is urban with about one million people,” Caltrider said. “I’m from West Virginia and don’t have much experience living in a city, so this is an exercise not just in language, but also in how far I can push beyond my comfort zone.”
Support for Caltrider’s application was provided by the WVU ASPIRE Office, which helps students pursue nationally competitive scholarships.
