We are pleased to share that two students within NESA were awarded a prestigious and highly competitive CASA scholarship to study Arabic next year.

Bryn Barr graduated this spring with dual bachelor’s in Arabic and Air Transportation. He has served as one of the student ambassadors for the NESA department and a tutor for Arabic. After graduation, he plans to complete his Certified Flight Instructor Instrument rating then continue his Arabic studies through the CASA I fellowship at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan.

The Center for Arabic Studies Abroad through the University of Arizona CASA I fellowship offers 9-months of advanced level training in Arabic language and culture to undergrad and graduate level students at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan.

Michael Sarkis, a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in Political Science, Philosophy, and Arabic in the NESA Department has been awarded a CASA scholarship at the American University in Cairo. The scholarship, open to students who have already attained an advanced level in Arabic, covers tuition, living expenses, and a round-trip flight for a full year of intensive Arabic study in Cairo, Egypt. 

The goal of the program is to give American students the opportunity to reach near-native fluency in both Modern Standard Arabic and the Egyptian dialect. Michael is excited for his coming year in Egypt and would like to thank all the faculty, staff, and students in the NESA department who have helped make this possible!

We are thrilled to see their hard work and dedication recognized in this way.