UConn student Hope Chokshi ’28 (CLAS) spent two months this summer studying in Turkey as part of the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program through the U.S. Department of State. Chokshi is a native of Avon and is pursuing a dual degree in classics and molecular and cell biology.
CLS provides fully funded, immersive summer programs for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to learn languages of strategic importance to the United States’ national security, economic prosperity, and engagement with the world.
Chokshi studied at the Turkish and Foreign Languages Research and Application Center (TOMER) of Ankara University, in Turkey’s capital city.
“I learned a lot about the culture of Turkey and actually did pick up a lot of the language,” says Chokshi.
Chokshi spent her mornings in class at TOMER and traveled to different parts of the country with a cohort of CLS students on some of her weekends. On other weekends, she was free to travel on her own.
“We had to figure out the public transportation system to get to class, which was an adventure,” says Chokshi. “After class in the afternoon, I would explore the city with a friend and we tried to meet a lot of the local people, which was a great way to learn the language.
“The people there were amazing and helpful. They were very patient with me when I would ask them questions,” she adds.
Chokshi liked how the various places she visited in Turkey had such a diverse geography.
“We went to Amasya, which is near the Black Sea, and Istanbul, which is so culturally diverse due to its geographical location, which made it much different than the other big cities that you find all over Europe and Asia,” she says. “We went to Cappadocia in central Turkey, which is famous for its hot air balloons and underground churches.”
She first gained interest in a program like CLS as a high school student, when she was part of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) of the Department of State.
“The NSLI-Y program really piqued my interest in spending time in Turkey as part of CLS,” says Chokshi. “I am studying classics here at UConn, and there are a lot of similarities in Greek and Turkish history.”
Chokshi went through the rigorous application process for CLS as a first-year student, while navigating the usual day-to-day adjustments to college life.
“I was very passionate about spending time abroad as part of my college experience,” says Chokshi. “I had to write essays and was constantly thinking about what to write. I kept myself to a strict schedule of writing drafts and revisions so I could submit everything in time.”
At UConn, Chokshi is also involved in the Conversation Partners program, Cross Cultural Connections, Confetti for Kids (a group that raises money for birthday gifts for children of the foster care system), and HuskyTHON.
“Hope put an enormous amount of care and effort into her application,” says Michael Cunningham, assistant director of the Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships and UConn’s CLS Advisor. “I’m pleased that the Critical Language Scholarship rewarded her commitment to learning Turkish.”
Chokshi is on a pre-med track at UConn and hopes to one day attend medical school and become a doctor. She plans to apply for additional foreign opportunities during her undergraduate career.
“I would like to include my experiences in Turkey as part of my medical career,” she says.
Applications for the 2026 Critical Language Scholarship open in October. The Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships (ONSF) and the Office of Experiential Global Learning (EGL) are resources for students interested in learning more about the Critical Language Scholarship and other scholarships and fellowships that support education abroad opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students. Visit these home pages for upcoming information sessions, workshops and events.
