Everything Nac

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.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 40 academic facilities, 11 residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering over 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

Food insecurity is more than a statistic — it’s an issue facing many people across the nation and some of our most vulnerable groups won’t escape its impact.

According to Feeding Texas, a statewide network of food banks, 29% of students at four-year universities experience hunger. To counter this trend, Stephen F. Austin State University students stepped up to support their community.

The Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics completed a weeklong fundraiser and collected donation items for SFA’s Lumberjack Pantry, an initiative dedicated to helping the SFA community with basic needs including food, hygiene and baby-related items, for National Nutrition Month in March. SAND is a student organization that prioritizes community nutrition and outreach and participated in this initiative to bring attention to food insecurity.

“After reviewing all the charities in the area, supporting the Lumberjack Pantry felt like such a meaningful way for SAND to give back to the SFA community that has given us so much,” said Margo Thompson, a senior dietetics and nutritional sciences major from Mobile, Alabama, and SAND’s vice president. “Knowing friends and classmates who have personally faced food insecurity made this project especially close to my heart.”

Emphasizing its commitment to community service, SAND partnered with the Lumberjack Pantry to promote its services during an SFA Instagram takeover for National Nutrition Month. They continued the collaboration by organizing a food drive, resulting in over 150 donations.

“It was really touching to see our members, both students and staff, come together, gathering food and personal care items with so much care and kindness,” Thompson said. “It’s easy to fall behind when you lack the proper nutrients you need to keep your brain functioning to its full potential, so knowing our efforts would help relieve even a small part of that struggle means the world to me. Moments like this remind me how strong and compassionate our community is when we come together.”

To learn more about opportunities available to you with SFA’s dietetics and nutritional sciences program, visit gosfa.com/3xfqiYv.

ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY

Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 40 academic facilities, 11 residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering over 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.

By University Marketing Communications