Two Washington and Lee University students have received a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) for the summer of 2026. The CLS Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and is a fully funded summer overseas language and cultural immersion program for American college students.

Ciel Morrill '26 will study Japanese in Okayama, Japan; Brandon Bishop '26 was selected to study Arabic and declined the award to pursue other opportunities.

Morrill is looking forward to returning to Japan after spending Fall Term 2025 studying at the International Christian University in Tokyo, and to exploring a new part of the country. Okayama City is located about an hour by train from Kyoto and about four hours from Tokyo, and the region is known for its peaches, grapes and seafood.

"I am over the moon to have received the CLS," said the Draper, Utah native. "I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to fully dedicate my summer to studying Japanese, and I'm especially excited to experience life in a different region of Japan."

A computer science and Japanese double major, Morrill was drawn to the CLS program because of the immersive learning experience it provides. The CLS requires full language immersion, meaning that Morrill and the other American students will not be permitted to speak English on campus, with peers, during program activities or on excursions. However, Morrill will be able to quickly build upon her already-strong language skills during the eight-week program at Okayama University, an intensive course that is the equivalent of one year of language study.

Morrill has long had an interest in languages, and the W&L course Linguistics for Language Teaching, taught in Japanese, helped her realize how she could turn her love of languages into a career.

"The course had a lasting impact on me," Morrill said. "It was challenging, intimidating and exciting all at once, and it was the moment I realized that linguistics is what I want to pursue long term."

Morrill also pursued opportunities on campus that allowed her to continue engaging with languages and linguistics. She previously taught Japanese to local elementary students through the Languages for Rockbridge program and currently works in W&L's Global Discovery Laboratory as a technology and learning specialist and one of the coordinators for the Language Exchange Program. She is also a Japanese tutor in the Harte Center.

After spending the summer at Okayama University, Morrill plans to apply to graduate school to study applied linguistics or Japanese linguistics. She is interested in pursuing a career in the government - such as becoming a foreign affairs officer - where she can apply her cultural knowledge and language skills to strengthen international relationships.

Morrill is thankful for the support and mentorship she has received from W&L's faculty members, including Janet Ikeda, associate professor of Japanese, and Kazuya Shirahama, world language teaching assistant for Japanese. Morrill also began studying Chinese during her senior year and appreciates the meaningful conversations about East Asian languages and language pedagogy she has had with Chris Elford, assistant professor of Chinese, and Christy Lin, visiting instructor of Chinese. Morrill is also grateful to Dick Kuettner, director of the Global Discovery Laboratories ad adjunct professor of romance languages and teacher education, for his continual encouragement and confidence in her abilities. "Full of sage advice and witty comments, he has been a major source of light during my time at W&L," she said.

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Around the world with CLS

The Critical Language Scholarship has helped W&L students expand their horizons with language immersion programs around the world, including:

Indonesia
Oman
Taiwan
Brazil
Georgia
Jordan
Japan

The CLS is a unique opportunity to advance your language skills and immerse yourself in a new culture. Where can a CLS take you?

Learn more about W&L's CLS recipients from 2024 and 2025.

W&L students interested in applying for a Critical Language Scholarship should contact Matthew Loar in the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning (Leyburn 114) or by email at [email protected].

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