The US Department of Education’s Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Languages grant (UISFL) was awarded a two-year grant to Elizabethtown College in the summer of 2012. The program has been extended, and now the College will continue to use funds from the grant until the summer of 2015.

The grant is given to “colleges and universities to strengthen global competitiveness through international studies and world language training.”

According to the Department of Education’s website, the allotted funds are used to augment existing international academic programs, like interdisciplinary international studies programs, development of language programs and create internship opportunities for students and faculty.

In order to receive the grant, a detailed proposal about the intended use of the award money had to be submitted. A review committee sorts the proposals and chooses those that they feel exemplify the goals of the grant.

Though the program was designed to be a two-year grant, the program was extended and will last until summer 2015. The funds have allowed the College to participate and host several different programs that foster international interaction.

“[The grant has] paid for the salary of Professor Jing, developed new courses in Asian Studies, enhanced our library holdings, subsidized study abroad in Asia, hosted a “Teach Japan” conference, conducted an NGO conference/job fair and supported three student interns working for NGOs abroad in Germany, Colombia and Bangladesh,” Director of the Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking and Professor of History Dr. David Kenley said.

In the coming year, the goal is to conclude some of the ongoing activities supported by the grant and send two more students abroad to intern with NGOs.

“[The grant] has allowed us to do some very interesting activities in Asian Studies, International Studies and Modern Languages,” Kenley said.