Beyond the Classroom

For Washington and Lee University alumna Lela Casey '25, college wasn't just a steppingstone - it was a launching pad.

Through W&L's Office of Fellowships, Casey pursued immersive language learning opportunities that turned her undergraduate years into a series of transformative experiences abroad. As the recipient of two Critical Language Scholarships and a David L. Boren Scholarship, Casey spent multiple summers and semesters studying Arabic in the Middle East. Following her graduation, Casey was selected to participate in a full-year fellowship to study Arabic in Morocco through the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) program, which she will complete in May.

Education Without Borders

Casey arrived at W&L eager to learn a new language that would provide study abroad opportunities. She had studied Latin in high school but chose to pursue Arabic after attending W&L's virtual Advanced Immersion and Mentoring (AIM) program in the summer of 2022 and hearing from a student who had started learning Arabic at W&L and went on to receive a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) and a Boren Scholarship to continue her language study abroad.

"I was initially drawn to W&L because of the opportunities to study abroad, and since I had never left the country before, this was a very exciting possibility for me," Casey said. "I decided to start over with a new language that would provide study abroad opportunities, and learning the Arabic alphabet also seemed like a fun challenge. Coincidentally, my name is Arabic, so I felt like that was a sign to go down this new path."

Casey first studied abroad in Amman, Jordan, during Winter Term 2023, where she discovered how much she loved living abroad and learning Arabic. After this first semester abroad, she applied for a CLS and Boren Scholarship because of the programs' emphases on accelerated language growth and cultural immersion. She received a CLS twice during her time at W&L, spending the summer of 2024 in Nizwa, Oman, and the summer of 2025 in Amman. She also spent Fall Term 2024 in Amman as a Boren Scholarship recipient.

Each award and experience abroad not only expanded Casey's horizons but confirmed her passion for learning Arabic and helped refine her goal to pursue a career in foreign policy and diplomacy. She is grateful for the support she received from W&L's Office of Fellowships staff, who guided her through each application. She learned how to share her experiences and tell her story and realized just how many opportunities were within her reach.

Casey's priority with each scholarship was to immerse herself in her host country as much as possible, to not only facilitate her own language learning, but to gain a better sense of the culture and community around her. She participated in a homestay during her second CLS and with the Boren Scholarship, allowing her to practice her Arabic in a more casual setting to supplement the programs' intensive language study.

"The current system [of teaching Arabic at college] prepares students to use their Arabic professionally long before they develop the vocabulary for everyday conversations," said Casey, noting that many students learn the word for United Nations before they learn the names of any colors or fruits. "By living with a host family, I can apply my Arabic in different ways, compared to rehearsed conversations in restaurants or formal Arabic for school."

Finding a Home Away from Home

Seeking immersive language experiences led Casey to the CASA fellowship, which she received in May 2025. Having only been abroad for two to four months at a time, the CASA fellowship appealed to Casey because she would be living in Morocco for nine months and have more independence than with the previous scholarships.

Casey is studying at the Arab American Language Institute in Meknes, Morocco (AALIM), where she takes four classes a day focused on speaking, reading and writing in Arabic. In the fall, Casey had a language partner with whom she would explore Meknes and practice speaking, and this semester, she has an internship with a traditional music center, allowing her to gain a fuller experience of Moroccan culture.

Casey views the fellowship's extensive immersion as a valuable opportunity to adapt to life in Morocco instead of "simply replicating [her] American life in another country," which is why she decided to participate in a homestay during her fellowship instead of living independently. While she acknowledges the difficulties of "stepping into someone's life," the homestay has allowed her to gain experiences she otherwise wouldn't have access to, including attending a wedding and iftars during Ramadan and building relationships with her host mom and her family.

"I wanted to ensure I had a full experience, and cultural immersion makes me feel like I accomplished that goal by speaking as much Arabic as possible, exploring Meknes, trying all the Moroccan dishes and learning about Moroccan values," Casey said.

For Casey, the benefits of a homestay are worth giving up a little of her independence (like deciding how late she might stay out or what to eat for dinner), and she says living with her host mom "has certainly been the most enriching part of my experience." Casey has learned how to navigate the souks (market) and Meknes' public transportation system with the guidance of her host mom, and her host mom's family regularly visits the house and have helped Meknes "feel like home." Family members will often drive them around Meknes and to the markets, and host dinners that allow Casey to learn Moroccan customs and practice her Darija, a dialect that, while used in her classes at AALIM, is different than the Modern Standard Arabic typically taught in American university language programs. Casey's host family has also introduced her to Moroccan television shows and music in Darija; they will often watch television together after dinner, and Casey plans to continue watching the shows when she returns to the United States to keep up her language skills.

From her first semester in Amman to her year in Meknes, Casey has grown increasingly confident not only in her Arabic skills but in her ability to apply her knowledge and experiences to a career in foreign policy and diplomacy.

"I really appreciate the opportunities provided by W&L that allowed me to explore my interests and apply my skills outside of the academic environment," Casey said. "These programs saw my potential as a global scholar and professional and have validated my commitment to learning Arabic as I pursue a career that emphasizes critical language skills."

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A World to Explore

Opportunities through W&L's Office of Fellowships take students and alumni around the world, expanding their horizons and opening doors to new experiences.

The Critical Language Scholarship is a fully funded summer overseas language and cultural immersion program for American college students.

The David L. Boren Scholarship supports American students' study of critical languages that are deemed important to U.S. interests, allowing students to study in and learn the language and culture of a country with the goal of applying this experience to their professional careers.

The Center for Arabic Study Abroad, currently administered at The University of Arizona, offers advanced level training in Arabic language and culture to qualified American students at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan, and the Arab American Language Institute in Morocco in Meknes, Morocco.

Learn more about W&L's recent CLS and Boren Scholarship recipients.

W&L students interested in applying for a Critical Language Scholarship, Boren Scholarship or CASA fellowship 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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