(Image from May 8, 2025: Xue wins first place in U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin’s 2025 Congressional Art Competition)
A Richard Montgomery High School junior will travel to South Korea this summer to study language on a scholarship through the U.S. Department of State.
For six weeks, Katherine Xue will be in Songdo, known for being an international business district and a “smart” sustainable city.
Her scholarship was awarded as part of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI‑Y), a program under the State Department. The program promotes language studies and increases the number of young Americans with language skills to help contribute to national security and economic competitiveness, per a release.
Xue told MCM in a statement, “Since I’m hoping to study economics and international relations with an East Asian focus, this program is so incredibly valuable to me, especially because it gives me the opportunity to develop a more diverse and global understanding of the world.”
She will attend language classes five days a week on the State University of New York (SUNY) Korea campus.
“I’ll be staying with a host family, so I’m also super excited to get to know my younger host sisters,” Xue stated.
In addition, the program includes cultural experiences like field trips, overnight temple stays, and even K-pop dance classes. Xue looks forward to taking a tour of the DMZ as well as exploring downtown Incheon and Seoul.
