Okayama University Holds 2026 Opening Ceremony for U.S. Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program

On June 17, 2026, Okayama University held the 2026 opening ceremony for the U.S. Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program, where top-tier undergraduate and graduate students selected from across the United States intensively study the languages and cultures of other countries. Okayama University was selected as the sole host institution in Japan in 2019 and has been running the program continuously since. This year again, 25 students from all over the United States have arrived in Japan to stay at Okayama University and intensively study Japanese language and culture.

At the opening ceremony held on June 11 at the International House on the Tsushima Campus, after opening remarks by Trustee and Senior Vice President for Education KAN Makoto, President NASU Yasutomo delivered a ceremonial address. Reflecting on his own study abroad experience in the U.S., President Nasu encouraged the participating students, saying, "Experiences abroad have a significant impact on one's subsequent life and career. I hope that your learning and interactions at Okayama University will be a fruitful experience for all of you." He also expressed his hope that, in addition to their Japanese studies, they would actively enjoy interacting with the university's students and local people and fully enjoy their lives in Okayama.

Following introductions of university officials and class instructors, each of the 25 CLS students introduced themselves.

On behalf of the CLS students, Mia Escobar, a computer science major from the University of California, Berkeley, gave a speech. Ms. Escobar shared that her interactions with a host family she met while studying abroad in Japan after high school became the starting point for her Japanese studies, and she spoke of her experience continuing her studies while overcoming various difficulties at community college. She stated her ambition, "This summer, I want to not only improve my language skills but also deepen my cultural understanding and make it an opportunity to learn from each other," and called on fellow students, saying, "By overcoming limits and difficulties, new possibilities will open up."

Next, video messages were received from 2024 alumnus Gabe Baskin and 2025 alumna Michelle Wong, who spoke about their experiences and growth in the CLS program and sent words of encouragement to the current participants.

Finally, Vice President for Global Engagement and CLS Executive Director YOKOI Atsufumi delivered the closing remarks, bringing the opening ceremony to a close.

In addition to Japanese classes, the CLS program offers a variety of learning opportunities, including language partner activities with university students, interactions with Japanese students, and community engagement activities. Over approximately eight weeks, the participating students will improve their Japanese language proficiency and deepen their understanding of Japanese society and culture.