In a First for Hunter, Two Students Accepted into Arabic Studies Program

Galina Rudik '14 and Michelle Balon '14 are the first Hunter College students ever to be accepted to the prestigious Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) program. CASA offers one year fellowships for advanced Arabic language study and is among the most competitive Arabic language programs in the country.

"It would be hard to exaggerate what an achievement acceptance into this program is, especially in light of the fact that most successful applicants to this very competitive program are graduate students," said Hunter's Christopher Stone, a professor of Arabic.

Balon is a student in the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies Program, based at Hunter College, with a concentration in Arab Studies and Human Rights. Rudik is a political science major with minors in Human Rights and Environmental Studies. Both will become fellows in the year-long CASA program following their graduation from Hunter this spring.

As part of their fellowship, Rudick and Balon will receive intensive language and culture training in Colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic. While the program is traditionally held at the American University of Cairo, this year's location is still to be determined.

CASA, which is currently administered at the University of Texas at Austin, was established in 1967, and has trained more than 1,387 upper level undergraduates, graduates, and professors specializing in various areas of Middle Eastern Studies.

Alf mabrouk (A thousand congratulations), Galina and Michelle!