For the month of June, one of our inaugural scholars, Benjamin Brake (Wichita Collegiate, ’20) has the exciting opportunity to utilize Timothy O’Shaughnessy’s scholarship to finance his trip to Jordan with Sijal Institute, a top-notch Arabic language program based in Jordan’s capital, Amman.

 After finishing his junior year, and prior to beginning his summer internship, Sijal will provide a truly immersive experience: language learning classes, as well as cultural orientation, all within Jordan’s sprawling capital.

 Coursework options include advanced formal language as well as local dialect training, as well as regular free time in the city.

Ben has been studying the formal Arabic language for nearly three years now through Columbia’s Arabic language department. With many cousins and extended relations from Syria, he has long desired to study this challenging language and see how far he can take it.

“All parties involved have been incredibly accommodating. I am especially grateful to the Timothy O’Shaughnessy Foundation for making this trip a reality. After a couple of years in a merely academic setting, and postponements due to Covid, I will now have the opportunity to put my studies to the test, all while expanding my cultural appreciation for a region of the world I have long hoped to explore.”