Chinese Language Student Wins Prestigious Scholarship

From left, John Wehrkamp, 2019 recipient, and Jahmir King, 2018 recipient

John Wehrkamp, a freshman majoring in Political Science, won a highly competitive scholarship from Project Global Officer (Project GO) to support his Chinese language studies for eight weeks at Indiana University over the summer.

This scholarship is similar to the nationally competitive Critical Language Program, with all expenses covered by the U.S. government. This is the second year that one of the Chinese language students has won this scholarship.

Wehrkamp said he was thrilled to win this scholarship, noting that it reflects the success of the Army ROTC Bobcat Battalion, the merit of the Chinese language education at OHIO, and the university’s mission to produce globalized citizens to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Project GO promotes critical language education with scholarships for ROTC students. It aims at providing opportunities for those students to immerse in an environment that offers intercultural dialogue through language study. The program was designed to improve the language skills, regional expertise, and intercultural communication skills of future military officers. The program’s goal is to develop future military officers within all of the U.S. Armed Forces who possess the necessary linguistic and cross-cultural communication skills required for effective leadership in the 21st century in the globalized workplace.

Project GO scholarship recipients are selected based on merit, including academic merit, language experience, cultural sensitivity, leadership, commitment to Project GO mission and diversity. Winners of this scholarship gain prestigious points for their order of merit list in the ROTC program.

This year’s competition was especially intense because Project GO has significantly reduced its program sites.

Wehrkamp was inspired by Jahmir King, winner of the same scholarship last summer.

For further information about Chinese language courses contact Dr. Liang Tao, Associate Professor of Linguistics & Chinese Coordinator.