Jefferson County teen Chase Hatch will spend the summer in New Delhi, India, studying the Hindi language.
Chase, 17, of Arnold received a National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarship that covers his travel expenses, lodging and food.
Chase, who will be a senior at St. Louis University High School this fall, was one of 540 students from across the U.S. selected for the NSLI-Y scholarship, according to a press release from the American Councils for International Education and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs runs the scholarship program, a U.S government initiative designed to ensure Americans have the language and cultural knowledge to effectively communicate with others around the world. The program also offers languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Russian, according to the NSLI-Y website.
Applying for the scholarship
Chase first heard about the scholarship program in a Chinese language class at SLUH. He already has taken three Chinese classes. However, he chose to pursue the Hindi program instead of Chinese this summer.
“Starting a language from the very beginning is more satisfying to see how far you can get than when you already have some proficiency,” Chase said.
He said there was “a pretty lengthy application process for the scholarship.” He applied in November and found out he had been chosen for the program in April.
Robert Chura, 54, the director of Global Education at SLUH, said Chase is an ideal fit for the scholarship program.
“Chase has the opportunity to embrace and see a culture that is different from ours and see it through the eyes of the people who are from there,” Chura said.
Michael Hatch, 56, Chase’s father, said he and Marie Hatch, Chase’s mother, were excited when they found out Chase had been chosen for the scholarship.
His father said the process involved a lot of work since Chase had to get a visa.
Not his first trip across the pond
Chase traveled abroad on another scholarship program when he traveled to the United Kingdom and studied medicine and the brain at Jesus College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.
He has traveled to other countries with SLUH’s Global Education program, including Iceland, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Chura said Chase is a global program director’s dream come true.
“In every way possible, Chase has been the model student in what we are trying to promote in our global education program,” Chura said.
Through its global program, students can travel abroad and immerse themselves in different languages and cultures.
On Chase’s most recent spring break, he traveled to South Africa and helped take care of rhinos. Chase said he helped feed the rhinos and clean their enclosures.
He said all SLUH seniors must complete a month of volunteer service. For Chase’s month of service, he hopes to go to Taiwan and work with schools, nature conservation or senior citizens.
Michael said in the past he would have been more worried about Chase traveling so far away, but with each trip Chase takes, it becomes easier.
Going to New Delhi
Chase will go to New York on June 25 for a two-day orientation before leaving on June 27 for New Delhi and will arrive in India the next day.
He will be in New Delhi for six weeks and will stay with a host family. During the weekdays, he will study Hindi and on the weekends, he will take various excursions.
“I’ve always been interested in learning about different cultures,” Chase said. “So, part of that comes with language. I think language is one of the most important aspects of culture.”
After this summer, he hopes to be conversational in Hindi so when he meets someone who speaks Hindi, he can talk with them.
While in India, Chase said he plans to visit the Taj Mahal and is “excited to see one of the most iconic structures in the world.”
Chase has a photo from when he was a child that shows him building a Lego version of the Taj Mahal, and he hopes to take a picture with the real Taj Mahal to do a side-by-side comparison.