Claremont High School senior Hamza El Lahib was recently selected by the U.S. Department of State for its National Security Language Initiative for Youth to study in Jordan this summer.

The initiative, funded by the Department of State, will send Hamza to Jordan, where he will be immersed in both modern standard Arabic and the Jordanian dialect. This initiative aligns with his career aspirations in foreign service, particularly in the Middle Eastern or North African regions.

“I speak Arabic,” Hamza said. “But learning traditional Arabic will help in the future when I want to follow up on a career in foreign service.”

Hamza discovered the opportunity through his own online research. In addition to his linguistic ambitions, Hamza is involved in a fellowship with iCivics, which aims to increase civic awareness.

Hamza said he looks forward to exploring the historical and modern aspects of Amman, Jordan’s capital city, and developing a deeper understanding of the Arabic language and culture.