We are thrilled to announce the recipients of our Summer 2025 Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships! For this summer, CMEIS is proud to support eight outstanding students: three undergraduates, two master’s students, and three Ph.D. students. FLAS Fellowships support students from diverse academic backgrounds in strengthening their foreign language skills, achieving advanced proficiency in modern languages, and expanding their regional expertise.
FLAS Fellowships are made possible through funding from the U.S. Department of Education, awarded to UNC’s area and global studies centers.
To learn more about FLAS and to stay informed about the upcoming application cycles for Summer 2026 and the 2026–27 Academic Year, visit https://areastudies.unc.edu/flasunc/.
Fletcher Cummings:
I am a Senior studying Economics, City and Regional Planning, and Arabic at UNC. With assistance from the FLAS, I will be spending my summer in Amman, Jordan studying Arabic with the Sijal Institute. I hope to combine all three of my academic interests into a single career and the FLAS has provided a crucial stepping stone in making this goal a reality.
Liam Cuppett:
I am a rising senior in South Asian Studies and Global Studies (Middle East concentration) and a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics minor. Originally planning on taking ERLP to Tajikistan, I opted to stay domestic this year and study with UWisconsin Madison’s MEDLI program in Persian and will be taking their two advanced-level courses. I am currently planning on applying to UMaryland’s Persian Flagship M.A. Program which has a pretty high bar of fluency for entry, additionally I am beginning some engagements with Refugee Community Partnership’s Afghan/Dari community, so this program is enormously helpful for both of these engagements. I got interested in Persian after studying Urdu poetry and Navaab culture in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh as well as because of some courses I took with Dr. Waleed Ziad.
Kira Gaillard:
Kira Gaillard is a doctoral candidate in musicology researching Palestinian song and anashīd (anthem) during the time of British Mandate (1920–1948). This summer, she will be studying Arabic in Amman, Jordan at Deewan Institute, funded by FLAS. Fluency in formal and colloquial Arabic is integral for Kira’s dissertation which uses regional archives as well as oral history to bring to light a repertoire of Palestinian musical citizenship.
Megan McIntyre:
Megan McIntyre is a fourth-year doctoral student in City and Regional Planning. During the summer, she will study Arabic at the American University in Cairo, an opportunity that will strengthen her proficiency in both formal and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic. Immersing herself in Cairo will also offer invaluable insight into the city’s urban landscape, which serves as the case study for her dissertation.
Sophia Nissler:
I am a third-year Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Geography and Environment. Taking online intensive classes this summer through the Jordan-based Sijal Institute will enhance my ability to conduct my fieldwork in Arabic as I study the food geographies of Arab refugees in North Carolina. After initially becoming interested in learning Arabic to explore the history of my grandmother’s side of the family, I have been lucky to receive support from FLAS for my studies while at UNC-CH! While taking Arabic this summer, I am also excited to spend time crocheting, rock climbing, and having game nights with my friends.
Liam Railsback:
Liam Railsback is a first-year undergraduate studying Global Studies, Urban Studies & Planning, and Arabic. He’ll use his FLAS award to study Arabic at Taa Marbouta Language Center in Tunis, Tunisia. Liam is excited for this chance to further his personal and academic interests in North Africa. Planning to pursue a career in refugee support, Liam is particularly interested in learning about trans-mediterranean and trans-saharan migration in Tunisia. He is also excited for Tunisian couscous!
Allison Reilly:
My name is Allison Reilly, and I am a rising second-year student in the Global Studies MA program here at UNC, where I am concentrating in Global Migration and Labor Rights. I began studying Arabic last year with the support of a FLAS Fellowship, and I am thrilled to be continuing my Arabic journey this summer as I pursue coursework at the Sijal Institute for Arabic Language and Culture in Amman, Jordan. I also plan to volunteer at an Amman-based refugee-support organization, an experience that will inform my thesis research about how Syrian refugee women negotiate the meaning of home amidst displacement. And I’m eager to join the Jordan Flying Disc Federation community as I keep up my ultimate frisbee training abroad!
Mikaila Rummage:
Mikaila Rummage is an M.A. student in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. She will spend her summer in Vermont studying Modern Standard and Levantine Arabic at Middlebury Language Schools. Outside of research, she enjoys mountain biking and has recently started writing poetry; she hopes to continue both while learning in Bennington this summer.
