Normandale Community College student Ruby Bruins was among a select group chosen for the 2026 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program.
Bruins was one of 315 students to be selected from a pool that included over 4,500 applications of college and university students across the United States. Recipients of the 2026 CLS awards come from 49 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and represent 165 U.S. colleges and universities.
“I was absolutely shocked when I heard I received the scholarship,” said Bruins. “It felt even less real, when I heard about that acceptance rate and saw some of the great universities where past alum of the program came from. I am excited for the opportunity. More than anything, I am grateful I took the leap and I hope I can inspire other students to do the same in the future.”
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program provides immersive summer programs for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to learn languages of strategic importance to the United States’ national security and economic prosperity. Through intensive language instruction and structured cultural activities, participants receive the equivalent of one year of language study in just eight weeks.
Since its inception in 2006, the CLS Program has supported over 10,000 participants from all 50 U.S. states, D.C., and Puerto Rico in building critical language skills and intercultural competence. CLS alumni represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
CLS alumni remain part of a vibrant global network, with opportunities to stay engaged through year-round activities and special initiatives that foster continued learning, professional growth, and connection.
The CLS overseas offers instructions in nine critical languages that include Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Japanese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Swahili.
Bruins’ language concentration for the scholarship is Hindi. She will graduate from Normandale with an Associate Degree in Economics this May. Bruins plans to transfer to a four-year university where she wants to double-major in Accounting and Finance with a minor in Public Policy. She hopes to get her CPA and pursue a JD in the future. Bruins wants to work in government at some point in the future, and has been part of the Capitol Pathways internship through the Citizens League this spring.
She originally came to Normandale as a PSEO student from Bloomington Kennedy High School. Her sister went to Normandale, had a great experience, and inspired Bruins to follow her path. Bruins is a full-time PSEO student at Normandale, and will graduate high school around the same time she receives her associate degree. She also attends PSEO at the University of Minnesota part-time. Bruins also part of Normandale’s Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society.
“My experiences at Normandale have been nothing short of incredible,” said Bruins. “Normandale has opened so many doors for me. The professors are also great. They have taught me so much, and are truly dedicated to educating students from all backgrounds. This scholarship and the internship at the Capital this spring are both opportunities I received thanks to Normandale. I can’t express my gratitude for Normandale enough. I will never forget its critical role in my educational and personal journey.”
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