WKU News

Students studying Arabic language and culture at the Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY) will have scholarship opportunities to attend camp thanks to a grant from Qatar Foundation International (QFI). The grant provides $31,000 for students demonstrating financial need. Over the past four years, QFI has generously provided a total of $121,000 to support students taking Arabic at VAMPY.

VAMPY is a three-week residential camp held June 21-July 11, 2020, and offers high-ability students who have finished grades 7–10 the chance to spend six hours a day in a challenging academic environment each weekday while providing opportunities for sports, games, arts, and socialization in the evenings and on weekends. Classes are taught by highly motivated WKU faculty and area high school teachers who are thrilled to have equally highly motivated students.

Moroccan native and WKU Arabic instructor Lhouie Guerwan provides expert guidance to campers for his eighth year teaching at VAMPY. In addition to studying Arabic language, songs, and the culture and geography of Arabic countries, students will also visit Nashville to experience a mosque as well as an Arabic market and restaurant.

Past VAMPY Arabic students often remark that the course opened up the world to them. Olivia Moore said, “It’s cool to have a language that isn’t provided in my school. I may study Arabic in college and then travel or do study abroad.”  

Applications for VAMPY and the QFI scholarship can be found at www.wku.edu/gifted/vampy.

Contact: Jesse Knifley, 270-745-3014 or jesse.knifley@wku.edu.