Reuben Tang of Glasgow was one of 100 students selected nationwide for the Fund for Education Abroad scholarship.  The scholarship will fund Tang’s summer study abroad program in Taiwan.  Tang competed against over 2,300 applicants representing approximately 517 colleges and universities across the country, and he is the first WKU student to earn an FEA scholarship.

Tang, a second-year architectural science and Asian religions and cultures major and Chinese Flagship participant, is the son of Yue Rong Li and Zhen Tang.  He will study at the Intensive Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan.

ICLP provides an immersive environment in which Tang will study advanced Chinese.  Reuben said that ICLP will help him achieve his short-term goal of completing his capstone year, a fifth-year during which he will study and intern in China, and his long-term goal of working as an architect in China.

“There are millions of individuals living in China under harsh conditions, and I want to design and construct safe, affordable houses for them,” Tang said. “A home is the foundation from which lives are built, and I believe everyone deserves a decent place to live.”

The Fund for Education Abroad aims to increase access to international education by granting scholarships to U.S. students consistently underrepresented in study abroad. The students come from a variety of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and represent higher education institutions across the country.

Tang worked with Cory Dodds, the coordinator of nationally competitive opportunities in the Office of Scholar Development, in applying for national scholarships to fund his study abroad program and with the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning to find the best program to fit his academic and career goals.

About the Office of Scholar Development: The Office of Scholar Development is committed to helping WKU students in all majors and degree programs develop the vision, experience and skills to be independent, engaged scholars. OSD welcomes the opportunity to work with students interested in nationally-competitive scholarships.

About the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning (SAGL): SAGL serves the WKU community by engaging students, faculty and staff in diverse, educational and cultural experiences through faculty-led, exchange, consortia and other study abroad opportunities.