The National Language Service Corps (NLSC) hosted a Regional Chapter Launch on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at the lovely Waldorf Astoria Chicago, inaugurating the Chicago Regional Chapter. Members in attendance represented a variety of languages including Eastern Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, and three dialects of Arabic. There were many highlights for this special event.
Director of the NLSC and Director for Resources for the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO), Holly Brown and Support Program Director of the NLSC, Bill Castan both spoke about the NLSC program, sharing updates and emphasizing the importance of the NLSC’s mission. To provide attendees with insight into the purpose and benefits of the Regional Chapters, Los Angeles Regional Chapter Coordinator Alicia Estrada delivered a presentation as well. Mrs. Estrada discussed her experience as a Chapter Coordinator and highlighted various Regional Chapter activities organized by the individual coordinators representing Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C, Hawaii, and Germany.
Following Mrs. Estrada’s presentations, three Members shared cultural presentations of an Arabic Poem titled “Give me the Flute and Sing,” by Khalil Jibran Khalil, a Korean poem titled “Under the Sun: From the Sun to a Boy” by Choe Nam-Seon, as well as a Moroccan Berber song.
The Chicago Regional Chapter Launch was a wonderful opportunity for staff and Members to network. Following the event, one Member remarked, “You have put together a first memorable launch and connected linguists of different ethnicities and backgrounds in a relaxed yet very professional atmosphere.” NLSC staff was eager to provide this opportunity for Members to meet and interact, and the NLSC is excited to add Chicago as its newest Regional Chapter. The program is looking forward to continued growth and expansion of its’ chapters in order to provide the best possible Member experience and allow Members to share their languages and cultures with the organization and one another.
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