NLSC Members Learn the Cultural and Historical Significance of Yoga

On June 17, 2017, 21 National Language Service Corps (NLSC) Members from the Hawaii Regional Chapter participated in a unique cultural and educational opportunity as a means to network with one another and further develop a sense of comradery among the membership.

Recruiting Among Hard to Reach Language Communities

Meeting potential Members with less commonly taught languages has always been one of the core goals of the National Language Service Corps (NLSC). Attending the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL) conference from April 21 - 23, 2017 in Rolling Meadows, IL was an opportunity to successfully promote the NLSC and engage attendees who spoke a variety of languages such as Swahili, Yoruba, Kisii, Akan, Lingala, Kinyarwanda, and Gusii. The conference attendees were interested in the NLSC, particularly in the language resources and other exclusive benefits available to NLSC Members.

NLSC Members Highlight Disaster and Emergency Preparedness in Their Community

The National Language Service Corps (NLSC) is comprised of service-oriented Members who join the organization in an effort to volunteer their language skills and serve to bridge gaps in their respective language communities.  In honor of this year’s National Volunteer Week (April 23 - 29), the NLSC has asked its Members about their volunteer service in their communities; particularly any experiences related to disaster relief or emergency preparedness.

NLSC Chapter Event Highlights History and Culture of the Chinese Lunar New Year

The National Language Service Corps (NLSC) has established six Regional Chapters in the United States and abroad: New York City, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Washington, DC; Honolulu, HI; Chicago, IL; and Stuttgart, Germany.  Regional Chapters are keys to building community by providing hubs where NLSC Members can network with each other, connect with their local NLSC representative, and support their communities, which deepens the value of NLSC membership in the local areas.

NLSC Washington D.C. Regional Chapter Enjoys Chinese Brush Painting Workshop

Twenty-three National Language Service Corps (NLSC) Members from the Washington D.C. Regional Chapter participated in a Chinese Brush Painting Workshop at the Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts (VisArts) in Rockville, MD on November 5, 2016.

NLSC Hawaii Regional Chapter tours Shangri La Center for Islamic Arts and Cultures Tour

The National Language Service Corps, (NLSC) Hawaii Regional Chapter hosted a tour of the Shangri La Center for Islamic Arts and Cultures in Honolulu, Hawaii on October 22, 2016.  

The NLSC Launches Regional Chapter in Chicago

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.

NLSC Washington D.C. Regional Chapter Learns about The Language Flagship

On Saturday, March 5, 2016, the National Language Service Corps (NLSC) Washington D.C. Regional Chapter met for its first event of 2016: a keynote luncheon highlighting the Arabic Flagship Program of the University of Maryland College Park (UMD).