Ariel Pollock, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate-General, Chennai, said that learning additional language would open up many avenues for the learners to build a good career.
Speaking at a graduating ceremony of a two-year English Access Micro Scholarship Programme at Periyar Maniammai Girl’s Higher Secondary School in partnership with Women’s Integrated National Development (WIND) Trust here on Friday, he said learning another language and learning about other cultures was so important. It would really open a window onto the world. The students had this opportunity.
Recollecting his own experience, Mr. Pollock said he was so excited to see the economically disadvantaged children learning another language. He could not think of any way better to expand the horizons than by learning and perfecting another language. When he was younger he had the opportunity to learn another language – French. And after joining the State Department, he learned Urdu before working in Pakistan.
English played a key role in the friendship, respect, and understanding that the United States and India had for each other. Access programme had been a resounding success for the past 10 years and had inspired its participants to continue on in pursuit of advanced degrees, tutor their fellow classmates in English, and to take positions in the government and private sectors.
Over this time, 10 Access students had received year-long scholarships to study in the U.S. It was a great accomplishment.
