Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards (OMSFA)

My name is Kristine Chang, and I am currently a senior studying Sociology at the University of Washington in Seattle. My hometown is located in sunny Southern California, and I have lived there for my entire life until moving to UW. Both of my parents are from Taiwan, so growing up, I was exposed to three languages—Chinese, Taiwanese, and English! In my free time, I enjoy designing apps and websites, and making sure there are plant themes throughout because I am also a plant mom.

While working on website design, I found that it lacked connections to my Taiwanese background so I included translations to help Chinese speakers understand. My motivation for applying to the Critical Language Scholarship program stems from a genuine passion to deepen my understanding of my mother tongue and the desire to acquaint others with my culture through language. 

Moving forward, I intend to leverage my Chinese language skills to enhance the inclusivity of my designs for the broader community. This involves implementing translation services and conducting UI/UX workshops in Taiwan. I am motivated to be a driver for change, serving as a bridge between my American identity and my Taiwanese roots. Another reason why I applied to the Critical Language Scholarship was because this is a great opportunity to open doors for not only myself into the rich culture of Taiwan, but also introduce the American culture to Taiwan.