Meet the 2025 SLLC Scholarship Awards Recipients

Five language students are awarded SLLC Scholarships.

By Lauren Hargrave 

The School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (SLLC) annually awards scholarships to students studying language. Winners are selected by a committee of SLLC faculty based on an application that includes an essay and a letter of recommendation.

This year, five outstanding students were selected to receive scholarships. Meet the 2025 recipients:

Daniela Cornejo ’26

Scholarship: Valerie Van Mach Choudhury Endowed Scholarship

“I went from taking one Spanish class, to joining the Language House, to becoming a Spanish minor, and then finally to becoming a Spanish major. Life has a way of leading you where you need to be, even when you least expect it.” — Cornejo

Cornejo is a junior majoring in Spanish on the linguistics, cultures, and education track. She plans to begin graduate school immediately after earning her bachelor’s degree in 2026 and hopes to become a middle school Spanish teacher in Maryland, inspired by her own experience learning Spanish in middle school. She is also a scholar in the Honors Global Challenges and Solutions program and a recipient of the Teaching Fellows of Maryland scholarship. In her free time, she tutors middle school students virtually through Teach for America and serves on the executive board of the Japanese American Student Association (JASA).

Taylor Dickerson ’26

Scholarship: Anne Bartsch Dunne Language House Scholarship 

“If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it—so keep engaging with the language you love in any way you can. Your future self will thank you for it.” — Dickerson

Dickerson is a junior majoring in French with a minor in creative writing. She has been named to the Dean’s List throughout her time at UMD and is a member of Tau Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi and Lambda Pi Delta—the French fraternity—where she plans to run for president.

Grace Hayden ’26

Scholarship: Valerie Van Mach Choudhury Endowed Scholarship

“One way that all students should be led out of their bubble is through language. A second language is what helped me find my way and my future career.” — Hayden

Hayden is a Spanish major with a minor in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). She is passionate about language education and is committed to supporting multilingual learners. She is a member of the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House and serves on the board of Terpoets, UMD’s campus poetry club. She has been published in two editions of Stylus and plans to publish her own chapbook in May 2025.

Landon Townsend ’26

Scholarship: Dr. Annne Barstch Language House Scholarship

“Passion should not be cast aside for the sake of convenience. Instead, it should be embraced, cultivated and pursued with unwavering enthusiasm.” — Townsend

Townsend is a government and politics major who has taken Arabic classes and plans to pursue a master’s degree in applied political analytics at UMD. A current Language House resident, he is a political data analyst by training and a language enthusiast at heart. He speaks Arabic, French and Spanish fluently.

Margaret Senturia ’27

Scholarship: Donald B. Hirsch Award

“If you are looking to find kind professors, a supportive community and a quality language education, then the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures is the perfect place for you.” — Senturia

Senturia is a sophomore double majoring in Arabic studies and French language and literature. She is studying language with the goal of pursuing a career in public service and is currently interning with the Transportation Security Administration in the Human Capital Office. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, spending time outdoors and playing on the club field hockey team.