Pingry student Alessio Pasini ’26 was awarded the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Scholarship to study Arabic through a six-week immersion program in Marrakesh, Morocco this summer.

He was one of 540 students selected from thousands of high school applicants across the United States to receive this merit-based scholarship.

NSLI‐Y, a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), promotes the study of Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, or Turkish. The program focuses on countries whose languages are considered vital to U.S. national security, and equips students with the necessary linguistic skills and cultural knowledge to promote international dialogue and support American engagement abroad.

Having learned French and Spanish at a young age, and studied Spanish since Middle School, Alessio is interested in Arabic “because of the business potential of Arabic-speaking nations,” which fits with his desire to pursue a career in international business. He points out that the 25 nations that claim Arabic as an official language have some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with thriving businesses in energy, financial services, real estate, and agriculture.

“As I speak French as well, learning the Arabic language and culture will help me work more effectively in some North African states where people speak both Arabic and French.”


Contact: Greg Waxberg ’96, Communications Writer, Editor of The Pingry Review