In 2024, Elisabeth Collings earned Utah’s World Language Sterling Scholar Award for mastering seven languages, including Russian through BYU Independent Study. Her language journey began at home, where her father’s fluency in Italian, German, and French inspired her. A family trip to Florence, Italy, at age 12 solidified her passion. “All the teenagers in Italy speak like five languages. I thought, ‘That’s so cool! Why don’t people in America do that?’”
By 12, Elisabeth set a goal to learn five languages before high school graduation. After mastering Italian, she added French, German, and Spanish. Russian, however, was a new challenge. Through a National Security Agency summer camp, she was introduced to Russian and chose it as one of her critical need languages. She enrolled in BYU Independent Study’s Russian course to continue her learning.
BYU Independent Study was essential to her success. Elisabeth valued the Conversation Café, which allowed her to practice speaking with native speakers. “I loved that I got to do actual speaking practice with real people, instead of Duolingo, where you don’t really learn anything,” she said. The program’s flexible, online format allowed her to reinforce grammar and make steady progress.
Managing multiple languages and courses wasn’t easy, but Elisabeth’s dedication kept her focused. “The hardest part was managing everything,” she said, referring to her busy schedule seeking out language opportunities.
Her advice to aspiring language learners? “Your language experience is only going to be as good as the work you’re willing to put into it.” She stresses the importance of consistent practice, whether reading, listening, or conversing.
Elisabeth’s story shows that with hard work, dedication, and the right resources, extraordinary success is possible. Her achievement is a powerful reminder that perseverance leads to remarkable outcomes.