Once upon a time, studying Arabic would have placed a student squarely in the “What are you gonna do with that?” camp. But enrollment in U.S. college Arabic courses grew 92 percent between 1998 and 2002–and, spurred by 9/11 and the Iraq war, has probably doubled since then, says Gerald Lampe, president of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic. Twenty years ago most students took Arabic to read its literature or to travel, but when asked today, a plurality list “better employment options,” according to a new study by researchers at Georgetown and Michigan State.
Many of those jobs, like Stroul’s, are inside the Beltway. To fulfill a presidential order for a 50 percent increase in analysts and overseas operatives, a quarter of the CIA’s estimated 2,000 annual hires have already studied Arabic or the Mideast. Since 2001 the Justice Department has increased its translation staff by more than 60 percent, with a heavy emphasis on Arabic speakers. And demand has skyrocketed at government contractors like DFI–especially for translators willing to ship off to Iraq. Nawar Saddi, 23, received daily calls after posting his résumé on Monster.com. “Last year I was getting offers of $130,000,” he says. “This year it’s $180,000.”
Government jobs, though, require applicants to wait weeks or even months for security clearance, a commitment some new grads can’t stomach–or afford. Many seek out less lucrative (but often more hands-on) positions in the fast-growing field of Mideast NGOs. Margaret Daher (Georgetown, ‘05) skipped the red tape for a job with Layalina Productions, a nonprofit that produces U.S.-based television programs for broadcast in the Arab world. Her pet project: “On the Road in America,” a “Road Rules” -style show set to debut in 2007 on the biggest network in the Middle East.
Snagging a great gig takes more than a few quick courses. As difficult as it is to learn, Modern Standard Arabic–taught on most American campuses–sounds little like the dialects spoken across the Arab world. Even after years of study in one of the top U.S. programs–including those at Georgetown, Brigham Young, Ohio State and the University of Michigan–few speakers are skilled enough to be useful. And time spent studying abroad, though helpful, creates a new set of challenges. “It’s a Catch-22,” says Chris Bobbitt (Georgetown, ‘05). “You need to have these skills, but it’s hard to get a security clearance when you’ve just spent 12 months in Syria.”
For ambitious alums, however, the chance to play a part in this era’s defining conflict is irresistible. Fresh out of U-M, Mike Smith already speaks fluent Arabic, Urdu and Hindi; he will head to Cairo in the fall. His goal: to promote cross-cultural understanding, either in the Foreign Service or in academia, which is starved for Arabic specialists. “Maybe I’m being idealistic, but I’d like to think that I could have a positive influence,” Smith says. He’ll have his work cut out for him.
