By Christy Riddle 

Batesville native Kiersten Bible, a rising sophomore in flight operations at Delta State University, has been awarded a competitive scholarship to study abroad in Lublin, Poland, this summer.

Bible will spend four weeks in July studying Polish language and culture at John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL), an institution that Delta State has maintained an academic and cultural exchange partnership since 2014.

Bible received the scholarship from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) to attend KUL’s School of Polish Language and Culture. Her coursework will include at least 15 hours per week of Polish language instruction and 10 additional hours of cultural programming, such as lectures on Polish history, workshops, collaborative projects, and educational field trips.

“I applied to KUL’s program because I’m really hoping to experience what the culture in Poland is like,” said Bible. “I’ve been studying Polish independently, so this felt like the best way to immerse myself. I’m studying to be a pilot, and having another language under your belt can always help. Also, I really like traveling.”

Following her study abroad experience, Bible will serve as secretary and treasurer of Delta State’s Student Government Association for the 2025-26 academic year. She will also work as a Student Navigator for a First Year Experience course, where she will mentor new students and support faculty with course activities.

In April, Bible was recognized at the College of Business and Aviation Awards and Recognition Banquet, where she received the First Year Student of the Year Award and the Rubber Band Motor and Wooden Propeller Scholarship in aviation.

To support her travel abroad, Bible received additional funding from the Ambassador Jeanette Wallace Hyde Endowment and the DSU Goes Global Passport Program. The Hyde Endowment honors Ambassador Jeanette Wallace Hyde, a 1962 Delta State alumna and former U.S. ambassador to multiple Caribbean nations. 

The passport program, funded by alumni and donors, helps eligible students cover the cost of obtaining their first U.S. passport.