Maryland Undergraduates Rank No. 1 in Boren Scholarships Nationally

College Park, Md. -- The University of Maryland led the nation in Boren Scholarships for 2012, with eight undergraduate students receiving awards for long-term intensive international language study. This year's recipients will be studying in Ghana, Turkey, Jordan, China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Maryland's top ranking for 2012 follows two years as the third highest recipient institution nationally.

The Boren Scholarship for undergraduate students is funded by the National Security Education Program and provides up to $20,000 for students pursuing language study in regions important to U.S. national interests. Nationally, more than 1,000 students applied for a total 161 Boren awards this year.

Five graduate students also received Boren Fellowships, which provide up to $24,000 for long-term (two semesters or longer), language-focused study and research abroad. This year's graduate student recipients will be traveling to Egypt, Turkey, India, and China.

"Strengthening the University's global connections benefits our students, our state and our country," said University of Maryland President Wallace Loh. "We are proud of the eight undergraduate and five graduate students who have received Boren awards. Each one demonstrates an exceptional capacity for language study and a commitment, through academic pursuits and future career goals, to government service."

Undergraduate Boren Scholars
Rushain Abbasi, a junior government and politics major and member of the Honors College, received an award to study Arabic in Jordan.

Zane Buckey, a sophomore Chinese major and member of the Language House, received an award to study Mandarin in China.

Janice Lin, a sophomore chemistry major and member of the Honors College, received an award to study Mandarin in Taiwan.

Taylor Osborne, a senior Japanese and English major and member of the Honors College and Jimenez-Porter Writer's House, received an award to study Japanese in Japan.

Kyle Pfeiffer, a senior Persian and Spanish major and member of the Language House, received an award to study Persian in Turkey.

Sarah Reynolds, a senior French major and member of the Language House, received an award to study Akan in Ghana.

Elizabeth Richter, a senior Persian major and U.S. Army veteran, received an award to study Persian in Turkey. Lisa Wiest, a sophomore chemical engineering major and member of the Honors College, received an award to study Korean in South Korea.

Graduate Boren Fellows
Daniel Blake (Egypt) is an Arabic language master's student in the College of Arts and Humanities. Daniel will study advanced Arabic with the Graduate Arabic Flagship Program at Alexandria University and will pursue an internship with a local NGO that works on behalf of children's rights.

Evan Jones (Turkey) is a Persian language master's student in the College of Arts and Humanities. Evan will study Persian with the Graduate Persian Flagship Program at Tajik State National University in Dushanbe.

Hanna Moerland (India) is a master's student in the School of Public Policy. Hanna will study Hindi at the Jaipur School of Hindi and intern for an environmental NGO.

Kasia Rada (Egypt) is a master's student in the School of Public Policy. Kasia will undertake intensive study of Arabic and conduct research on the political integration of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Kimberly Wilson (China) is doctoral student in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Kimberly will study Mandarin and examine territorial disputes in Southeast Asia, particularly Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

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