Five University of Pittsburgh students were named winners of Boren Awards, which provides funding for U.S. students to study abroad in critical world regions, learning languages and cultures. After returning to the United States, the recipients will work in a federal government agency for a minimum of a year. All Boren scholars are affiliated with the Global Experiences Office.
Four Pitt graduate students were awarded a Boren Fellowship this year:
- Michael DeAngelo (CAS Graduate Student Assistant), is a student at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). He will study Wolof in Senegal.
- Ryan Druffner, a GSPIA student and GSC certificate student, will study Persian in Tajikistan.
- Angela Le (A&S ’23), a student at the School of Public Health with ASC, CLAS, and GSC certificates and former FLAS fellow, will be studying Vietnamese in Vietnam.
- Kristina Rajakovich (REEES FLAS fellow), is a GSPIA student. She will study Croatian in Croatia.
In addition, one undergraduate student earned a Boren Scholarship:
- Griffin Mekler-Culbertson, a senior in the David C. Frederick Honors College and Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, will be studying Mandarin in Taiwan.
Pitt students and recent graduates can work with the David C. Frederick Honors College Office of National Scholarships and Post-Graduation Success to prepare for and apply to prestigious awards like the Boren.