Boren Scholars
ROTC cadet Robert Ivankovich, the 2023 MSU recipient of the Boren Scholarship. Photo courtesy ROTC.
The Boren Awards are an initiative of the Defense Language and National Security Education Offise (DLNSEO).
David L. Boren, a 1979-1994 United States Senator, served on the Senate Finance and Agricultural Committees and served the longest term for chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Boren also served as governor of Oklahoma from 1974-1978. Boren is a respected individual for serving as state legislator, governor, U.S. senator, and president of University of Oklahoma.
Boren is the principal author of the legislation that begun the National Security Education Program, leading to the Boren Awards. With the U.S. making more partnerships with other countries, Boren beleived there is a higher need for experts in other languages and cultures.
The Boren Awards offer scholarships for students to study abroad as well as fellowships, funding research and language studies, both in world regions critical to U.S. interests.
15 Montana State University students have received a Boren award. In 2023, MSU produced another Boren scholar, through the Boren for ROTC program. Learn more about their experience, below.
15
MSU students have been awarded this pretigious scholarship.
Meet Our Boren Scholars
Robert Ivankovich | 2023
"I’m most interested in linguistics and culture, especially the more contemporary stuff, and super interested in social organization."
Hometown: Columbus, Montana
Field of study: Anthropology
Cara Thuringer | 2015
"Thuringer acknowledged that Ghana is a long way from the South Dakota lake where she spent her childhood 'running around barefoot and swimming' and learning to love the environment."
Learn more about Cara's experience>>
Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Field of study: Liberal Studies
Nicholas Peyton | 2014
"The Boren scholarship will provide Peyton, a history and political science major, with $20,000 for a year abroad studying at the University of Wroclaw in Poland."
Learn more about Nicholas' experience>>
Hometown: Bozeman, Montana
Field of study: History and Political Science
Matt Smith | 2012
"Matt Smith, of Helena, one of 119 awardees of the fellowship this year, will leave in June for the University of Florida in Gainesville where he will study Swahili under the university's African Languages Initiative's Domestic Intense Summer Program. In the fall, Smith will continue language study at the State University of Zanzibar, Tanzania."
Learn more about Matt's experience>>
Hometown: Helena, Montana
Field of study: Engineering
Gabe Lavin | 2012
"Lavin, a senior from Bozeman majoring in anthropology, will attend Amideast in Cairo studying Arabic language and culture as one of 161 American recipients of the scholarship sponsored by the National Security Education Program. The Boren Scholarship, which will provide Lavin with $20,000 for his year abroad, is a federal initiative designed to build a broader and more qualified pool of U.S. citizens with foreign language and international skills."
Learn more about Gabe's experience>>
Hometown: Bozeman, Montana
Field of study: Anthropology
Lara Wabrek | 2010
"Wabrek, who received an undergraduate Boren, will spend the spring 2011 semester in Valdivia, Chile as a Boren Scholar. She will receive an award of $10,000 to study at the Austral University in Valdivia and hopes to perform an internship in the community."
Learn more about Lara's experience>>
Hometown: Pocatello, Idaho
Field of study: Mechanical Engineering
Katy Hansen | 2010
"Hansen is the first MSU student to win a Boren Fellowship, which is the Boren award exclusively for graduate students. She will receive a $30,000 award for study in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Hansen will study water management in Israel and the Middle East and is already enrolled in an intensive Arabic language program to prepare her for her year abroad."
Learn more about Katy's experience>>
Hometown: Bozeman, Montana
Field of study: Industrial Engineer and Economics
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