Three UCF students have been selected as 2023 Boren Scholars, a distinguished national honor that recognizes highly motivated undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in U.S. national security.
This year 麻豆精品 S檚 recipients are Angelina Alonzo, a political science major; Flora Ngo, a criminal justice and psychology double major; and Sean Merkel, a computer science major. With support from the (OPA), all three applied, were awarded the scholarship and designed their own study programs.
麻豆精品 S� an initiative of the Defense Language and National Security Education Office 麻豆精品 S� provide funding of up to $25,000 for study abroad experiences for U.S. college students from various fields of study. Select students will find themselves immersed in languages and cultures of world regions critical to U.S. interests. The goal: to build America 麻豆精品 S檚 next generation of government service and education professionals who 麻豆精品 S檝e cultivated international relationships and worked and studied alongside experts of other countries. These future leaders will help the U.S. make sound decisions on and deal effectively with global issues related to the country 麻豆精品 S檚 national security.
Meet the three Knights who are set to venture overseas this summer.
Gaining a New Perspective in Latvia
Background Check
A young Alonzo would listen intently as her father told endless stories about traveling the world while working for the federal government. Like old VHS tapes, memories played back of the different cultures he encountered and languages he learned.
麻豆精品 S淸His stories] inspired me to travel the world, 麻豆精品 S� Alonzo says.
Growing up in a Dominican household, Spanish was second nature to her. Naturally, she studied the language as a college freshman, but learning a critical language quickly piqued her interest.
麻豆精品 S淚 knew I didn 麻豆精品 S檛 want to [learn] Mandarin because [it 麻豆精品 S檚] way too hard, 麻豆精品 S� Alonzo says. 麻豆精品 S淪o, Russian it is. 麻豆精品 S�
Going for it
Alonzo first learned of the Boren Awards as a first-year student. After several months of research, she applied for the Boren Scholarship in December 2022. What she thought would be a perfect opportunity to learn Turkish in Turkey, turned into the curation of an epic Russian study abroad experience, because she was learning Russian after all.
Next Stop: Daugavpils
The sophomore is looking forward to her first trip out of the U.S. Due to the current Russia travel advisory established by the U.S. Department of State, she’ll be traveling to one of Russia 麻豆精品 S檚 neighboring countries: Latvia. Over the course of about 38 weeks, she says she 麻豆精品 S檚 excited to experience a new environment 麻豆精品 S� one that 麻豆精品 S檚 vastly different than the Spanish and American cultures she 麻豆精品 S檚 familiar with 麻豆精品 S� while strengthening her understanding of the Russian language at Daugavpils University in Daugavpils, Latvia.
麻豆精品 S淢y biggest accomplishment would be realizing that I 麻豆精品 S檓 speaking Russian without needing my textbook or a translator app, 麻豆精品 S� Alonzo says.
The Future is Bright
Upon returning next spring, the member plans to enrich her academics by pursuing a third minor in either terrorism studies or psychology.
A Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
Background Check
Weekly Vietnamese school lessons at church is where senior Ngo studied the language formally, but she 麻豆精品 S檚 engaged with it from birth growing up with Vietnamese parents.
麻豆精品 S淛ust getting that practice and having the opportunity to learn new words in different ways is important to me, 麻豆精品 S� Ngo says.
Going for it
Despite Vietnamese not being included in the many offered at UCF, Ngo was eager to improve her fluency. Boren Award representatives visited her Intelligence Analysis and Reporting class in Fall 2021, providing Ngo with initial insight about the immersive program. A year later, she was earnestly writing essays, getting letters of recommendation and receiving guidance from OPA as she began her Boren Scholarship application.
Next Stop: Ho Chi Minh City
Ngo channeled her Vietnamese background and interest in understanding the preconceptions surrounding other nations into a desire to study in Vietnam. The country isn’t very common for study abroad programs, which drove Ngo to custom tailor her program for her studies at Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Her studies at UCF focus on federal government operations, which Ngo explains ties directly to her 11-month study abroad experience.
麻豆精品 S淥pening my mind to the different cultures and experiences in Vietnam [will give] me a better outlook [on global government systems] 麻豆精品 S� knowing that the way we do things in the U.S. isn 麻豆精品 S檛 how it is everywhere else, 麻豆精品 S� Ngo says.
The Future is Bright
Ngo is looking forward to graduating as a Burnett Honors Scholar from UCF and applying to a master 麻豆精品 S檚 program in international security while pursuing a career in national security.
麻豆精品 S淚 just want to contribute somehow, 麻豆精品 S� Ngo says. 麻豆精品 S淗aving a grasp of a common language in Southeast Asia would help me in that regard 麻豆精品 S� giving me another avenue to be able to [facilitate communication]. 麻豆精品 S�
Making Connections in Japan
Background Check
The Miami native and Spanish speaker is connecting to a childhood interest by learning Japanese. 麻豆精品 S淚 watch anime and grew up [playing] video games, 麻豆精品 S� Merkel says, 麻豆精品 S渟o Japan always had a place in my life. 麻豆精品 S�
Going for it
As the first student in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science to be awarded a Boren Scholarship, Merkel recalls being inspired by a conversation with a family friend who studied abroad in Thailand.
麻豆精品 S淚 feel like studying abroad anywhere is a way to find yourself 麻豆精品 S� it 麻豆精品 S檚 a rite of passage, 麻豆精品 S� says Merkel, a junior.
Next Stop: Osaka
He chose Osaka, Japan, a city 247 miles away from Tokyo, because of his longtime fascination with the region 麻豆精品 S檚 culture and language.
麻豆精品 S淚 picked Japan because I 麻豆精品 S檝e always wanted to learn Japanese and it 麻豆精品 S檚 also a critical language, 麻豆精品 S� Merkel says. 麻豆精品 S淸Visiting Japan has] been on my bucket list 麻豆精品 S� and the fact that I got a scholarship to go is great. 麻豆精品 S�
Merkel is anticipating the difficulty in learning Japanese but is excited to branch out and meet new people and try new experiences as a student at Osaka University.
麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 going there for the language class, 麻豆精品 S� Merkel say, 麻豆精品 S渂ut I 麻豆精品 S檓 also going there to try other classes like cooking. 麻豆精品 S�
The Future is Bright
Merkel is looking forward to working with the federal government upon his return 麻豆精品 S� a requirement of Boren Scholars for a minimum of one year. During that time, he can apply to receive federal government agency issued security clearance.
麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 a big thing for the cybersecurity world, 麻豆精品 S� Merkel says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檒l be attractive to the job market, plus, I 麻豆精品 S檒l have some language experience with Japanese, too. 麻豆精品 S�
This opportunity will be beneficial as Merkel seeks a future career as a cybersecurity penetration tester.
Students interested in applying for Boren awards or other major national awards should contact the Office of Prestigious Awards at opa@ucf.edu.
