What inspired you to apply for the Boren Awards?
I knew that I wanted to combine my passion for international engagement with a career in government, and Boren was the best possible way to do both. While my undergraduate institution didn’t have a long tradition of sending students to Boren, I knew from a previous participant that Boren was a great opportunity to do something a little bit off the beaten path. Once I explained the program to my college, they were surprisingly flexible. I was actually able to combine Boren with my normal study abroad, in that I spent two semesters on my college study abroad program in Russia while then spending an additional six months in Kyrgyzstan on Boren. It's often easier to find summer study abroad programs than longer programs, and I knew that I wanted to make Boren a large part of my undergraduate experience.
What were the memorable highlights of your overseas study?
The decision to apply for Kyrgyzstan was fairly last minute, with Russia no longer able to take Boren students. While I was unable to study in the country I had first planned on, Boren let me experience a completely different context in Central Asia that expanded and built upon my previous experiences in Russia. Living and studying in Bishkek was a magical opportunity to work with a wide range of people and cultures, and it gave me a more personalized and intensive program than my college’s study abroad program had allowed for. This meant being able to take Kyrgyz lessons and individual classes on subjects like Central Asian energy, but it also included a week-long horseback trek in the mountains and frequent trips to other parts of the country. Being able to conduct research under the program gave me the support to travel to the birthplace of Manas and examine Kyrgyz epic poetry, which was a truly memorable experience.
How has the Boren Awards experience influenced your career path?
My Boren experience led me to pivot in a new direction in my academic and professional career, and my new regional focus put me on a path to working in human development. I had put a priority on spending time abroad, and I knew that would benefit me when it came time to apply for jobs, but the decision to study in Kyrgyzstan really helped me diversify my experience and stand out from other students of the region. Knowing that I was going to be able to do Boren in Kyrgyzstan, I was able to build in class offerings in the lead up to the scholarship to make sure that I had a good foundation for the history and trends in the region. It’s hard to believe just how much this choice impacted me, as I had previously been on a path that mainly revolved around Russia and associated national security themes.
Boren put me down a path that helped me explore the complexities of Eurasia writ-large, a choice that made me a strong applicant for MA programs as well as a good candidate for jobs that look for a wide range of experiences and context. Central Asia exposed me to more discussions around human rights and development, which informed decisions to study Eurasian integration with the Oxus Society while interning with advocacy organizations like Human Rights Watch.
I decided that Peace Corps in Ukraine was the right step for me, even though it was a third-tier priority in terms of satisfying the federal service requirement. I still needed to conduct and evidence my job search, but it was clearly communicated and relatively seamless through the NSEP portal.
What tips would you give others applying for the Boren Awards?
Get creative with choosing your program, and you should be ready to take advantage of whatever opportunities appear while in-country. Boren is there to help you make it happen. I knew that I wanted to apply for a Russian scholarship, which meant that I was able to cast a wide net for potential programs across the Russian-speaking world. Beyond Russia, I already knew that options existed in the Baltics or in multiple Central Asian countries, and I’m sure I could have found other programs that included a Russian-language element if I looked. Once in-country, I tried to keep active in “putting myself out there” by looking for local volunteer or internship options, which brought me to a great local non-profit while also introducing me to a range of organizations and people that I never would have met otherwise. Asking around my host institution led to more personalized class offerings and more flexibility, while also helping me bond with staff and instructors. The financial support from Boren allows you to pursue interesting programming and classes, while giving you the security to be able to afford interesting volunteering or intern opportunities as you explore your host country.