Four students earn Boren scholarships

Four University of North Georgia (UNG) students have earned Boren scholarships during the spring 2023 semester, and three students have been named alternates. One student wishes to remain unnamed.

Boren scholars are awarded financial assistance up to $25,000 for educational coursework, unpaid internships or volunteer opportunities in language immersion programs primarily overseas.

"The Boren Scholarship is not an easy award to receive. Hitting submit reflects the students’ hard work, diligence, ambition, and dedication to leadership, as well as the encouragement and support of their mentors," Dr. Victoria Hightower, professor of history and assistant director of the Nationally Competitive Scholarships office, said. "We are very proud of our applicants and awardees and cannot wait to see the next steps in their lives and careers."

UNG's Boren winners are:

• Justin Heintz, a senior pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals, will be studying at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, for his capstone year in the Chinese Language Flagship program in 2023-24.
• Mia Libosada, a sophomore cadet pursuing a degree in international affairs, will spend the 2023-24 academic year at Yonsei University.
• Emily "Gracie" Ragon, a senior pursuing degrees in biology and modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals, plans to spend February 2024 to December 2024 at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in the Chinese Flagship Overseas Capstone Program in Taiwan.

UNG's Boren alternates are:

• Luz "Mariana" Vega, who is pursuing a degree in East Asian studies with a Korean concentration, applied to study Korean at Yonsei University for the next academic year.
• Sarai Deras, who is pursuing a degree in East Asian studies with a Japanese concentration, applied to study Japanese at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan, for the next academic year.
• Harrison Buchanan, who is pursuing a degree in computer science, applied to study Japanese at the UNG faculty-led summer study abroad at Nanzan University.

Libosada said the experience will significantly impact her future aspirations and plans after graduation.

"Being able to study abroad last semester at the Korea Military Academy allowed me to surround myself with other cadets. During my time there both my professional and personal growth expanded beyond what I expected. Boren opens more opportunities for me to learn and grow," Libosada said.

The Nationally Competitive Scholarships Office welcomes faculty and students to learn more about the scholarship by contacting NCS@ung.edu.