A recent Nebraska Wesleyan University graduate is among 161 students in the nation to win a Boren Scholarship that will send him to Kyrgyzstan.
Kyle Rohrich of Pierce has been awarded a Boren Scholarship, which provides $20,000 to undergraduates to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad.
With a career goal focused on diplomacy, Rohrich said time in Kyrgyzstan will not only provide him with additional language skills but will expand his knowledge of Central Asia’s culture and political dynamics. While there he will study the Kyrgyz language and participate in cultural immersion trips.
“It will directly work into my future career not only by providing me with more language sills, but help me acquire more intricate knowledge of Central Asia that I can use towards a career in international relations,” said Rohrich, who also speaks Spanish and French.
Last year, Rohrich interned at the State Department where he worked on Central Asia issues. He is working at the State Department again this summer.
Rohrich is the 16th Nebraska Wesleyan University student to win a Boren Scholarship. More than 1,000 undergraduates applied for the honor this year.
He graduated May 12 from NWU, where he studied political science and Spanish. Following his year in Kyrgyzstan, he will attend Georgetown University where he will pursue a master’s degree in conflict resolution.
In addition to Rohrich’s Boren Scholarship, several other Nebraska Wesleyan University students and faculty were honored with national academic awards:
Fulbright Scholarship — Sarah Hotovy, York, biochemistry and molecular biology and political science major. Scholarship will send her to Indonesia where she will teach English. Evan Harpster, Fremont, biology and German major. Scholarship will send him to Germany where he will teach English.
Fulbright Faculty Scholarship — Barbara Cornelius, Head of Library Technology and Associate Professor of Library Science. Scholarship will send her to Nepal and Bangladesh for the next several months where she will research Open-Source software-based user services.
Fulbright Specialist Grant — Gerise Herndon, Professor of English, Director of the Gender Studies Program, and Fulbright Program Advisor. Grant will send her to Banaras Hindu University in India where she will teach feminist theories.
Fulbright Commission’s American Institute for Foreign Study — Ross Mumford, Elmwood, music and elementary education major. Award will send him to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London this summer.
Truman Scholarship — Chelsea Johnson, Johnson, Neb., political science. Chelsea was one of only 60 undergraduates in the nation selected for this honor.
Critical Language Scholarship — Sarah Hotovy, York, biochemistry and molecular biology and political science major. Scholarship will send her to Indonesia where she will participate in an intensive language institute.
Gilman International Scholarship — Emma Hoffman, Fremont; Ben Schilling, McCook, and Gabe Taylor, Council Bluffs, Iowa. This scholarship provided funding for these students to study abroad during the spring 2012 semester. Hoffman studied in Uruguay, Schilling studied in Hong Kong, and Gabe Taylor studied in Estonia.
JET Programme (Japan Exchange and Teaching Program) — Matthew Hegstrom, Fremont, theatre arts major. Award will send him to Japan where he will be an assistant language teacher.
CoSIDA/Academic All Americans — Andy Schweitzer, men’s basketball; Shea Rasmussen, women’s basketball, Steven Anderson, football, Matt Edwards, football, Cody Eiler, football, Brett Kaczor, football, Kelby Vandenberg, football, Russell Walton, football; Megan Tieken, softball, Dani Bryant, softball, Beau Kelly, baseball, and Josh Ostrom, baseball. Nebraska Wesleyan University ranks among the all-time leaders in the entire nation, regardless of college division (NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA), with 84 student-athletes, who have won 123 CoSIDA Academic All-American awards between them. The total ranks NWU 10th among all schools. NWU ranks fourth among NCAA Division III institutions. Nebraska Wesleyan holds nearly 100 more Academic All-America awards than its nearest competitor within the GPAC.