USU Student to Study in United Arab Emirates Through Boren Scholarship
Zachary Malcarne has been awarded a Boren Scholarship to study abroad at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
Utah State University student Zachary Malcarne has been awarded a Boren Scholarship to study abroad at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Malcarne will be studying Arabic language, economics, and international trade through USU’s partner, International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP).
The Boren Scholarship, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, focuses on areas of study impacting national security and provides funding opportunities for students to study less commonly taught languages in exchange for working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation. Malcarne will be focusing on how energy and food economics impact social stability, and the subsequent implication of Middle Eastern social instability on U.S. national security.
“I am excited and honored to have the chance to immerse myself in Emirati culture for nine months,” said Malcarne. “No matter what my career path becomes, I believe this will provide me with an invaluable perspective on world cultures. I have studied abroad in Western Europe with the Huntsman Scholar's Program and interned in Ghana with the SEED Program, but this opportunity will give me first-hand insights into how academic practices vary between cultures and languages.”
Boren Scholarships are awarded with preference for students who will study abroad for longer periods of time and in countries, languages, and fields of study critical to U.S. national security. Students submit applications with two essays tying national security, career goals and their proposed study abroad program into a strong narrative. Malcarne credits John Ferguson, senior lecturer in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, and Shannon Peterson, the new director of global programming in the Institute of Government and Politics, in assisting him with his application.
Malcarne received support from the study abroad team in the Office of Global Engagement, who can help all USU students find the most appropriate study abroad programs, apply effectively for scholarships, and revise their essays. Global Engagement provides Boren-specific workshops on campus from November through January to offer tips and advice on scholarship applications. The on-campus deadline for the Boren Scholarship is in January, with awards announced mid-April.
For more information on the Boren Scholarship and other study abroad scholarships, visit Global Engagement’s scholarship website for information and deadlines, and email studyabroad@usu.edu with any questions.
Writer and Contact: Celestyn Hollingshead, Celestyn.hollingshead@usu.edu, 435-797-3677
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