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Fleming Island’s Michaels wins prestigious Boren Award at FSU

For Clay Today
Posted 5/13/20

TALLAHASSEE – A Fleming Island High graduate was one of six Florida State undergraduate students selected to receive a nationally competitive language study scholarships through initiatives funded …

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Fleming Island’s Michaels wins prestigious Boren Award at FSU


Posted

TALLAHASSEE – A Fleming Island High graduate was one of six Florida State undergraduate students selected to receive a nationally competitive language study scholarships through initiatives funded by the federal government to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages critical to national security and economic prosperity. 

Grace Michaels, 22, a senior receiving a dual degree in international affairs and Russian language and literature, will study Russian in Almaty, Kazahkstan. In the future, she plans to commission as a U.S. Naval Officer. 

“I am sure that an increased understanding of a foreign language and culture crucial to American foreign policy will contribute greatly to serving my country and my own professional development,” Michaels said.

Michaels also was one of four FSU students to win Boren Awards, offered through an initiative of the National Security Education Program, while two students won Critical Language Scholarships, offered through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Boren Awards allow students to study abroad for up to a year in areas of the world critical to U.S. national security. The scholarship provides up to $20,000 for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions that are underrepresented in study abroad programs and that are critical to U.S. interests, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East.

This year, the Boren Awards program has offered scholarship recipients a flexible start date between August and March because of travel restrictions due to COVID-19.

The Critical Language Scholarship provides American undergraduate students from diverse disciplines with eight to 10 weeks abroad while studying one of 15 critical languages. The program’s goal is for each scholarship recipient to act as a citizen ambassador in their country while finding their place in a globalized workforce. 

Unfortunately, while CLS still recognizes the achievement of being selected as a Scholar, they have decided to suspend all 2020 summer trips in accordance with the governmental travel advisories due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Instead they have invited grantees for several languages to participate in a CLS Virtual Institute and all grantees can reapply for the next cycle.