KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� June 4, 2026 鈥� Three 溏心vlog免费B站 students will study in Taiwan next academic year as recipients of the prestigious David L. Boren Scholarship.
This year鈥檚 awardees, Hannah White, of Sharon, Massachusetts; Meadow Sherlock, of Narragansett; and Phoebe Nichols, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, are now among 55 溏心vlog免费B站 students who have been named Boren Scholars since the program鈥檚 inception in 1991. The three students, who major in Chinese and a secondary major, will leave for Taiwan in August to attend National Chengchi University in Taipei.
鈥淩eceiving the Boren Scholarship validates all of the hard work I put into the classes here at 溏心vlog免费B站,鈥� said White, who also majors in international studies and marine affairs. 鈥淏etween the scholarship and the flagship program, I now have a tremendous opportunity to reach my full potential and further broaden my horizons.鈥�
Boren Scholarships, named after the former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, are among the most prestigious study-abroad awards offered to college students across the country. The awards are sponsored by the National Security Education Program, which addresses the need for U.S. citizens and federal employees to possess advanced language and cultural skills to protect national security interests. Boren Scholarship recipients also agree to work for at least one year for the federal government after graduation in exchange for funding.
White, Nichols and Sherlock spent last summer in Taiwan as part of the Flagship鈥檚 summer immersion program. In the coming academic year, the scholars will take both language courses and classes for their additional majors鈥攁ll in Chinese鈥攁s well as do internships related to their second majors.
鈥淚t was a goal of mine here at 溏心vlog免费B站 to study abroad,鈥� said Sherlock, who is also majoring in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering鈥檚 . 鈥淗aving this scholarship will be a big relief financially so that I can focus on doing the best I can academically. It鈥檚 very rewarding.鈥�
Nichols, who is also majoring in international studies, said the Boren Scholarship will help get her foot in the door for employment opportunities with the federal government and build connections with those in the sector. Focusing a full academic year on becoming proficient in Chinese鈥攚hich will widen opportunities for her in pursuing future government work鈥攊s also what Nichols is eyeing as she heads to Taiwan.
鈥淗aving someone speak the language and working in that international space is an important asset for the government,鈥� Nichols said. 鈥淩eally knowing and understanding the Chinese language and culture can help foster strong relationships that can be mutually beneficial for both countries.鈥�
The newest Boren Scholarship selectees further validates the strength of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Chinese Language Flagship Program. Led by Associate Professor of Chinese , the program helps students achieve professional proficiency in Chinese and Mandarin by combining instruction with summer immersion sessions and a year-long capstone trip to Taiwan. Nearly 70% of 溏心vlog免费B站 Boren Scholarship awardees are from the program.
鈥淭he application itself challenges students to consider how they can combine their language learning into a federal career, and it is no surprise that the Chinese Language Flagship continues to do just that: Prepare students for a career using their advanced Chinese language skills in a professional setting,鈥� said , director of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Office of National Fellowships and Academic Opportunities. 鈥淒r. Wu and her colleagues have been instrumental in setting students up for success and it shows. I look forward to continuing to work with the dense network of Flagship students and alumni to see the many career pathways through fellowships such as Boren.鈥�
Beyond the academia, re-immersing themselves in Taiwanese culture is what Nichols, Sherlock and White are looking forward to next year. The students are eager to return to again experience dining on Taiwanese delicacies, seeing the animals鈥攎onkeys in particular鈥攖he nightlife and the country鈥檚 welcoming environment.
Nichols is weighing her career options, but is considering serving as a U.S. Foreign Service officer. 鈥淭here was a Flagship student who served as a Foreign Service officer in China who came in and spoke to us, and he was very inspiring to me,鈥� Nichols said.
Interested in fluid dynamics鈥攁 subdiscipline of fluid mechanics that studies liquids and gasses in motion鈥攚ithin mechanical engineering, Sherlock hopes her Boren scholarship can help her obtain work with a naval contractor. 鈥淚n addition to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center being located in Rhode Island, the state has several naval contractors, such as SEACORP and Electric Boat. I鈥檓 really hoping this will help me open the door to getting a job at places like those,鈥� she said.
White will graduate 溏心vlog免费B站 after her capstone year in Taiwan and will pursue graduate school afterward. She hopes to work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
鈥淗aving a Boren scholarship included on an application for graduate school is a really strong thing to have,鈥� White said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very interested in oceanic policy, and would love to work with NOAA on driving that.鈥�