Students are attracted to languages for various reasons. Those who find themselves intrigued with the culture, history, and traditions of a country, believe that a trip abroad is the only way to truly enhance the educational experience.

“I decided to study Arabic because I knew it was a critical language that would strengthen my degree in Security and Intelligence,” Elliot Klosterman said. “I’m most excited about the opportunity to explore the culture of the Middle East as well as learn the colloquial Arabic dialect in the region. I feel that the Arabic speaking world is the most important region in terms of securing future global peace, prosperity, and economic gain.”

This is the second year in a row that International Studies students have received the coveted Boren National Security Education Program (NSEP) Scholarship. Valued at $20,000, the scholarship is given annually to undergraduates around the country to spend a year studying in critically important areas of the world that are less frequented.   

Klosterman, who also majors in political science, will head to Jordan this fall to study Arabic. The other two Boren Scholars also have another major; Nathan Szabados, in African American and African studies, and Steven Waites in chemical engineering. Szabados is traveling to Kenya to study Kiswahili (through the Minnesota Studies in International Development program); and Waites, is leaving for Yonsei University in South Korea, to study Korean.

Like Klosterman, Waites hopes this experience will bring them one step closer to their long-term goals for improving international relations.

“Knowing Korean will allow me to use my chemical engineering and international studies background in a way to either protect the U.S. or collaborate with South Korea,” said Waites. 

The Boren Scholarship is named after David L. Boren, University of Oklahoma President and former U.S. Senator. At Ohio State, Boren Scholarship applications are handled by the Foreign Language Center.