For the second consecutive year, the University of Georgia is positioned second in the country as a leading institution for Boren Scholarships. UGA also holds the second spot for the total count of Boren Awards in 2025, which is derived from the sum of an institution’s Boren Scholarships and Fellowships.
This spring, seven undergraduates were chosen as Boren Scholars. These individuals will receive financial support to learn critical languages in Kazakhstan, Senegal, and Brazil in return for a year of federal service.
Additionally, this year marks the fifth consecutive year that UGA has earned recognition as a prominent institution for Boren Scholarships. To date, UGA has received 112 offers for Boren Scholarships and Fellowships.
The national nominating panel for Boren selected 66 Boren Fellows and 132 Boren Scholars in 2025. This award aims to enhance the international and language aspects of students’ education by providing them with the opportunity to study abroad in regions essential to U.S. interests. Recipients of Boren Awards pledge to serve in the federal government for a minimum of one year post-graduation in exchange for up to $25,000 in funding. The national initiative is overseen by the Institute of International Education on behalf of the National Security Education Program.
“This year’s awardees continue to showcase the University of Georgia’s exceptional language flagship programs,” stated Elizabeth Hughes, Boren Awards campus representative and a student affairs professional in the Morehead Honors College. “Six of the seven awardees are participants in the Russian or Portuguese flagship programs, and all benefited from the support they received from faculty and staff who dedicated much to our students’ achievements.”
The language flagship enables undergraduates to strive for professional-level language proficiency in one of seven critical languages. Programs are facilitated by recognized leaders and innovators in the field of language education.
The following five recipients were granted Boren Scholarships to assist their participation in a capstone-year program to study Russian and conduct an internship in Kazakhstan as part of the Russian Flagship program.
Sara Adkins from Gainesville is a fourth-year scholar majoring in Russian, German, and Spanish.
Mercedes Bengs from Hot Springs, South Dakota, is a fourth-year student and Air Force ROTC cadet majoring in international affairs and Russian, supplemented by a minor in German.
Nicholas Heiniger from Marietta is a fourth-year Honors student specializing in international affairs and Russian.
Jessica Sobieski from Roswell is a fourth-year scholar majoring in international affairs and Russian.
Jack Williford from Augusta is a fourth-year student focusing on international affairs and Russian, with a minor in linguistics.
The following recipients received Boren Scholarships to support their studies in French in Senegal and Portuguese in Brazil.
Mark Adams from Peachtree City is a fourth-year Honors student specializing in French and international affairs, with a minor in English and a global studies certificate. He was awarded a Boren Scholarship to study French in Senegal through Boren’s African Flagship Languages Initiative.
Madison Dixon from Marietta is a third-year Honors student majoring in finance and international business, with a minor in Portuguese. Dixon was granted a Boren Scholarship to facilitate her participation in a capstone-year program to study Portuguese and undertake an internship in Brazil as part of the Portuguese Flagship program.
This year’s recipients and their majors reside within the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Public and International Affairs, and the Morehead Honors College.
The Major Scholarships Office at UGA, based in the Morehead Honors College, collaborates closely with all students across campus as they seek national, prestigious scholarships. For more details on applying for a Boren Scholarship or Fellowship through UGA, reach out to Elizabeth Hughes at [email protected]. For more information regarding the Boren Awards, explore https://www.borenawards.org/.
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