White, a Scott Depot native, is the second student from Marshall University to win the scholarship. In addition to taking classes at Marshall University, she is a member of Marshall’s ROTC program and a member of the Japan Club.
With the aid of the scholarship, White will spend her junior year studying Japanese in Japan at Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Japan, while she completes classes in both of her majors. The Boren Scholarship funds up to $20,000 for a full academic year towards study abroad in a foreign country, and allows students to study less commonly taught languages in global regions critical to national security. In addition to the scholarship funds, winners must agree to work for the federal government after graduation for at least one year.
White intends to fulfill this requirement by serving in the military as a translator. She also has plans to study marine biology and work off of the cost of Japan as a biologist.
“By being able to study in Japan, I’ll have the opportunity to immerse myself in both the culture and the language as a whole,” she says. “Studying abroad will give me firsthand experience that will help me later in my future career.”
White was selected as one of around 170 winners from 750-900 applicants. The scholarship prioritizes students who are interested in longer programs of study and careers in national security/government service, and who are studying languages and countries deemed critical to U.S. national security interests.
For more information on the Boren Scholarship or other nationally competitive scholarships, please contact Mallory Carpenter at 304-696-2475 or at mallory.carpenter@marshall.edu.